Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love

Hey, everybody, don't you just love my home away from home?

All decorated so beautifully for the holidays.

You know, millions of you joined us last Christmas

for Coat of Many Colors, and I love you for that.

And tonight, we're gonna see another true story of a Christmas miracle

that happened during my childhood.

Now, I call this one Circle of Love.

That special circle has guided me my whole life,

including one unforgettable painted angel

who touched my life in ways that I could never have imagined.

Angels and miracles come in many forms

as you're gonna see in Circle of Love.

Circle of love.

Halo of light.

When Jesus was born.

On that Christmas night.

It had been a hard summer and fall at our mountain home,

but even after facing both drought and loss,

something beautiful had happened.

Come on, girl, get us to town.

Mama's prayers were finally answered

on the day that my daddy first stepped foot in my grandpa': Church.

Lee Parton was a changed man.

And now with Christmas coming, we were all full of hope.

Okay. Remember your books.

Hi, Lord. It's Dolly. I'm back.

So, Lord, I'm thinking

how them shiny, red patent-leather shoes would look on my dainty, little feet.

I like that dress.

- Where's Dolly? - Dolly Rebecca Parton!

Gotta go, but just one more thing, Lord.

Can I please play the Virgin Mary

in the birth of baby Jesus annual Christmas pageant this year?

I know I ask every year.

But if I could just play Mary once, I'll never ask for anything else again.

Dolly!

Except for maybe a white Christmas. Thank you and amen.

- Come on! Sorry.

Wait for me, I'm coming!

Hey! Don't leave, I'm coming!

- Wait for me! - Up you go.

I almost had to walk!

Come in, come in.

Rudy, shut the door before you let the heat out.

- Yes, Miss Moody. - I love the wish book.

Everything you could ever dream of is in here.

I want these shiny, red patent-leather shoes.

Wouldn't they look just jim-dandy with my coat?

You best be deciding,

'cause one store-bought present's all you're getting.

- I want a green farm truck. - I want a Swiss Army knife.

I want a Betsy Wetsy. She wets herself.

I have one of those.

I told Miss Moody we can use it for the baby Jesus this year.

We can't have a baby Jesus that wets the manger, Bessie Jean.

What kind of mother are you?

With all the practice you've had playing Mary every blessed year,

you'd think you knew better.

Come on, y'all.

You think it's fair that Bessie Jean gets to play Mary every year?

She's perfect. Why? Do you wanna?

Of course, I do. She's the star of the show.

It's my destiny. Why wouldn't I?

For one thing,

Mary is kind of holy.

I can be holy.

Girls, to your seats.

I know we are all excited about Christmas and the pageant,

but we have got to finish this semester's work first.

Let's bow our heads and pray. Who would like to lead us today?

All right, Dolly.

Oh, Lord, thank you for the baby Jesus.

But also for his mama, Mary.

My mama says Mary was just a plain, old girl

with a heart for you.

I wanna believe there's a little Mary in all of us.

Some, maybe more than others.

But I have hope.

'Cause instead of a perfect girl,

you picked a plain one with a big heart

to change the world forever.

Amen.

Why, Dolly, what a lovely prayer.

Why don't you just hold up a sign that says,

"Give me the part of Mary, Miss Moody, not Bessie Jean"?

You know your problem, Rudy Sanders?

- You got no holiness in you. - Neither do you, Missy.

AH right, class, open your books to Chapter 2.

Is your husband ever gonna speak to me again, Avie Lee?

It's been months since I spoke out of turn.

Corla, don't worry yourself.

You know how slow men can be to turn the other cheek.

Especially Mr. Lee Parton.

And him a new Christian, too.

Okay, I'm gonna take 'em out for ya...

No, you don't have to take 'em out.

No harm in looking.

Miss Bass? - I'll be right back.

Miss Bass?

Hello, Miss Ann, how can I help you?

"David's Swiss Army knife is $3.95.

"Bobby's farm truck, $3.98.

"Willadeene's poetry book is $2.25."

"Denver's Duncan Super Tournament Yo-Yo with trick book is $1.99."

"Cassie's royal tea set, $3.98, Dolly's red shoes $3.49"

"and Stella's Betsy Wetsy is $4.95."

You know, with wet nappies coming out of her ears,

why does she want a doll that pees?

You don't get to pick the present.

You just get to have it here by Christmas,

and that comes to exactly $24.59,

and I think we just might make it.

Yeah, if nothing goes wrong.

You know, it's silly getting Dolly these red shoes.

She's just gonna outgrow 'em.

I'll put my egg money in the kitty.

Dolly gets her shiny red shoes.

- What does Mama get? - Nothing.

I got everything I want, my children and you.

A wedding ring?

After eight kids, I'm just about as married as I can get.

I don't think a ring is gonna make it any more official.

Besides, like you say,

"It's just a piece of metal."

I said that?

I was just after your egg money.

I knew you had some good layers.

Look at them.

Mary and Joseph.

Nobody's that happy.

Why should I be smelly, old sheep,

but Bessie Jean gets to play Mary every year?

Maybe because she's sweet as honey.

"Honey"?

Well, there must have been dookie in that beehive.

She's a devil, all right.

Good thing you prayed that humdinger yesterday.

There's nothing wrong with praying for what you want.

Don't you wanna be a star?

No.

I like being the donkey.

Where no one can even see you?

That don't make a lick of sense.

Class, I've got an announcement.

After much deliberation and soul-searching,

I have chosen the cast.

The Parton boys are going to play the wise men

and, Stella, you are going to be the Star of Bethlehem.

How about that, Dolly?

I'm the first in the family to be a star.

And this year,

the role of Mary will be played by...

Miss Dolly Parton.

Do it. I double-dog dare you.

And the part of Joseph, Mary's beloved husband,

will be played by Mr. Rudy Sanders.

- Eww... - He's a keeper.

So are you over Rudy playing Joseph?

I'll never get over it.

But I have to think past it, to my future.

Good things are coming out of me being the star already.

But don't ask me, I can't say a word.

- I promised Miss Moody. - Like what?

Okay, just be surprised tomorrow.

You get to play

the angel Gabriel in the pageant.

You'll be beside me.

I just told her, "Miss Moody, Judy is tall,"

"stronger than most of the boys"

"and got a fierce look that could drop a charging bear."

Yeah, like that!

That's great, Judy. See, I knew you'd be good.

How could you do something like that without even asking?

Who'd wanna play a donkey butt when they could be an angel of God?

Me. I told you that.

Well, that's just plumb crazy, Judy.

Everybody wants to be a star.

You do. You want to be the star.

Pardon me for caring that my best friend was stuck

in the back end of a donkey.

I just see you as better than that, that's all.

You know, sometimes you don't see past the nose on your face, Dolly Parton.

I told you that I wanted to be the donkey.

Front or back.

But that's just not good enough for you, is it?

Maybe I'm just not good enough for you.

You's acting like a donkey's butt now.

Hey!

Oh, thank God.

I thought you were a rat.

I was about to brain you with this broom, girl.

- Are you getting into my preserves? - Mm-mmm.

Scoot over, and let me wipe off everything you ain't been eating.

I'm real happy for you, Dolly, get to play Mary.

You've had your heart set on it for so long.

God hears your prayers.

Well, who prayed for him to give me a bug-eating husband?

And turn my best friend against me?

Now, was it God that talked Miss Moody

into giving Judy a speaking part she didn't want?