Holiday Heart

Plot

Holiday Heart is a made-for-television film from 2000, directed by Robert Townsend. It stars Ving Rhames as the title character, with Alfre Woodard, Jesika Reynolds, and Mykelti Williamson in supporting roles. The movie first aired on Showtime and later came out on DVD through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Its story, adapted from a play by Cheryl L. West, centers on a gay drag queen who forms a bond with a single mother and her daughter, working to shield them from the dangerous surroundings they face. Woodard’s performance earned a Golden Globe nomination, among other award nods.

The protagonist, Holiday Heart, is an African American man who works as a drag queen at a Chicago nightclub. He is described as gifted, resilient, kind-hearted, and a devout Christian. After losing his boyfriend, he meets Wanda, a single mother struggling with addiction and poverty, along with her young daughter Niki. Holiday offers them a place to stay and steps into a fatherly role for Niki. Trouble arises when Wanda relapses into drug use and, following a string of bad relationships, gets involved with Silas, a wealthy drug dealer who is both homophobic and sexist. Silas pays Holiday to stay away from Wanda and Niki, backing up his demand with threats, and Holiday agrees, planning to relocate to Paris.

A confrontation between Wanda and Holiday leads him to confess that he was raped while in prison, where he ended up after killing a man to defend his mother. Niki is left on her own when Silas leaves for a supposed business trip because Wanda is using too much of his drugs and has turned to prostitution to support her habit. Holiday takes Niki in and raises her as his own. With his guidance, Niki gets baptized at a local church and graduates elementary school with top marks.

Later, Silas returns in a more amicable mood, grateful for Holiday’s care of Niki. He has been preparing a house in Florida for Wanda and Niki but continues to make a living through drug sales. As Niki starts junior high, Holiday and Silas form an unlikely partnership, with Silas showing more respect and tolerance toward Holiday. However, when Silas takes Niki along on a drug deal, she runs away and encounters her mother in a rundown flophouse where she is working as a prostitute. Wanda’s new boyfriend, Ricky, develops a pedophilic interest in Niki, and Wanda agrees to sell her daughter for heroin. Niki escapes as Ricky beats Wanda in fury. Silas finds Niki and leaves her with Holiday.

As a rebellious teenager, Niki acts out, and Holiday loses his temper and slaps her. Just before Christmas, Wanda shows up at the nightclub where Holiday performs, asking for help getting clean. They head to Holiday’s car, which carries a bike gift for Niki, but Ricky and an accomplice attack Wanda and steal the bike. Holiday fights them off, but Ricky gets into his car and runs over Wanda, killing her before being stopped by police. Months later, Niki visits her mother’s grave during spring break with Holiday and Silas. Silas tells them he has a surprise waiting when they return from a trip to Paris.