WFG RATING: A-

An Intellego Media Production. Directed and produced by Reagan Elkins.

Stars Jim Cowen, Tim Elliott, Robert Williams, and Laurie Allen. 

A small town finds itself divided when a wild and crazy idea to boost tourism is brought to life in this documentary that could and should serve as a companion piece to one of the greatest Christmas films of our generation. 

In the small town of Chickasha, Oklahoma, the Festival of Light is the big thing that boosts tourism every holiday season. Taking approximately 45 days, tourists will flock to the small town, see the lights and then leave. Then the town is back to normal. However, after watching the film “A Christmas Story”, business owners Jim Cowan and Tim Elliott had an idea. What if Chickasha had its own “major award”? 

Coming up with the idea of a giant leg lamp to help boost the town during the rest of the year, he attempts to contact Warner Bros. about getting permission to use the film as a stepping stone, but was refused. However, he soon learns he had an ace in the hole when the actual creator of the leg lamp was living in Chickasha and that his daughter-in-law was the man’s caretaker. However, despite efforts, it was met with resistance by townsfolk and it nearly was destroyed but ultimately, the leg lamp to this day, still stands in the town of Chickasha.

Reagan Elkins, a fourth-generation filmmaker from the town where this all took place, documented and made a film showing both sides of the spectrum of how a famous “major award” would help attract tourism all year round to its annual holiday themed event, influenced by the classic 1983 film “A Christmas Story”. 

It is quite fascinating to see how the idea of the famous leg lamp would come to life from both a positive and negative aspect to things. It starts with an understanding that Chickasha, meaning “Big River” in the Chickasaw language, has a population of 17,000 residents. The only way the town makes money is sales tax. With its annual 45-day Festival of Light, the town was nicknamed “Christmas Town”. Tim Elliott, would travel around the country and see various things that attracted tourism such as Beaver Lodge in Canada and Winslow, Arizona’s statue named after the song “Takin’ It Easy”. It is his visits and seeing “A Christmas Story” for the first time that he comes up with the idea of a giant leg lamp. 

Perhaps the most outspoken critic is another local business owner, Laurie Allen, who felt that the leg lamp was seen as “sexist” and “degrading to women” along with some of the other locals. Others found the idea ridiculous and had attempted to come up with other ideas. When the leg lamp idea finally was approved, Cowan’s rejection from Warner Bros. would lead to the ace in the hole and then we get a history of the leg lamp. 

Noland James is the original creator of the leg lamp and was cared for by Cowen’s daughter-in-law. James’ daughter explains the history of the novelty item and even goes as far as telling the story of how a production designer from MGM convinced James to use a prototype for the leg lamp so they can make one for the film. We then get the town hall meetings where both sides speak their peace and even have an appearance from Elkins himself. 

Fragilé is a fascinating look at how a classic Christmas film inspired and nearly destroyed a town, but ultimately and still to this day, has become a tourist attraction alongside their annual holiday event.