Il Natale che quasi non fu is a 1966 English-language Family Fantasy movie written by Paul Tripp and directed by Rossano Brazzi and produced by Barry B. Yellen and A.j. Piccolo. Sam Whipple, an attorney in once-upon-a-time-land, is startled to receive a visit from Santa Claus shortly before Christmas. It ms that when he was a child, Sam wrote a letter thanking Santa for the presents he'd received and offering to return the favor someday. That day is now: a mean old soul named Phineas Prune, who holds the deed to the North Pole, is demanding back rent. Otherwise, he'll evict Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves and take all the Christmas toys. It's up to Sam and Santa to find a way to pay off Prune and prevent Christmas from being canceled. Written by Eugene Kim. Il natale che quasi non fu features Rossano Brazzi in the title role along with an ensemble cast including Paul Tripp, Lydia Brazzi, Alberto Rabagliati, Sonny Fox, Mischa Auer and John Karlsen. The music was composed by Bruno Nicolai. Cinematography was done by Alvaro Mancori and editing by Maurizio Lucidi. The motion picture has a running time of 93-89 minutes. It was released on 23rd November 1966. Distribution rights for the film were acquired by Childhood Productions Inc.