Where Was ‘Rescuing Christmas’ Filmed? See Cast Stories & Locations

The Hallmark Channel’s newest Christmas in July movie, “Rescuing Christmas,” premieres on Saturday, July 13, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The movie stars Rachael Leigh Cook, Sam Page, Patrick O’Brien, Bailey Stender and T. Mychael Rambo. The movie is also available on Hallmark Movies Now. Read on to learn all about where it was filmed and behind-the-scenes stories.

‘Rescuing Christmas’ Was Filmed in Minnesota

According to IMDb, “Rescuing Christmas” was filmed in Minnesota, including locations such as the old Bagley & Co. Jewelers on West Superior Street in Duluth.

The Duluth News Tribune posted a picture that showed filmmaking equipment visible at Bayfront Festival Park on May 18, 2023 during the production of the Hallmark movie. The movie premiered last year on Hallmark Movies Now, but this will be its first time to air on the Hallmark Channel.

TV Insider reported that “Rescuing Christmas” features three Minnesota actors, including one from Duluth, alongside Minneapolis-born Cook. Bailey Stender, a Hollywood actor with experience in stage productions at Duluth Playhouse and her alma mater Duluth East High School, portrays one of Santa’s elves.

Duluth News Tribune reported that some of the filming locations included Bayfront Festival Park, Lincoln Park neighborhood businesses such as Frost River Trading Co., Dovetail Cafe, OMC Smokehouse, and downtown’s Duluth Creative Co. Additionally, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum will feature extensively in the movie, with the locomotive William A. Crooks transforming into a mini Polar Express and the Depot Square storefronts providing a Christmas Village backdrop.

Charley Hagen, a production assistant from Duluth, told Duluth News Tribune that people are now viewing this area in a way they never have before, not only appreciating its natural beauty but also recognizing its adaptability.

“Rescuing Christmas” began filming in Duluth on May 1 and concluded on the following Monday, director Emily Moss Wilson told Duluth News Tribune. While May’s weather was challenging, including haze from Canadian wildfires, she noted, “it’s not anything we haven’t, as filmmakers, encountered before.”

A viewer on IMDb also posted a bit of trivia about a movie goof, saying “At 0:03:34 in the movie, Erin passes by an ice cream vendor in the town square that is surrounded by snow. Just four seconds later that snow is completely gone and some new Christmas decorations like a big red box and jumbo candy suddenly appear on the side of the ice cream vendor.”

Other people chimed in with sharing continuity goofs on IMDb too, noting that during the town square tree lighting ceremony, the lights around the top of the podium stay on, except for two shots when Cahill is speaking. In those rear-facing shots, the podium lights are visibly off.

Another viewer noted on IMDb that the movie’s photography knowledge might not be quite accurate. “Red safe-light while developing colour prints? That too in a tray where absolute total darkness is required? I should know. Have run a lab for 20+ years.”

According to Northern News Now, the cast and crew for this film alone total about 150 people.

The movie earned a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Director Emily Moss Wilson advertised the movie on her Instagram profile, writing: “Lots of magic on this one…”

They wrapped the movie in May 2023, she shared.

Rachel Leigh Cook posted a selfie while filming.

Actor Chase Marcotte posted a group picture on Instagram, writing: “Last May I had the opportunity to be a part of ‘Rescuing Christmas.’ I met the most amazing people, kindest, smartest, and most talented cast and crew in the world. I truly had the time of my life and am still grateful every day for the experience.”

Meet the Cast

Hallmark’s official synopsis reads: “In a world where Santa is real and wants to drum up some holiday spirit, two of Santa’s elves, Chuck and Debbie, devise a plan to grant one human on Earth three wishes to kickstart the holidays. Unfortunately, that human is Erin, who has lost all affection for the season. Even a blind date set up by her sister, with the affable and charming Sam, won’t change her mind about Christmas. But when she makes the mistake of wishing Christmas would “just disappear,” Erin wakes up to a world where the holiday never existed! Horrified, she realizes that she’s taken away everyone’s joy, so she enlists Sam to help her reinvent the festivities from scratch. In the process, Erin learns just how much this holiday and its traditions have meant to everyone around her – and how much Sam has come to mean to her.”

Rachel Leigh Cook plays Erin. According to her bio, Cook’s first lead role in a major film was “The Baby-Sitters Club.” She regularly lends her voice to “Robot Chicken” and the “Final Fantasy” video game franchise. Cook has also starred in feature films such as “Get Carter,” “Nancy Drew,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “11:14.” She is well-known for her “This is Your Brain on Drugs” PSA, which raised awareness about heroin— a role she reprised nearly 20 years later for the Drug Policy Alliance. Additionally, she was selected by the Obama administration as a Champion of Change for Arts Education. Cook is a mother of two.

Sam Page plays the role of a character with the same name, Sam. His Hallmark bio mentions that his popularity started with his role on the daytime drama “All My Children,” which earned him a spot among People Magazine’s Most Eligible Bachelors. He got a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University, where he also played baseball. Page has had the distinction of simultaneously juggling three recurring roles: AMC’s “Mad Men,” “Desperate Housewives,” and the ABC Family Channel series “Greek.”

Also starring, according to Hallmark’s press release, are:

• Bailey Stender (Debbie)
• Patrick O’Brien (Chuck)
• T. Mychael Rambo (Santa)
• Kathryn Fumie (Maria)
• Rod Kasal (Taylor)
• Mika Flanagan (Olivia)
• Melinda Kordich (Diana)
• Chase Marcotte (Jonah)
• Jim Cunningham (Lou)
• Sarah Agnew (Mayor)
• Greta Oglesby (N.P. General Council)
• Ahmad Mawas (Archie)
• Agatha Pokrzywinski (Bakery Worker)
• Rae Dastoor (Bakery Owner)
• Jake Leider (Radio Intern)

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