She may be a “little bit country,” and he “a little bit rock ‘n roll,’ but they’re both big-time movie spoilers. Well, sort of. In the late 1970s, this dynamic sibling pop duo charmed audiences with their hit variety television show, Donny and Marie, which graced ABC from January 1976 to May 1979. Riding the wave of Star Wars mania that swept pop culture in the wake of the first film’s release in May 1977, the duo surprised fans with their own Star Wars television special in September of that year. Little did they know, in their playful antics, they inadvertently spoiled one of Star Wars’ major plot twists involving Luke and Leia.
Unless you’re Mark Hamill dropping franchise hot takes, it’s widely accepted that the Star Wars Holiday Special is among the least stellar offerings from that galaxy far, far away. While Life Day has remained part of the saga’s lore, the infamous special is notorious for its poor critical and fan reception. However, in a recent documentary covered by ET, Donny Osmond opens up about the strange experience he shared with his sister during this surreal Star Wars artifact.
Donny and Marie capitalizing on the Star Wars phenomenon.
In 1977, Star Wars became a pop culture phenomenon, capturing the world's imagination. Inspired by this galactic fever, Donny and Marie Osmond jumped on the bandwagon to partake in the interstellar excitement. The cast brought an eclectic touch, featuring Donny as Luke Skywalker, Marie as Princess Leia, and Kris Kristofferson stepping into the charismatic shoes of Han Solo. The spectacle was further enhanced by additional Osmond siblings donning Stormtrooper gear, contributing to the lively performances that unfolded. This variety show, serving as a musical journey through the Star Wars universe, offered catchy tunes and a whimsical spacecraft adventure.
The Luke and Leia's Sibling Connection
If you have seen the Star Wars films in chronological order, you know that nowadays, canon is of utmost importance to fans. For a brief moment between the original movie release (A New Hope recently passed its 45th anniversary) and the release of its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, there was a time when established lore and canon did not exist. This time in the franchise's history is like the Wild West with some truly interesting spin-offs. What makes the Osmond spoof even more intriguing is a surprising detail. The unintentional casting of siblings Donny and Marie as Luke and Leia turned out to be a subtle hint at one of Star Wars’ significant revelations: the sibling connection between Luke and Leia, a secret not unveiled until the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983. Or, as Donny puts it in the doc:
I'm thinking, 'How in the world is George Lucas allowing this to happen?' Because it's just, so far from the movie. But it sure was funny at the time. And it's funny to look back on right now.
Breaking All the Rules
The ABC special was bound to break some rules, considering many hadn’t yet been established and the narrative had not been greatly expanded to the extent it would be. As Osmond candidly admits:
It broke a lot of [Star Wars] rules.
One memorable instance includes a shot of Chewbacca with his arm around Darth Vader, a clear violation recognizable to even the most casual of Star Wars enthusiasts.
The Documentary's Quest for Answers
A Disturbance in the Force takes a deep dive into the 1978 holiday special, featuring bizarre cameos from non-Star Wars celebrities and exploring Chewbacca's family and home planet in a nonsensical side plot.
Crafted by the creative minds behind Napoleon Dynamite and Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, the documentary delves into the mysteries surrounding the infamous Holiday Special, offering insights into the how and why of its creation. While the Star Wars Holiday Special often takes a hit for all the wrong reasons, there's a silver lining that resonated with fans. Notably, in an animated segment, it introduced fan-favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett. Without this much-maligned variety show special, we might not have been treated to some of the best Disney television shows today, such as The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, both available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription.
In Retrospect
In hindsight, Donny jokes about the rule-breaking, the unlikely friendships, and the unintentional spoilers. But, the Donny & Marie Star Wars spoof, which is available on YouTube, stands as a charming and accidental time capsule, reminding fans of a time before such stringent grasps were on canon and lore–which produced some truly weird, but unforgettable pieces of media from a Galaxy Far Far Away.
A Disturbance in the Force is now available to buy or rent on digital platforms, DVD, and Blu-ray.
