By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/8/25 – In her moving directorial debut More Than Santa Baby, Tamar Springer offers a tender, nuanced portrait of her father — legendary American composer Philip Springer — whose name may not be instantly recognizable, but whose music has echoed through generations. Best known for penning the enduring holiday classic “Santa Baby,” Springer’s legacy spans over eight decades, and Tamar’s documentary reveals a life far richer and more complex than one iconic hit might suggest.
Premiering at the 28th Annual Dances With Films Festival at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre, the documentary was introduced with heartfelt anticipation. “This is a true project of the heart,” Springer shared in a conversation with The Hollywood Times. “It was cathartic in many ways… my respect for him grew.”
Click below for our exclusive interview:
The film traces Springer’s journey from the Brill Building era of 1940s New York to his current life in Los Angeles, where — even at 99 — he continues to compose despite profound personal losses, including the recent destruction of his home in the Palisades fire and the passing of his wife of 68 years.
Three weeks after the fire, my beloved mother passed away,” Tamar recounted. “And somehow, you know, this man marches on. He’s sort of a soldier and a warrior in life… Music isn’t just what he does — it defines him.”
Tamar, who has also served as her father’s longtime manager and archivist, brings a wealth of insight and emotional intelligence to the film’s construction. The result is more than a documentary — it’s a loving excavation of memory, art, and identity.
“I think my relationship with the music deepened,” she said. “As I was putting everything together, I just continued to realize over and over again how much my father has written. His catalog is vast. His productivity is unbelievable.”
Act 2A — as Tamar called the film’s emotional turning point — digs into Springer’s lifelong yearning for a Broadway show, a dream never realized. “It’s hard to reveal the pain of that,” she admitted. “But it was necessary to tell the story authentically. Audiences will feel that pain — and that was a vulnerable place to be.”
Yet More Than Santa Baby is not a lament. It’s a celebration. It includes interviews, rare recordings, and glimpses into a golden age of American songwriting, with cameos — sonic and visual — from Eartha Kitt, Elvis, Judy Garland, and Aretha Franklin. Tamar’s editing is deft and purposeful, using lesser-known compositions to illuminate her father’s full range. I got a lot in, but there’s even a handful of beautiful songs I didn’t get to include,” she said. “The music really merits it.”
While the film acknowledges Springer’s regrets, it also offers a kind of redemption — not through fame, but through legacy. Tamar says her father was “glued to the screen” during his first viewing of the film. His verdict? “Astounding.”
I really envision a More Than Santa Baby theatre show — like Mamma Mia — that brings these songs to life again,” Tamar mused. “I hope the dream is still alive.”
As for her favorite version of “Santa Baby,” Tamar couldn’t choose.
“I love them all,” she said. “We’re just grateful that Santa Baby continues to be the beloved classic that it is.”
To keep up with Tamar Springer and More Than Santa Baby, visit MoreThanSantaBabyFilm.com or follow @SantaBabyComposer on Instagram.
The film screens again this Monday, June 23, at 4:45 PM as part of the “Documentary Block 2” at the Dances With Films Festival. Tickets are available via the DWF website.
Verdict: More Than Santa Baby is a must-see for music lovers, family historians, and anyone who understands that behind every great song is a story — and behind some of the greatest songs, a daughter who refuses to let it be forgotten.
- More Than Santa Baby official site: morethansantababyfilm.com
- Dances With Films festival listings: danceswithfilms.com
Rating: ★★★★½
A heartfelt, beautifully constructed homage to a forgotten giant of American songwriting — and the daughter determined to ensure his legacy sings on.
