The Polar Express

A closer look at the story

A young boy who has begun to doubt whether Santa Claus really exists finds himself facing a choice between closing his heart and learning that belief knows no age or limit. That night a mysterious train appears outside his house: the Polar Express, bound for the North Pole. Climbing aboard, the boy sets off with other children on an extraordinary journey. It is also a journey of self-discovery, one that will teach him that, for anyone who believes, the magic of life never wears off. Written by Robert Zemeckis and William Broyles Jr. and directed by Zemeckis, the 100-minute 2004 animated film features Tom Hanks in several roles, among them the Conductor, in a warm Christmas tale.