The Nuttiest Nutcracker

Marie is dismayed to spend Christmas Eve at home without her parents. She confides in Fritz and Uncle Drosselmeyer that she wishes Christmas would go away forever. The quiet mood sets the stage for the magical events to come.

Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives with gifts: a cannon for Fritz and a nutcracker doll for Marie. The group of anthropomorphic nuts overhears Marie's unhappiness and suspects the doll might be their prince. They share the legend of the nutcracker prince with Little Pea, the youngest nut.

Fritz seizes the nutcracker from Marie, sparking a playful but tense chase up the Christmas tree ladder. The chase ends when the doll crashes to the floor, seemingly damaged. Marie reacts with hurt, fearing her gift is ruined.

Feeling protective of the doll, Marie forgives Fritz later in private and tells the nutcracker that she loves him more than any other gift. She declares her affection to the wooden figure and wishes the moment of contention away. This moment deepens the magical bond between Marie and her gift.

After kissing the nutcracker on the lips, Marie becomes tired and drifts into sleep. The nuts also fall asleep, unaware of the looming danger. The quiet house hides the start of the adventure to come.

Reginald, the mouse king's son, plans to steal the Christmas star at the top of the tree and seize control of the Christmas Kingdom. He gathers an army of mice to execute his plan as the Nut world slumbers. The threat marks the beginning of the central conflict.

Mac leads a coup with his own army of fruits and vegetables. The foods clash with the mice in a desperate defense. Gramps is captured by three mice, escalating the stakes for Marie and her friends.

Marie wakes to see her doll alive and fighting Reginald. She intervenes, but Reginald remains smitten with her, and she uses the Christmas star to brush him off and to pause his schemes. The moment shifts the balance by appealing to mercy rather than outright aggression.

Uncle Drosselmeyer magically reduces Marie to the nutcracker prince's height, changing her perspective and abilities. The transformation deepens the danger and heightens the stakes of the mission to save Christmas. The group presses on with renewed urgency.

The nuts inform Marie that without the Christmas star, Christmas will be gone forever. They still hold the star and set out to the Sugar Plum Fairy's kingdom to seek help restoring it on the tree. The journey marks a turning point toward magical aid.

Reginald captures Marie and imprisons her in the cheese foundry of his palace. She laments their failure to save Christmas and imagines a slow dance with the prince in a chapel. Reginald offers to marry her, but she refuses, though she begins to understand his loneliness.

The prince and the foods arrive to rescue Marie and the captured crew. Reginald and his sergeant perform a flamboyant dance as the chase on flying crackers and olives unfolds. The palace begins to collapse; Reginald falls into the cheese river, and Marie saves him, losing the star in the process.

At the Sugar Plum Fairy's castle, the Christmas star is revealed to grant any wish, including bringing Marie's parents home. Marie makes her wish, then gestures the star toward the ceiling as the scene fades to white. Hope rises as the family is restored.

Marie wakes to find her parents, Uncle Drosselmeyer, and a guest resembling the prince waiting at home. The film closes with Marie and the prince sharing a kiss while Mac and the nuts provide mistletoe.