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My next version of A Christmas Carol is titled Scrooge, and was released in 1951 in England. For its U.S. release later in 1951, it was titled A Christmas Carol. It was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and stars Alastair Sim (who many charge with being the best Scrooge) and Mervyn Johns as Bob Cratchit. This is my mother-in-law's favorite version, and I have to say, I'm getting quite fond of it.
Since I summarized the story in my last post, I will go straight into my notes.
This version is much more accurate to the book than Mickey's. This is to be expected, of course, because Mickey's was only 25 minutes, and thus had to cut for time and content. In addition, some of the more scary bits are left out. Much of the dialogue seems to be taken straight from the book. The words are so familiar, I can almost recite them.
There are many scenes in this film that expound the story, and quickly explain visually or vocally more about the situations. For example, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge eats dinner at a meager, dark restaurant. He says, "Waiter! More bread." The waiter tells him, "Ha'penny extra, sir." After considering for the tiniest moment, Scrooge replies, "No more bread." I think this is such a quick and eloquent way to explain how miserly he is - that he won't even spend a half-penny on himself for food. After Marley comes and explains to Scrooge about the chains they forge in life and wear in death, there is a horrific scene outside of Scrooge's window. Dozens of ghosts with heavy chains throw money ineffectually at a crying beggar-woman with a child. She can't see any of them, and they cannot help her. They wail in their defeat. This is truly a harrowing scene, but really presses to both Scrooge and the viewer what he could harvest in the next life.
The great joy of this film, besides the great fear and awe that Sim portrays, is his joy at finding himself still alive and whole and on Christmas morning. It seems so natural, so on the edge of madness, that I wonder if Sim ad-libbed it all. At one point, he spies a chair, grins, laughs, and then says "I must stand on my head," and proceeds to do so, sending the housemaid out of the room screaming at the top of her lungs. The whole sequence is whimsical and wonderful.
Alastair Sim is incredible. He makes you see so clearly what Scrooge feels and thinks, and isn't afraid to get a little wild and crazy in the ending. May we also experience such joy someday.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Bah Humbug!
What a lovely little way to start what I hope will be the week of A Christmas Carol! I hope to watch seven different adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol this week. There are almost twenty different film versions of this story, not including all of the television shows framed after it. Although Mickey's Christmas Carol was a television special that first aired in 1983, it still makes my list - as a true classic version of the tale. Scrooge McDuck (voiced by Alan Young) and Mickey Mouse (voiced by Wayne Allwine) star in this rendition directed by Burny Mattinson, along with a host of other recognizable Disney characters, including the classic characters and some side characters from Robin Hood, The Great Mouse Detective, and The Wind in the Willows.
In case you have escaped all knowledge of this story, I will summarize it here quickly. A miserly old businessman, Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck), has lost all meaning of love and goodwill, and is only interested in money. He has no mercy, no charity, and (seemingly worst of all) no Christmas spirit. His clerk, Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse), works for him for very small wages and very little appreciation. One Christmas, after going home, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old partner-in-business, Jacob Marley (Goofy). Marley warns Scrooge that, for all of his bad deeds and lack of goodwill, he will forge an heavy chain he will carry for the rest of eternity. When Scrooge, notably scared by the experience, asks Marley if there is anything he can do to stop it, Marley tells him that three Christmas Spirits will visit him that night, and that he must do as they say.
Scrooge is shaken, but refuses to believe after Marley's ghost has left. Marley was right, however, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show Scrooge how he has shaped his own destiny. He will be unmourned at his death, and grave-robbers will steal from him. Scrooge's eyes are opened and he realizes his past and current wrong-doings. When he awakes on Christmas morning to find he hasn't missed everything, he is overjoyed. He gives a great deal of money to the charity workers who had approached him the day before, he visits his nephew Fred (Donald Duck) and makes merry with him, and he visits Cratchit's house, bringing toys and food for his family. Indeed, Scrooge becomes like a second father to Cratchit's poor crippled son, Tiny Tim, and never fails to keep Christmas again.
I remember this rendition scaring me as a child. I still had a little jolt of fear when I heard Goofy moan "Scrooooge!!" as the door-knocker. I guess I was kind of sheltered, but I actually like that, at one point in my life at least, I felt the fear and awe that Scrooge must have felt to have those Spirits visit him.
Mickey makes the sweetest Bob Cratchit - unassuming and dear.
While I may have the nostalgia for this that I missed for A Charlie Brown Christmas, I am very pleased and surprised that I still enjoyed it after all of these years. I recommend it for children big and small.
In case you have escaped all knowledge of this story, I will summarize it here quickly. A miserly old businessman, Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck), has lost all meaning of love and goodwill, and is only interested in money. He has no mercy, no charity, and (seemingly worst of all) no Christmas spirit. His clerk, Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse), works for him for very small wages and very little appreciation. One Christmas, after going home, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old partner-in-business, Jacob Marley (Goofy). Marley warns Scrooge that, for all of his bad deeds and lack of goodwill, he will forge an heavy chain he will carry for the rest of eternity. When Scrooge, notably scared by the experience, asks Marley if there is anything he can do to stop it, Marley tells him that three Christmas Spirits will visit him that night, and that he must do as they say.
Scrooge is shaken, but refuses to believe after Marley's ghost has left. Marley was right, however, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show Scrooge how he has shaped his own destiny. He will be unmourned at his death, and grave-robbers will steal from him. Scrooge's eyes are opened and he realizes his past and current wrong-doings. When he awakes on Christmas morning to find he hasn't missed everything, he is overjoyed. He gives a great deal of money to the charity workers who had approached him the day before, he visits his nephew Fred (Donald Duck) and makes merry with him, and he visits Cratchit's house, bringing toys and food for his family. Indeed, Scrooge becomes like a second father to Cratchit's poor crippled son, Tiny Tim, and never fails to keep Christmas again.
I remember this rendition scaring me as a child. I still had a little jolt of fear when I heard Goofy moan "Scrooooge!!" as the door-knocker. I guess I was kind of sheltered, but I actually like that, at one point in my life at least, I felt the fear and awe that Scrooge must have felt to have those Spirits visit him.
Mickey makes the sweetest Bob Cratchit - unassuming and dear.
While I may have the nostalgia for this that I missed for A Charlie Brown Christmas, I am very pleased and surprised that I still enjoyed it after all of these years. I recommend it for children big and small.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Maybe It Just Needs a Little Love
I should preface this by saying that I somehow didn't grow up watching A Charlie Brown Christmas. In fact, this is the first time I've ever seen it. It was written by Charles Schultz and directed by Bill Melendez. Also, I should note that this is a television special, is only 25 minutes long, and will be a short review, for that reason.
The plot is quite simple. Charlie Brown, frustrated by the rampant commercialism of the modern Christmas season, complains to Linus that he is unhappy every Christmas, despite liking the cards, presents, and decorations. Lucy, also hearing of his problem, decides that the way to fix his problem is to have him direct the Christmas play. Charlie Brown agrees, and starts to direct, but fails in organizing the group. He decides that what the play needs is a Christmas tree, and goes to a lot and buys the smallest, scrawniest, most real tree there. Everyone at the play berates him for the tree, and he explodes, asking if anyone actually knows the true meaning of Christmas. Linus takes center stage and quotes Luke 2:8-14 - the shepherds' encounter with the angels. This makes Charlie Brown feel at peace, and he goes home to decorate his tree. He tries, but the tree falls over from one bulb, and he goes away dejected. The rest of the crew has been following him, and, at Linus' suggestion, decorate the tiny tree and make it look absolutely beautiful. Charlie Brown comes back and is delighted by what he sees. The show closes with the cast singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing."
While I don't have the nostalgia for this TV special that would temper it to a classic, it still surprised me. The art was not very good, and the animation was choppy. The surprise came when this became my first Jesus-oriented Christmas movie (if you'll allow it) of the season. It is simple, and in its simplicity comes its meaning. I have to admit, I was quite bored the first half, but when Linus took center stage, suddenly the film began to have some sort of meaning. He drops his security blanket when he says, "Fear not, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy," and does not pick it up again until he is finished with the quote. It is interesting to see him feeling safe with something besides his blanket.
Give it to Charles Schultz to not beat around the bush when it comes to what he means to say: Christmas is too commercial, and we should be focusing on Jesus and love for our fellow man. I appreciate his forthrightness, and thus, this little story.
The plot is quite simple. Charlie Brown, frustrated by the rampant commercialism of the modern Christmas season, complains to Linus that he is unhappy every Christmas, despite liking the cards, presents, and decorations. Lucy, also hearing of his problem, decides that the way to fix his problem is to have him direct the Christmas play. Charlie Brown agrees, and starts to direct, but fails in organizing the group. He decides that what the play needs is a Christmas tree, and goes to a lot and buys the smallest, scrawniest, most real tree there. Everyone at the play berates him for the tree, and he explodes, asking if anyone actually knows the true meaning of Christmas. Linus takes center stage and quotes Luke 2:8-14 - the shepherds' encounter with the angels. This makes Charlie Brown feel at peace, and he goes home to decorate his tree. He tries, but the tree falls over from one bulb, and he goes away dejected. The rest of the crew has been following him, and, at Linus' suggestion, decorate the tiny tree and make it look absolutely beautiful. Charlie Brown comes back and is delighted by what he sees. The show closes with the cast singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing."
While I don't have the nostalgia for this TV special that would temper it to a classic, it still surprised me. The art was not very good, and the animation was choppy. The surprise came when this became my first Jesus-oriented Christmas movie (if you'll allow it) of the season. It is simple, and in its simplicity comes its meaning. I have to admit, I was quite bored the first half, but when Linus took center stage, suddenly the film began to have some sort of meaning. He drops his security blanket when he says, "Fear not, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy," and does not pick it up again until he is finished with the quote. It is interesting to see him feeling safe with something besides his blanket.
Give it to Charles Schultz to not beat around the bush when it comes to what he means to say: Christmas is too commercial, and we should be focusing on Jesus and love for our fellow man. I appreciate his forthrightness, and thus, this little story.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Sometimes Angels Rush In Where Fools Fear to Tread
I had never heard of my next movie before this Christmas season, but I wish I had: The Bishop's Wife (1947). Directed by Henry Koster (who also directed The Robe and Flower Drum Song, and several other German and American films), and starring Cary Grant (see my review on An Affair to Remember for gushing on his work), Loretta Young, and David Niven (who also played James Bond in the 1967 Casino Royale, and was in three different Pink Panther movies as Charles Lytton).
Obsessed with raising money to build a magnificent cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham (Niven) had for too long catering only to that cause, and had become absent in his wife and daughter's lives. One night, he prays for guidance, and an angel named Dudley (Grant) appears to answer his prayer. Quickly melding into Henry's life, Dudley styles himself as Henry's new assistant, and tells no one else that he is an angel. Henry's wife, Julia (Young) and his daughter (Karolyn Grimes) take quickly to Dudley, and he to them. Henry successfully solicits funds from a wealthy widow, Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), but she insists that the cathedral be a monument to her dead husband, and Henry, moved by his conscience, refuses.
Dudley, in the meantime, takes Julia around town - ice skating, lunch in a nice restaurant, and even buys her a new hat she had wanted. He does all of this in an attempt to renew her joy, and remind her of what her relationship with her husband had been. Henry quickly becomes jealous, and, in an attempt to regain his family from Dudley, accepts Mrs. Hamilton's terms. He confronts Dudley, telling him that he is now to leave, as Henry now has his cathedral money, and his prayer will have been answered. Dudley calmly informs him that his work is not done, but departs for the time being.
On Christmas Eve, Dudley pays a visit to Mrs. Hamilton and opens her heart. She decides that she will give all of her money to the poor and needy, and no longer build monuments for her husband. Henry also encounters Dudley, and offers to fight him for Julia. Henry says he doesn't care that he could be killed (as an angel would have far too much power for a mortal to fight), but that Julia is the most important thing in the world to him. Dudley reminds Henry that he had not prayed for a cathedral, but for guidance, and is pleased that he remembers the importance of their love over material things. Dudley leaves, taking away all memory of his existence with him. Henry and Julia are more affectionate than ever, although they're not sure why, and Henry preaches that night with a new fervor, a deeper understanding of what is important in life, and a great joy.
The movie begins beautifully - show-stoppingly so. You see children sing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," a nativity display, children's toys, a Salvation Army Santa, and joy filling children's faces. It would be so easy to be cynical about this first part, but it's so much better to find it dear.
I believe this is the first film that I have seen of Cary Grant's in which he is not the same character as always. While he does have a romantic lean to him, and he's still dreadfully charming; there is a whole new aspect to him. It's really quite wonderful. In this, he is more than the dashing leading man, almost as though he has a divinity about him.
I heartily recommend this movie. It carries with it a deep understanding of the season, and some very beautiful moments.
Obsessed with raising money to build a magnificent cathedral, Bishop Henry Brougham (Niven) had for too long catering only to that cause, and had become absent in his wife and daughter's lives. One night, he prays for guidance, and an angel named Dudley (Grant) appears to answer his prayer. Quickly melding into Henry's life, Dudley styles himself as Henry's new assistant, and tells no one else that he is an angel. Henry's wife, Julia (Young) and his daughter (Karolyn Grimes) take quickly to Dudley, and he to them. Henry successfully solicits funds from a wealthy widow, Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper), but she insists that the cathedral be a monument to her dead husband, and Henry, moved by his conscience, refuses.
Dudley, in the meantime, takes Julia around town - ice skating, lunch in a nice restaurant, and even buys her a new hat she had wanted. He does all of this in an attempt to renew her joy, and remind her of what her relationship with her husband had been. Henry quickly becomes jealous, and, in an attempt to regain his family from Dudley, accepts Mrs. Hamilton's terms. He confronts Dudley, telling him that he is now to leave, as Henry now has his cathedral money, and his prayer will have been answered. Dudley calmly informs him that his work is not done, but departs for the time being.
On Christmas Eve, Dudley pays a visit to Mrs. Hamilton and opens her heart. She decides that she will give all of her money to the poor and needy, and no longer build monuments for her husband. Henry also encounters Dudley, and offers to fight him for Julia. Henry says he doesn't care that he could be killed (as an angel would have far too much power for a mortal to fight), but that Julia is the most important thing in the world to him. Dudley reminds Henry that he had not prayed for a cathedral, but for guidance, and is pleased that he remembers the importance of their love over material things. Dudley leaves, taking away all memory of his existence with him. Henry and Julia are more affectionate than ever, although they're not sure why, and Henry preaches that night with a new fervor, a deeper understanding of what is important in life, and a great joy.
The movie begins beautifully - show-stoppingly so. You see children sing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," a nativity display, children's toys, a Salvation Army Santa, and joy filling children's faces. It would be so easy to be cynical about this first part, but it's so much better to find it dear.
I believe this is the first film that I have seen of Cary Grant's in which he is not the same character as always. While he does have a romantic lean to him, and he's still dreadfully charming; there is a whole new aspect to him. It's really quite wonderful. In this, he is more than the dashing leading man, almost as though he has a divinity about him.
I heartily recommend this movie. It carries with it a deep understanding of the season, and some very beautiful moments.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By
Due to overwhelming cookie-baking demands, there will not be a new review tonight. I will post a double review either tomorrow or Saturday.
Back to the oven!
Back to the oven!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Oh No! I'm Speaking in Rhyme!
Ah, finally, a really real Christmas movie, and no one can debate it: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). This is the live-action version directed by Ron Howard (famous for his work on films such as A Beautiful Mind, but will always be Winthrop Paroo from The Music Man to me), and starring Jim Carrey (best known for roles like Ace Ventura, but more appreciated by me for roles in such movies as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and also introducing Taylor Momsen (a little girl who hasn't done much else yet). It is narrated by Anthony Hopkins, who has a lovely speaking voice as well as wonderful acting skills. It is based on a children's book by Dr. Seuss.
In case you don't know the story (which I'm sure you do, but bear with me), the story begins in a snowflake, where there is an entire society of Whos - very tiny people with very cute noses. These are the same kind of Whos that appear in the book Horton Hears a Who. The Whos love Christmas - and when I say "love Christmas," I mean love Christmas. But the community has begun to focus too much on the gift-giving aspect of Christmas and Cindy Lou Who (Momsen), a young girl in Whoville, wonders if presents are all there is to Christmas. She has a chance encounter with the Grinch (Carrey), a green, mean, anti-Christmas machine, who was born with a heart "two sizes too small." He tries to be mean to her, but ends up saving her life when one of his pranks threatens her mortally. She wonders after he disappears if he is actually a good person after all.
We find out that the Grinch hates Christmas and the Whos because when he was a boy in Whoville, most of the other children made fun of him bitterly, especially on a day when he decided to shave his beard and ended up cutting his face several times. He had wanted to impress Martha May Whovier (played by Christine Baranski) by making her a Christmas present on his own. Humiliated and feeling quite unloved, the 8-year-old Grinch ran up the mountain and never came back down.
After renewing his hatred for the Whos after another humiliating incident, the adult Grinch decides to destroy Christmas by stealing all of the decorations and gifts in Whoville. He dresses up as Santa, and steals everything. He pulls it up the mountain and plans to drop it over the edge. Back in Whoville, the Whos awake to find that everything is gone, but come to the conclusion that Christmas isn't actually about presents, but about being with the people you love. The Grinch hears their rejoicing from atop the mountain and comes to the same conclusion. His heart grows three sizes and, after saving Cindy Lou yet again (since she has come up to wish him a Merry Christmas and inadvertently gotten herself into trouble), he sleds down to Whoville with all of the stolen goods. He gives them back, and joins in the Christmas festivities. He even wins the heart of Martha May.
A few thoughts.
After the opening credits, the movie starts out being very visually hectic and disorienting. It gets better over time, but I wish they had lent a bit more calm to the beginning so that it wouldn't be so off-putting.
When reflecting on the commercialism of Christmas, Cindy Lou sings a song called "Where Are You, Christmas?" The lyrics are "Where are you, Christmas?/Why can't I find you?/Why have you gone away?...My world is changing/I'm rearranging/Does this mean Christmas changes too?" At the time the movie came out, I found this particularly poignant, as I was graduating high school, and I truly felt that year that everything was changing, and worried I would lose the Christmas I knew. As I have discovered, things change, but that doesn't mean Christmas loses its meaning or loveliness. Still, the song is very meaningful for me, and awfully sweet.
Jim Carrey has a wonderful capability to make real life into a cartoon, as does the entire film. It is whimsical and bizarre, and stretches the limits of reality. For example, the Grinch tries to drown out the Christmas music by putting his head between the cymbals of a giant organ-grinder monkey. He also steals one of the Christmas trees by cutting a circle around it in the floor with a giant saw and pulling it out from underneath. The movie did an excellent job capturing the spirit and silliness of the book, without mocking it.
While over the top, this movie is ultimately sweet, and Carrey is inspired and hilarious. I suggest you check it out if you haven't already.
We find out that the Grinch hates Christmas and the Whos because when he was a boy in Whoville, most of the other children made fun of him bitterly, especially on a day when he decided to shave his beard and ended up cutting his face several times. He had wanted to impress Martha May Whovier (played by Christine Baranski) by making her a Christmas present on his own. Humiliated and feeling quite unloved, the 8-year-old Grinch ran up the mountain and never came back down.
After renewing his hatred for the Whos after another humiliating incident, the adult Grinch decides to destroy Christmas by stealing all of the decorations and gifts in Whoville. He dresses up as Santa, and steals everything. He pulls it up the mountain and plans to drop it over the edge. Back in Whoville, the Whos awake to find that everything is gone, but come to the conclusion that Christmas isn't actually about presents, but about being with the people you love. The Grinch hears their rejoicing from atop the mountain and comes to the same conclusion. His heart grows three sizes and, after saving Cindy Lou yet again (since she has come up to wish him a Merry Christmas and inadvertently gotten herself into trouble), he sleds down to Whoville with all of the stolen goods. He gives them back, and joins in the Christmas festivities. He even wins the heart of Martha May.
A few thoughts.
After the opening credits, the movie starts out being very visually hectic and disorienting. It gets better over time, but I wish they had lent a bit more calm to the beginning so that it wouldn't be so off-putting.
When reflecting on the commercialism of Christmas, Cindy Lou sings a song called "Where Are You, Christmas?" The lyrics are "Where are you, Christmas?/Why can't I find you?/Why have you gone away?...My world is changing/I'm rearranging/Does this mean Christmas changes too?" At the time the movie came out, I found this particularly poignant, as I was graduating high school, and I truly felt that year that everything was changing, and worried I would lose the Christmas I knew. As I have discovered, things change, but that doesn't mean Christmas loses its meaning or loveliness. Still, the song is very meaningful for me, and awfully sweet.
Jim Carrey has a wonderful capability to make real life into a cartoon, as does the entire film. It is whimsical and bizarre, and stretches the limits of reality. For example, the Grinch tries to drown out the Christmas music by putting his head between the cymbals of a giant organ-grinder monkey. He also steals one of the Christmas trees by cutting a circle around it in the floor with a giant saw and pulling it out from underneath. The movie did an excellent job capturing the spirit and silliness of the book, without mocking it.
While over the top, this movie is ultimately sweet, and Carrey is inspired and hilarious. I suggest you check it out if you haven't already.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
As Long As the Envelope's Closed, You're a Millionaire
Recommended to me by several websites listing the "best Christmas movies," today's movie, The Shop Around the Corner is not so much of a Christmas movie. Again. I promise to bring you a real Christmas movie tomorrow.
Despite it not being much of a Christmas movie, it is an awfully sweet movie. The movie is directed by Ernst Lubitsch, and starring James Stewart (who was in more than 100 films, including one of my favorites, The Philadelphia Story), Margaret Sullavan, and Frank Morgan (best known for his many roles in The Wizard of Oz - including The Wizard).
The movie tells the story of two correspondents, who become pen pals via a newspaper ad to discuss culture, literature, and ideas. We soon discover that Klara (Sullavan) and Alfred (Stewart), the two correspondents, work for the same company, which is run by Hugo Matuschek (Morgan), and the two don't like each other very much. They fall in love with each other through the letters, but antagonize each other more every day in person. After various side plots occur, it becomes Christmas Eve, and Klara and Alfred agree via their letters to meet in person. Klara confides in Alfred about this, and that she is very nervous about it, but hoped to be engaged by the end of the evening. After teasing her greatly, Alfred finally admits to her that he is her pen pal. Klara is relieved, happy, and they embrace, and are most certainly engaged by the end of the evening.
The actors are wonderful in this film. Stewart is dry and cold, and yet endearing, as usual. Sullavan's character comes out as a realistic person, which tends to be rare in female roles for most old films. Morgan is as lovable in this film as he is in The Wizard of Oz.
This movie gives you the warm-and-fuzzies of Christmas, even if it's not the most Christmas-focused film. I recommend it, but it's not on my list of best Christmas movies ever.
Despite it not being much of a Christmas movie, it is an awfully sweet movie. The movie is directed by Ernst Lubitsch, and starring James Stewart (who was in more than 100 films, including one of my favorites, The Philadelphia Story), Margaret Sullavan, and Frank Morgan (best known for his many roles in The Wizard of Oz - including The Wizard).
The movie tells the story of two correspondents, who become pen pals via a newspaper ad to discuss culture, literature, and ideas. We soon discover that Klara (Sullavan) and Alfred (Stewart), the two correspondents, work for the same company, which is run by Hugo Matuschek (Morgan), and the two don't like each other very much. They fall in love with each other through the letters, but antagonize each other more every day in person. After various side plots occur, it becomes Christmas Eve, and Klara and Alfred agree via their letters to meet in person. Klara confides in Alfred about this, and that she is very nervous about it, but hoped to be engaged by the end of the evening. After teasing her greatly, Alfred finally admits to her that he is her pen pal. Klara is relieved, happy, and they embrace, and are most certainly engaged by the end of the evening.
The actors are wonderful in this film. Stewart is dry and cold, and yet endearing, as usual. Sullavan's character comes out as a realistic person, which tends to be rare in female roles for most old films. Morgan is as lovable in this film as he is in The Wizard of Oz.
This movie gives you the warm-and-fuzzies of Christmas, even if it's not the most Christmas-focused film. I recommend it, but it's not on my list of best Christmas movies ever.
Monday, December 1, 2008
And We Love Having You. When Are You Leaving?
An early Merry Christmas to you!
In keeping with the season, I am going to attempt to watch and review one Christmas movie every day leading up to Christmas. I have received numerous suggestions, and if you have a favorite you'd like me to watch and talk about, please let me know in the comments.
I started with Holiday Inn, since it was randomly sent to me as a (surprise!) fourth DVD from Netflix in November. It had been on my queue, as I've been meaning to watch it for some time. I discovered while watching it that it is indeed not only a Christmas movie, but actually a holiday movie - for several different holidays in the year. So I hope you'll forgive that discrepancy.
Holiday Inn was released in theaters in 1942, and was directed by Mark Sandrich (who directed 74 films in 20 years, and died of a heart attack), starred Bing Crosby (of White Christmas fame), Fred Astaire (of several films, including Shall We Dance [which I have seen]), and Marjorie Reynolds (who has apparently done much work in TV and film, though none that I have seen). The music and story idea come from Irving Berlin, who won an Academy Award for his song "White Christmas," which originated in this film.
The film tells the tenuous story of a song-and-dance partnership between Jim Hardy (Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Astaire). The two have a history of stealing women from each other - Jim with his singing, and Ted with his dancing. After Jim's fiancée leaves him for Ted, Jim decides to leave show business and go live on a farm. Finding himself discontented by all of the work and all of the loneliness of farm life, Jim decides to start up a Holiday Inn at his farm - an inn/club that is only open on holidays. He seeks entertainers, and discovers Linda Mason (Reynolds), and immediately takes a liking to her. Just after he asks her to marry him, Ted shows up, and dances his way into Linda's heart as well. Though she decides to stay with Jim, she goes to Hollywood with Ted when given the opportunity to be in movies. Jim, depressed and miserable, closes the Inn for Thanksgiving, and is ready to give up on all, until his housekeeper, Mamie (played by Louise Beavers) tells him that he can still have Linda if he tells her how he feels. Indeed, by Christmas, Jim wins back Linda's heart, and Ted contents himself with the old dancing partner that had been engaged to Jim in the first place.
Like I said, it is a pretty paper-thin plot to carry the music by Berlin. Some of those tunes are wonderful - "White Christmas," for example, or "Be Careful, It's My Heart" (for Valentine's Day), but some are a bit of an embarrassment - "Abraham" (for Lincoln's birthday), or "I Can't Tell a Lie" (for Washington's birthday). Indeed the true embarrassment is the costuming for "Abraham," as all of the dancers and singers (including Crosby and Reynolds) appear in blackface. In the current day and age, it makes me cringe, but this appears to have been common practice in early films. Turner Classic Movies (a television cable channel that plays entirely uncut movies without commercials) plays this movie without censoring that scene. I can appreciate the respect for the movie as made, but I wish it hadn't been made that way.
Astaire has an amazing dance for the Fourth of July, in which he takes small firecrackers and throws them down on the stage in timing with his tap dancing and the music. It's very fanciful, and probably one of two of the best parts of the movie. It's brilliantly done, and took three days of rehearsal and two days to film, according to www.imdb.com.
The other best part of the film was during Jim's lonely Thanksgiving dinner for one, as he puts on a record of him singing, "I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For," and makes wry, unenthusiastic comments at his singing self.
Other than that, this film is really not worth your while. Crosby can sing amazingly, and Astaire can surely dance up a storm, but the so-called plot ruins the whole concept.
In keeping with the season, I am going to attempt to watch and review one Christmas movie every day leading up to Christmas. I have received numerous suggestions, and if you have a favorite you'd like me to watch and talk about, please let me know in the comments.
I started with Holiday Inn, since it was randomly sent to me as a (surprise!) fourth DVD from Netflix in November. It had been on my queue, as I've been meaning to watch it for some time. I discovered while watching it that it is indeed not only a Christmas movie, but actually a holiday movie - for several different holidays in the year. So I hope you'll forgive that discrepancy.
Holiday Inn was released in theaters in 1942, and was directed by Mark Sandrich (who directed 74 films in 20 years, and died of a heart attack), starred Bing Crosby (of White Christmas fame), Fred Astaire (of several films, including Shall We Dance [which I have seen]), and Marjorie Reynolds (who has apparently done much work in TV and film, though none that I have seen). The music and story idea come from Irving Berlin, who won an Academy Award for his song "White Christmas," which originated in this film.
The film tells the tenuous story of a song-and-dance partnership between Jim Hardy (Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Astaire). The two have a history of stealing women from each other - Jim with his singing, and Ted with his dancing. After Jim's fiancée leaves him for Ted, Jim decides to leave show business and go live on a farm. Finding himself discontented by all of the work and all of the loneliness of farm life, Jim decides to start up a Holiday Inn at his farm - an inn/club that is only open on holidays. He seeks entertainers, and discovers Linda Mason (Reynolds), and immediately takes a liking to her. Just after he asks her to marry him, Ted shows up, and dances his way into Linda's heart as well. Though she decides to stay with Jim, she goes to Hollywood with Ted when given the opportunity to be in movies. Jim, depressed and miserable, closes the Inn for Thanksgiving, and is ready to give up on all, until his housekeeper, Mamie (played by Louise Beavers) tells him that he can still have Linda if he tells her how he feels. Indeed, by Christmas, Jim wins back Linda's heart, and Ted contents himself with the old dancing partner that had been engaged to Jim in the first place.
Like I said, it is a pretty paper-thin plot to carry the music by Berlin. Some of those tunes are wonderful - "White Christmas," for example, or "Be Careful, It's My Heart" (for Valentine's Day), but some are a bit of an embarrassment - "Abraham" (for Lincoln's birthday), or "I Can't Tell a Lie" (for Washington's birthday). Indeed the true embarrassment is the costuming for "Abraham," as all of the dancers and singers (including Crosby and Reynolds) appear in blackface. In the current day and age, it makes me cringe, but this appears to have been common practice in early films. Turner Classic Movies (a television cable channel that plays entirely uncut movies without commercials) plays this movie without censoring that scene. I can appreciate the respect for the movie as made, but I wish it hadn't been made that way.
Astaire has an amazing dance for the Fourth of July, in which he takes small firecrackers and throws them down on the stage in timing with his tap dancing and the music. It's very fanciful, and probably one of two of the best parts of the movie. It's brilliantly done, and took three days of rehearsal and two days to film, according to www.imdb.com.
The other best part of the film was during Jim's lonely Thanksgiving dinner for one, as he puts on a record of him singing, "I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For," and makes wry, unenthusiastic comments at his singing self.
Other than that, this film is really not worth your while. Crosby can sing amazingly, and Astaire can surely dance up a storm, but the so-called plot ruins the whole concept.
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