Holiday Films

[ziggy6708a]

TUES., 12-20

10:15
pm (ET)

The Holly and the Ivy (1952)
1h 20m | Drama | TV-G

A minister's family torn apart by World War II reunites for the Christmas holidays.
Director
George More O'ferrall
Cast
Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton

"The Holly and Ivy (1952) takes one of the most common "Christmas movie" storylines--a dysfunctional family reuniting over the holidays--and applies it to rural England circa 1948. The result is a small gem that shows off a fine ensemble of prominent British actors of the era. Chief among them is Ralph Richardson, who plays a widowed country vicar named Martin Gregory living with his grown daughter, Jenny (Celia Johnson).......

https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/78205/t ... eId=212783

-first noticed this last year & liked the strong performances & 'un-syrupy'story

[laffite]

The Great Rupert (1950) A story of a family and friend who are down on their luck and have money come from "Heaven." But it is actually coming from a squirrel. You see, this squirrel is actually a part of a vaudeville act (a sort of I'm-wild-about-Harry cartoon take off). Hard times causes the disbanding and the Squirrel (Rupert) finds refuge and a new home in the hollow of a tree. A next door neighbor get a windfall and because he hates banks hides a hoard of cash in the hollow of a tree. Meanwhile the family has urgent needs, like their daughter (played nicely by Terry Moore, a poster girl what should pass as the world's nicest girls ever) who is as pretty as her name, Rosalinda. One day the wife of the family is so fraught that she sits in a rocking chair and implores God for help. The squirrel overhears the lament and shovels money that has mysteriously showed up in his hollow tree domicile and the mother makes an erroneous conclusion, but hey it's still money. Children in the theaters with their mothers may have been delighted that God is actually a squirrel. Older children, however, might have been appalled. The inimitable Jimmy Durante is the father of this fortunate family and celebrated by singing his version of "Jingle Bells," singing and playing the piano. If this is not a Christmas classic, it should be and should be reprised every year in every country for all children of all the world to hear. There are a couple subplots that feature the lovely Rosalinda, beaus and that sort of thing, that will be sure to please. Don't miss all this if it you can't. I started watching this because it came on and thought it was a short.

[speedracer5]

Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - HBO Max

w/ Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet, Reginald Gardiner, S.Z. Sakall, Robert Shayne, Una O'Connor, Frank Jenks, Joyce Compton and Dick Elliott. Screenplay by Lionel Houser and Adele Comandini. And directed by Peter Godfrey.

Unlike yesterday's A Christmas Carol (1938), today's Christmas movie was one that I had not seen before. And, to be honest, it struck me as being more of a screwball comedy than a Christmas movie. And a lightweight one at that. But the cast made this one eminently watchable. One can rarely go wrong with Sydney Greenstreet or S.Z. Sakall. And it made me again ask myself "Why have you watched so few Barbara Stanwyck movies in your life?" Prior to this, I've only seen Annie Oakley (1935), Union Pacific (1939), Double Indemnity (1944), The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), Titanic (1953) and The Night Walker (1964). Such a small list that it almost makes me feel that I'm not worthy of this forum!

Have you seen Barbara Stanwyck in "Remember the Night" ? That's another one of her Christmas films and I think it captures the spirit of the holiday season beautifully. It co-stars Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi, Elizabeth Patterson, and Sterling Holloway.

[LiamCasey]

Die Hard (1988) - DVD

w/ Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, De'voreaux White, William Atherton, Clarence Gilyard, Hart Bochner and James Shigeta. Screenplay by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. And directed by John McTiernan.

My latest watch of the season. Because it is just not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Plaza! Heck, even the recently departed 20th Century Fox eventually believed it to be the greatest Christmas story ever told:

[LiamCasey]

Have you seen Barbara Stanwyck in "Remember the Night" ? That's another one of her Christmas films and I think it captures the spirit of the holiday season beautifully. It co-stars Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi, Elizabeth Patterson, and Sterling Holloway.

I have yet to see Remember The Night (1940). But I have more than once listened to The Lux Radio Theatre (1934 - 1955) adaptation of it with that same cast. Which put that movie on my "need to see" list long ago:



In light of your posting, maybe I need to make this the year to knock that one off!

[TheGayDivorceé]

Eager now to look for The Great Rupert. As I type a little face is peering in the window, waiting for his peanuts. The squirrels are always watching!

My favorites have been mentioned: It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife (or was that mentioned?), Miracle on 34th Street. Also The Holly and the Ivy, thanks to TCM showing it a couple years ago, though would have liked a longer movie, but I guess that's a lament for so many.

I wonder if anyone remembers The House Without a Christmas Tree (1972), a made-for-TV movie with Jason Robards, Lisa Lucas, and Mildred Natwick. For a few years it was shown every December, then sort of disappeared. I remember looking for it online and finding a post in the reviews by Lisa Lucas, acknowledging all who commented how much they loved it. It's a low-key, non-saccharine little movie and fills me with such nostalgia it's almost hard to watch.

Eyes Wide Shut is another I like this time of year, though obviously not a traditional Christmas movie!

[Masha]

Die Hard (1988) - DVD

I have read that his being chased through a tower by Alan Rickman qualifies it as a: Harry Potter movie.

[ElCid]

Slightly off topic here, but the local news stations are reporting that a new Hallmark Movie is being filmed at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC for presentation next year.
I have only watched about 3 or 4 Hallmark movies and can recommend none of them.

[LiamCasey]

I have read that his being chased through a tower by Alan Rickman qualifies it as a: Harry Potter movie.

[TheGayDivorceé]

It just hit me I forgot a major favorite, DESK SET! I see it's on TCM tonight at 7:00 pm west coast time.

[TheGayDivorceé]

Slightly off topic here, but the local news stations are reporting that a new Hallmark Movie is being filmed at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC for presentation next year.
I have only watched about 3 or 4 Hallmark movies and can recommend none of them.

Yes, Hallmark tends to be a bit schmaltzy. There's one I look for each year, LOVE AT THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE with Amber Reeser (I think). It's a step above many of them and the main character dresses in '50s/'60s vintage, always a plus.

[HoldenIsHere]

My favorites have been mentioned: It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife (or was that mentioned?), Miracle on 34th Street. Also The Holly and the Ivy, thanks to TCM showing it a couple years ago, though would have liked a longer movie, but I guess that's a lament for so many.

I only saw THE BISHOP'S WIFE for the first time recently. I really enjoyed it I did not know that Monty Woolley was in the movie. I love him as Sheridan Whiteside in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER, which is also set during Christmas season. I've seen THE MAN WHO CAME TO A DINNER a few times. I love the penguins!

[ElCid]

Slightly off topic here, but the local news stations are reporting that a new Hallmark Movie is being filmed at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC for presentation next year.
I have only watched about 3 or 4 Hallmark movies and can recommend none of them.

Yes, Hallmark tends to be a bit schmaltzy. There's one I look for each year, LOVE AT THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE with Amber Reeser (I think). It's a step above many of them and the main character dresses in '50s/'60s vintage, always a plus.

Thanks, might be tempted to try and find it. There is one Hallmark movie that I expected a lot from - The Christmas Train. It is based on the book by David Baldacci and the book is excellent. However, the movie is very poor despite having a good cast.

[Ray Faiola]

Our final screening of the season was THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, which winds up at Christmas time.

[TheGayDivorceé]

The Great Rupert (1950) A story of a family and friend who are down on their luck and have money come from "Heaven." But it is actually coming from a squirrel. You see, this squirrel is actually a part of a vaudeville act (a sort of I'm-wild-about-Harry cartoon take off). Hard times causes the disbanding and the Squirrel (Rupert) finds refuge and a new home in the hollow of a tree. A next door neighbor get a windfall and because he hates banks hides a hoard of cash in the hollow of a tree. Meanwhile the family has urgent needs, like their daughter (played nicely by Terry Moore, a poster girl what should pass as the world's nicest girls ever) who is as pretty as her name, Rosalinda. One day the wife of the family is so fraught that she sits in a rocking chair and implores God for help. The squirrel overhears the lament and shovels money that has mysteriously showed up in his hollow tree domicile and the mother makes an erroneous conclusion, but hey it's still money. Children in the theaters with their mothers may have been delighted that God is actually a squirrel. Older children, however, might have been appalled. The inimitable Jimmy Durante is the father of this fortunate family and celebrated by singing his version of "Jingle Bells," singing and playing the piano. If this is not a Christmas classic, it should be and should be reprised every year in every country for all children of all the world to hear. There are a couple subplots that feature the lovely Rosalinda, beaus and that sort of thing, that will be sure to please. Don't miss all this if it you can't. I started watching this because it came on and thought it was a short.

Woke freakishly early this morning and turned on the TV--lo and behold, THE GREAT RUPERT. A Christmas miracle! A charming movie, and don't know how I've missed it before. If only I could persuade the squirrels outside to come up with some manna from heaven in exchange for their peanuts.

Squirrels always remind me of Ann Miller. She had a line of costume jewelry copied from her originals on a shopping channel in the mid-'90s. When showing the rings she said was was embarrassed by her "squirrel hands" and didn't like to show them. They were lovely, of course. Anyway, thank you for mentioning this movie, laffite.