REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1940) July 16th

[Dewey1960]

Time was when TV stations would broadcast Christmas-themed films any old time they felt like it. I remember, as a teenager, watching IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE one summer afternoon and never once thinking that it might play better in December. It wasn't until the 70s that this great Capra classic became relegated to Yuletide screenings exclusively. I recently read that 20th Century Fox released its highest grossing film of 1947 in the month of June---it was MIRACLE ON 34th STREET. Doubtful that sort of marketing strategy would work today.
Which brings me to this: on Thursday, July 16th TCM will be showing REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1940), one of Hollywood's most splendid Christmas-themed films. This unforgettable Paramount film has a razor-sharp screenplay by Preston Sturges and subtle, sophisticated direction from Mitchell Leisen. Fred MacMurray is the cynical DA who is called upon to prosecute pretty shoplifter Barbara Stanwyck on Christmas Eve. It's a comedy, it's a drama. It's a fantastic film however you choose to see it, whenever you choose to see it. Kudos to TCM for including it in their summer line up of films!

[mrsl]

I agree it was a unique seasonal movie and a lot of unimaginative writers agree also. I've seen the story re-done at least 5 times on different cable channels during the holiday season. There are variations of course, one has the shoplifter having a little girl whom she is teaching 'the ropes'. Another is strictly a love story probably pretty much copied from Remember the Night, but with dialog changed enough to provide safety from plagiarism. Nothing beats the original and I made sure I copied it last time it was on then later in the week I found it at Walmart. In a lot of cases, I don't care about the resolution, or clarity of the picture or even if it's in letterbox if it's not an outdoor film, so just having the $5.00 copy makes me happy to be able to enjoy it all year long.

Anne

[movieman1957]

A great film. I'm not a big Stanwyck fan but I think she is great. Fred is good too. I think a good film is worth seeing anytime of year. Lots of sweet moments when they get "home." I especially enjoy them all around the piano. Giving Barbara gifts reminds me of something my parents did for my bride before she was my bride. It was a wonderful thing and one reason why I love the movie.

[Mr. Arkadin]

Very nice write up Dewey. Remember the Night has quite a bit in common with It's a Wonderful Life, most notably its dark element and questioning of moral ethics. While the latter was common in many holiday shows, it's the former that gives the film (and It's a Wonderful Life) gravity and creates a backdrop where such contrast gives its ideology a life beyond snow and tinsel.

The dinner with MacMurray and Stanwyck is a great example where truth and honesty is discussed in absolute and relative viewpoints, debating the pro and con in each. In these scenes and others, Remember the Night, like Christmas, is an observation of harsh reality and promising redemption where true change is not a one day affair, but a lifestyle to be lived.

[feaito]

Great film indeed! I'm waiting for it to be released on DVD.

[TikiSoo]

Even though I've seen them a million times, I watched Double Indemnity and then Remember The Night the very next day on TCM. Fun that the two leads were the very same actors, but very different charactors.

I just love the scene when Elizabeth Patterson gets out her old dress and Babs says, "You wore ALL THIS?" when she sees the layers of underclothing!