|
|
Post by midwestan on Dec 3, 2022 22:59:12 GMT
I think 'Christmas Holiday' is available on YouTube. I've watched it a couple of times on there. I don't know how many commercial interruptions go along with it, but it is a good movie. Gene Kelley like you've never seen him before! Gale Sondergaard plays his doting mother who tries to cover up his 'problems'. Deanna Durbin in a different kind of role for her too. I think this is the kind of stuff she wanted to play at Universal, but to them, she was typecast as 'the girl next door with a beautiful, operatic voice'.
|
|
|
|
Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 4, 2022 3:52:50 GMT
I love so many of the ones already listed. As per usual every thread here adds another 3 or 4 titles to my Must Find and Watch list. My favorites are a cornucopia of classics, cartoons, tv treats and a true story: The homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)
Young Pioneers' Christmas (1976)
A Christmas Carol (1971) ~ Animated ~ Alastair Sim Scrooge (1951)
Joyeux Noel (2005) a touching look at the informal WWI Christmas Eve truce of 1914  A Christmas Story sadly doesn't resonate with me but I did enjoy Road Trip for Ralphie: In 2008, two Canadian fans released a documentary that visits every location. The film includes footage of the filmmakers saving Miss Shields' blackboard from the garbage bin on the day the old Victoria School was gutted for renovation, discovering the antique fire truck that saved Flick, locating original costumes from the film, and tracking down the location of the film's Chop Suey Palace in Toronto. |
|
|
|
Post by Fading Fast on Dec 4, 2022 9:45:52 GMT
I love so many of the ones already listed. As per usual every thread here adds another 3 or 4 titles to my Must Find and Watch list. My favorites are a cornucopia of classics, cartoons, tv treats and a true story: The homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)
Young Pioneers' Christmas (1976)
A Christmas Carol (1971) ~ Animated ~ Alastair Sim Scrooge (1951)
Joyeux Noel (2005) a touching look at the informal WWI Christmas Eve truce of 1914 A Christmas Story sadly doesn't resonate with me but I did enjoy Road Trip for Ralphie: In 2008, two Canadian fans released a documentary that visits every location. The film includes footage of the filmmakers saving Miss Shields' blackboard from the garbage bin on the day the old Victoria School was gutted for renovation, discovering the antique fire truck that saved Flick, locating original costumes from the film, and tracking down the location of the film's Chop Suey Palace in Toronto. |
|
|
|
Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 5, 2022 3:52:28 GMT
Great list. I've seen several of them and will now keep an eye out for those that I haven't. I really enjoyed "Joyous Noel" and wrote these comments (please feel free to ignore them) right after I saw it: Joyeux Noel Thank you for passing along your review Fading Fast. It was quite thoughtful and you handled the film's weak spots with a gentle consideration. I advise caution if tracking down Homecoming our Young Pioneers btw. I am greatly biased as a tv child of the 70s but probably not everyone's cup of tea. |
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Dec 5, 2022 15:15:20 GMT
A few years ago I wrote a review for this film after seeing it for the first time. It's a Republic Picture that airs occasionally on TCM. Unfortunately, it is not on this month's schedule.
A few nights ago, I popped the disc into the DVD player and thought I'd look at it again. I got halfway through and fell asleep, not because the film is sleep inducing (on the contrary!)...but because I'd had a long day and was exhausted. So over the weekend, I started again and got all the way through it.
I have to admit the film worked its magic on me in a different way this time, leading me to greater appreciation of its charms. And I don't really think my old review for THE CHEATERS does it justice.
So after I revise my review, I will post it here in the Holiday Favorites sub-forum, maybe giving THE CHEATERS its own thread. I hope that others will watch it, and if they have, they will chime in. |
|
|
|
Post by sagebrush on Dec 5, 2022 15:30:20 GMT
This is a different take on things, but I made a list of films that have been shown on TCM repeatedly in the past during the holidays, but this year are not being shown: Ben-Hur (1959) - shown in December every year since 2013. Was recently shown back in October. Bush Christmas (1947) - Australian film, shown 12 times during December since 2007. The Cheaters (1945) - shown in December in 2020 and 2021 Good Sam (1948) - shown in December in 2020 and 2021 A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! (2011) - Christmas movie documentary, shown every year since 2011.
If you like tradition, the good news is that most of the usual TCM Christmas films are still being shown this year.
And here are some additions to the TCM holiday film list (not shown in December last year). Some you might find unusual: And So They Were Married (1936) Babes in Toyland (1934) Blast of Silence (1961) Curse of the Cat People (1944) The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) Juliet of the Spirits (1965) King of Kings (1927) Roadblock (1951) The Rocking Horse Winner (1949) The Song of Bernadette (1945)
There were no TCM premieres added for the Christmas marathon this year, but that is typical. I'm going to miss watching THE CHEATERS this year. This has become one of my favorites to watch this time of year.  |
|
|
|
Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 5, 2022 16:13:40 GMT
So after I revise my review, I will post it here in the Holiday Favorites sub-forum, maybe giving THE CHEATERS its own thread. I hope that others will watch it, and if they have, they will chime in.Yet another one I have never watched. I'm glad you included the photo snip. Bumping in up my Watch List. |
|
|
|
Post by Fading Fast on Dec 5, 2022 16:40:12 GMT
Topbill's post on "The Cheaters" reminded me that, two years ago, I posted a one-paragraph review each of the following Christmas movies:
- "The Cheaters"
- "Holiday Affair"
- "A Christmas Carol" (1938)
- "The Holly and the Ivy"
- "Desk Set"
- "The Man Who Came to Dinner"
|
|
|
|
Post by BingFan on Dec 5, 2022 17:15:21 GMT
A few years ago I wrote a review for this film after seeing it for the first time. It's a Republic Picture that airs occasionally on TCM. Unfortunately, it is not on this month's schedule.
A few nights ago, I popped the disc into the DVD player and thought I'd look at it again. I got halfway through and fell asleep, not because the film is sleep inducing (on the contrary!)...but because I'd had a long day and was exhausted. So over the weekend, I started again and got all the way through it.
I have to admit the film worked its magic on me in a different way this time, leading me to greater appreciation of its charms. And I don't really think my old review for THE CHEATERS does it justice.
So after I revise my review, I will post it here in the Holiday Favorites sub-forum, maybe giving THE CHEATERS its own thread. I hope that others will watch it, and if they have, they will chime in.
I recall hearing somewhere (perhaps on TCM or its Message Board) that The Cheaters was one of those “old” movies that was shown endlessly during the holiday season on local TV stations in the 50s and 60s but dropped out of sight thereafter, remembered only by a few people who enjoyed those local broadcasts. I don’t think it was shown on the stations where I grew up, so it was a very pleasant surprise when TCM finally resurrected it!
We recorded it on DVD that first time TCM showed it, so we’ve been able to re-watch it with the original host intro each year. (Despite those repeated viewings, I can’t for the life of me remember which host introduced it.) We’ve shown it to various family members who’ve visited for Christmas, and the universal reaction is that the movie is a gem. |
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Dec 5, 2022 19:06:12 GMT
A few years ago I wrote a review for this film after seeing it for the first time. It's a Republic Picture that airs occasionally on TCM. Unfortunately, it is not on this month's schedule.
A few nights ago, I popped the disc into the DVD player and thought I'd look at it again. I got halfway through and fell asleep, not because the film is sleep inducing (on the contrary!)...but because I'd had a long day and was exhausted. So over the weekend, I started again and got all the way through it.
I have to admit the film worked its magic on me in a different way this time, leading me to greater appreciation of its charms. And I don't really think my old review for THE CHEATERS does it justice.
So after I revise my review, I will post it here in the Holiday Favorites sub-forum, maybe giving THE CHEATERS its own thread. I hope that others will watch it, and if they have, they will chime in.
I recall hearing somewhere (perhaps on TCM or its Message Board) that The Cheaters was one of those “old” movies that was shown endlessly during the holiday season on local TV stations in the 50s and 60s but dropped out of sight thereafter, remembered only by a few people who enjoyed those local broadcasts. I don’t think it was shown on the stations where I grew up, so it was a very pleasant surprise when TCM finally resurrected it!
We recorded it on DVD that first time TCM showed it, so we’ve been able to re-watch it with the original host intro each year. (Despite those repeated viewings, I can’t for the life of me remember which host introduced it.) We’ve shown it to various family members who’ve visited for Christmas, and the universal reaction is that the movie is a gem. |
|
|
|
Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 5, 2022 21:06:29 GMT
Not really on anyone's Christmas viewing list but I always think of this scene around the holidays Gutten Morgen, Sergeants. Nasty weather we're having, eh?
And I so much hoped we could give you a white Christmas... just like the ones you used to know...
 I see I am not the only one to find it memorable You Otto See It: Stalag 17 (1953) www.outofthepastblog.com/2008/11/you-otto-see-it-stalag-17-1953.html |
|
|
|
Post by Fading Fast on Dec 6, 2022 11:39:30 GMT
Our earlier discussion, in this thread, reminded me that I had written up comments on Christmas Holiday last year, but never posted them anywhere, so here they are.
Christmas Holiday from 1944 with Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly
What do you do if you want to tell a story about a really good person loving a really bad person? Well, I guess you can make a very dark movie about it, inexplicably title it Christmas Holiday and, finally, put two of Hollywood's, usually, most-upbeat stars in it to further confuse the audience.
A young officer, played by Dean Harens, is handed a Dear John letter right when he is about to go on leave before shipping out. On his way across country to find out what happened with his girl, his airplane gets waylaid in New Orleans where he meets a nightclub singer - really a prostitute, but the Motion Picture Production Code said she had to be a "nightclub singer -" played by Deanna Durbin.
Sensing a deep sadness in Durbin, Haren takes her to Midnight Mass, which is a beautiful Christmas Mass and the only beautiful Christmas moment in this dark, twisted tale.
Back in his hotel room - it's innocent and it feels genuinely innocent, not Code-forced innocent - Durbin tells Haren the story of her marriage. Through flashbacks, we see sweet and lovely Durbin meet a handsome and roguish man, played by Gene Kelly, who presents himself as a cheery neerdowell - if he was only that.
Before Kelly will ask Durbin to marry him, he takes her to meet his mother who appears to be a caring, albeit a bit too obsessed with her son, mother of a formerly socially prominent family now living with just her son in genteel poverty.
She warns Durbin that her son has faults, which she doesn't specify, and that Durbin will now have to protect her son from himself. It's a bit creepy and would cause any normal woman to run, but happy Durbin just powers through it all with blinders.
The marriage starts off good with mother, son and new wife Durbin all living in an odd happiness in their shabby mansion. But then Kelly, who had hinted at his gambling problems (in a wonderful scene where he takes angelic-looking Durbin to a seedy gambling dive and, oddly, a blackhole didn't open up), is arrested for killing his bookie.
Durbin, who is ready to stand beside her husband, is dressed down by the now-enraged mother for not doing more to protect her son from himself. It isn't said, and is only obliquely hinted at, but this mother and son would probably have something to talk to Freud about.
(Spoiler alert) The son is convicted, the mother ends up in New York as a housekeeper to a wealthy family and Durbin changes her name, but becomes a "working girl." Durbin does this as some sort of penance, since she believes she should have done more to protect her, let's be honest, two-screws-loose husband.
(More spoilers). After Durbin tells Harens this story, they both note the similarity (not really, but they think so) between his still loving the girl who just broke up with him hours ago and she still loving her murderer husband who has a mother fixation. Good grief.
(Last spoiler) There's one final scene where Kelly, having broken out of prison, confronts Durbin in the club angry that she hasn't been faithful to him (buh, buh, buh she was only whoring herself in penance to him). Before he can "punish" her, the police shoot him and the movie fades as Durbin looks up from her dead husband, hopefully, broken of the spell.
That's about it. First you expect a Christmas movie from Christmas Holiday and then, when you realize you aren't getting that, you start looking for something more than the tale of a bad love story, but that's all you get. The overlay of the soldier and his Dear John letter seems unnecessary and contrived.
It's Durbin's picture and she carries it with ease. Durbin was born to play innocence personified, she all but glows at Midnight Mass, and Kelly is outstanding, playing against his later type, as an evil and warped charmer. It's worth it for their performances and the okay story, but you also feel like there was supposed to be something more to Christmas Holiday that was never realized.
N.B. Double-threat singer-actress Durbin gets to warble out a few tunes, but dancer-actor Kelly never moves to the music in this one. Yet he does get to show off his impressive acting chops. Chops that would later be a bit obscured by his famous hoofing.
|
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Dec 6, 2022 15:24:18 GMT
Our earlier discussion, in this thread, reminded me that I had written up comments on Christmas Holiday last year, but never posted them anywhere, so here they are.
Christmas Holiday from 1944 with Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly
What do you do if you want to tell a story about a really good person loving a really bad person? Well, I guess you can make a very dark movie about it, inexplicably title it Christmas Holiday and, finally, put two of Hollywood's, usually, most-upbeat stars in it to further confuse the audience.
A young officer, played by Dean Harens, is handed a Dear John letter right when he is about to go on leave before shipping out. On his way across country to find out what happened with his girl, his airplane gets waylaid in New Orleans where he meets a nightclub singer - really a prostitute, but the Motion Picture Production Code said she had to be a "nightclub singer -" played by Deanna Durbin.
Sensing a deep sadness in Durbin, Haren takes her to Midnight Mass, which is a beautiful Christmas Mass and the only beautiful Christmas moment in this dark, twisted tale.
Back in his hotel room - it's innocent and it feels genuinely innocent, not Code-forced innocent - Durbin tells Haren the story of her marriage. Through flashbacks, we see sweet and lovely Durbin meet a handsome and roguish man, played by Gene Kelly, who presents himself as a cheery neerdowell - if he was only that.
Before Kelly will ask Durbin to marry him, he takes her to meet his mother who appears to be a caring, albeit a bit too obsessed with her son, mother of a formerly socially prominent family now living with just her son in genteel poverty.
She warns Durbin that her son has faults, which she doesn't specify, and that Durbin will now have to protect her son from himself. It's a bit creepy and would cause any normal woman to run, but happy Durbin just powers through it all with blinders.
The marriage starts off good with mother, son and new wife Durbin all living in an odd happiness in their shabby mansion. But then Kelly, who had hinted at his gambling problems (in a wonderful scene where he takes angelic-looking Durbin to a seedy gambling dive and, oddly, a blackhole didn't open up), is arrested for killing his bookie.
Durbin, who is ready to stand beside her husband, is dressed down by the now-enraged mother for not doing more to protect her son from himself. It isn't said, and is only obliquely hinted at, but this mother and son would probably have something to talk to Freud about.
(Spoiler alert) The son is convicted, the mother ends up in New York as a housekeeper to a wealthy family and Durbin changes her name, but becomes a "working girl." Durbin does this as some sort of penance, since she believes she should have done more to protect her, let's be honest, two-screws-loose husband.
(More spoilers). After Durbin tells Harens this story, they both note the similarity (not really, but they think so) between his still loving the girl who just broke up with him hours ago and she still loving her murderer husband who has a mother fixation. Good grief.
(Last spoiler) There's one final scene where Kelly, having broken out of prison, confronts Durbin in the club angry that she hasn't been faithful to him (buh, buh, buh she was only whoring herself in penance to him). Before he can "punish" her, the police shoot him and the movie fades as Durbin looks up from her dead husband, hopefully, broken of the spell.
That's about it. First you expect a Christmas movie from Christmas Holiday and then, when you realize you aren't getting that, you start looking for something more than the tale of a bad love story, but that's all you get. The overlay of the soldier and his Dear John letter seems unnecessary and contrived.
It's Durbin's picture and she carries it with ease. Durbin was born to play innocence personified, she all but glows at Midnight Mass, and Kelly is outstanding, playing against his later type, as an evil and warped charmer. It's worth it for their performances and the okay story, but you also feel like there was supposed to be something more to Christmas Holiday that was never realized.
N.B. Double-threat singer-actress Durbin gets to warble out a few tunes, but dancer-actor Kelly never moves to the music in this one. Yet he does get to show off his impressive acting chops. Chops that would later be a bit obscured by his famous hoofing.
I have not read Maugham's story upon which the film is based. |
|
|
|
Post by Fading Fast on Dec 6, 2022 16:02:25 GMT
Our earlier discussion, in this thread, reminded me that I had written up comments on Christmas Holiday last year, but never posted them anywhere, so here they are.
Christmas Holiday from 1944 with Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly
What do you do if you want to tell a story about a really good person loving a really bad person? Well, I guess you can make a very dark movie about it, inexplicably title it Christmas Holiday and, finally, put two of Hollywood's, usually, most-upbeat stars in it to further confuse the audience.
A young officer, played by Dean Harens, is handed a Dear John letter right when he is about to go on leave before shipping out. On his way across country to find out what happened with his girl, his airplane gets waylaid in New Orleans where he meets a nightclub singer - really a prostitute, but the Motion Picture Production Code said she had to be a "nightclub singer -" played by Deanna Durbin.
Sensing a deep sadness in Durbin, Haren takes her to Midnight Mass, which is a beautiful Christmas Mass and the only beautiful Christmas moment in this dark, twisted tale.
Back in his hotel room - it's innocent and it feels genuinely innocent, not Code-forced innocent - Durbin tells Haren the story of her marriage. Through flashbacks, we see sweet and lovely Durbin meet a handsome and roguish man, played by Gene Kelly, who presents himself as a cheery neerdowell - if he was only that.
Before Kelly will ask Durbin to marry him, he takes her to meet his mother who appears to be a caring, albeit a bit too obsessed with her son, mother of a formerly socially prominent family now living with just her son in genteel poverty.
She warns Durbin that her son has faults, which she doesn't specify, and that Durbin will now have to protect her son from himself. It's a bit creepy and would cause any normal woman to run, but happy Durbin just powers through it all with blinders.
The marriage starts off good with mother, son and new wife Durbin all living in an odd happiness in their shabby mansion. But then Kelly, who had hinted at his gambling problems (in a wonderful scene where he takes angelic-looking Durbin to a seedy gambling dive and, oddly, a blackhole didn't open up), is arrested for killing his bookie.
Durbin, who is ready to stand beside her husband, is dressed down by the now-enraged mother for not doing more to protect her son from himself. It isn't said, and is only obliquely hinted at, but this mother and son would probably have something to talk to Freud about.
(Spoiler alert) The son is convicted, the mother ends up in New York as a housekeeper to a wealthy family and Durbin changes her name, but becomes a "working girl." Durbin does this as some sort of penance, since she believes she should have done more to protect her, let's be honest, two-screws-loose husband.
(More spoilers). After Durbin tells Harens this story, they both note the similarity (not really, but they think so) between his still loving the girl who just broke up with him hours ago and she still loving her murderer husband who has a mother fixation. Good grief.
(Last spoiler) There's one final scene where Kelly, having broken out of prison, confronts Durbin in the club angry that she hasn't been faithful to him (buh, buh, buh she was only whoring herself in penance to him). Before he can "punish" her, the police shoot him and the movie fades as Durbin looks up from her dead husband, hopefully, broken of the spell.
That's about it. First you expect a Christmas movie from Christmas Holiday and then, when you realize you aren't getting that, you start looking for something more than the tale of a bad love story, but that's all you get. The overlay of the soldier and his Dear John letter seems unnecessary and contrived.
It's Durbin's picture and she carries it with ease. Durbin was born to play innocence personified, she all but glows at Midnight Mass, and Kelly is outstanding, playing against his later type, as an evil and warped charmer. It's worth it for their performances and the okay story, but you also feel like there was supposed to be something more to Christmas Holiday that was never realized.
N.B. Double-threat singer-actress Durbin gets to warble out a few tunes, but dancer-actor Kelly never moves to the music in this one. Yet he does get to show off his impressive acting chops. Chops that would later be a bit obscured by his famous hoofing.
I have not read Maugham's story upon which the film is based. |
|
|
|
Post by topbilled on Dec 8, 2022 15:29:37 GMT
Okay, instead of creating a separate thread...I thought I would just put my revised review of THE CHEATERS here. I am also posting it in the Neglected Films forum.
***
I thought I’d cheat and let TCM’s former host Robert Osborne guide my latest classic film review. This title aired on the channel for the very first time on December 24th, 2008. According to archived schedule information, it was repeated on Christmas, the following day.
Since those two initial airings, THE CHEATERS was not rebroadcast on TCM until 2017, after Robert Osborne passed away. Its next airing was in 2020, then again in 2021. Every time the programmers bring it back to the airwaves, I just want to give them a big thank you. It’s a holiday treasure that deserves to be seen every year around this time.
During his original on-air comments Robert Osborne indicated that he was glad TCM was showing viewers THE CHEATERS. He hoped it would become an annual tradition for TCM to broadcast it every December. He called it the best Christmas film nobody’s ever seen. He then mentioned how it was produced by Republic Pictures.
Republic typically specialized in westerns or films in other genres with limited budgets. Many of its most beloved movies starred well-known personalities like Roy Rogers, Judy Canova and John Wayne. THE CHEATERS would be one of the studio’s attempts to make an A-sized holiday film. Mr. Osborne said when it was released in 1945, the film received great reviews. He went on to mention the film’s story, about how it takes place on Christmas Eve.
Joseph Schildkraut plays Anthony Marchand, or Mr. M, the lead character. The actor was already an Oscar recipient for his role in THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA, and would later have Broadway success in ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’ The role of Mr. M was initially intended for John Barrymore at Paramount, but after Barrymore’s death, Paramount sold the story to Republic. Schildkraut read the script and was eager to do it. He gives a multi-layered performance as a cad with a heart.
The supporting cast includes Billie Burke and Eugene Pallette, who play their usual routines…Miss Burke in scatterbrain mode and Mr. Pallette as a blustering but loving family man. Schildkraut’s character is “taken in” by them and their children for the holiday, since he has fallen on hard times due to his ongoing battle with the bottle (definitely a role that Barrymore would have related to).
While staying with the Pidgeon family, Shildkraut helps resolve various domestic conflicts and puts the clan back on track. He also gets his own life in order, when he finds love with another houseguest (Ona Munson). Note for trivia buffs– Munson’s role had originally been intended for Carole Lombard, who died shortly before Barrymore did.
As I rewatched THE CHEATERS recently, it occurred to me just how smooth a job Joe Kane does as director. Typically, he was assigned westerns and action adventure yarns. But he has a talent for the seemingly small but important moments that occur within a troubled family at a pivotal time of year. The scenes flow so effortlessly, that you cannot help but become absorbed in it all. The characters seem like real people whose lives we’ve been invited to look in on for an hour and a half.
My favorite scene is when Mr. M and the Pidgeons are stuck at a snowbound country estate and a group of carolers (St. Luke’s Boys Choir) ride up in sleighs to perform a few songs outside their window. It’s a transcendent moment.
Robert Osborne seemed to feel the same way about this motion picture and the effect it can have on you. He closed his intro by urging viewers to give the film a try because it would make their day merrier.
|
|
