Some Christmas films:

The Bishop’s Wife (1947), directed by Henry Koster. If you ever wanted to see a Christmas movie in which Cary Grant dazzles with his stunt double’s skating prowess and also plays a mean harp, then this is the film for you. Released a year after Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bishop’s Wife serves up some of the same Christmas optimism, along with an angel who has yet to get his wings. The story argues that human relationships are more important than position and money, while at the same time accepting the Bishop’s wife’s desire for a hat that graces an expensive shop’s window. Apparently consumerism is bad when what one wants is a huge new cathedral, but good when what one wants is a rather ugly hat. Despite what I say here, this film has its delights, not the least of which are the performances by Loretta Young, David Niven, Monte Woolley, James Gleason (who also skates with a sort of aplomb), Elsa Lanchester, and most especially Cary Grant who seems to be enjoying himself more than is fair. This is typical Christmas fun, without the more obvious disparities we see in Capra’s film. The city here may have its poor, but it is no Bedford Falls or Pottersville. Gladys Cooper in the role played by Lionel Barrymore in It’s a Wonderful Life is suitably crusty, but no match for the ruthlessness of Mr. Barrymore.

 

Christmas Eve (1947), directed by Edwin L. Marin. Here’s a sleeper for Christmas, and by sleeper I do not mean a picture to put you to sleep. This is a clever metafilmic movie. Its stories of three brothers nicely encapsulates the major film genres in Hollywood movies at the time: the screwball comedy, the gangster film, and the western. The protagonist of each story is an adopted son of a wealthy philanthropic old lady whose only hope for Christmas is to see her adopted boys again after many years. If the boys do not return, then her fabulous fortune just might go to a nephew, Philip (Reginald Denny), who has designs on the lady’s fortune. She has plans to give much of it away to various causes. Each story is a tall tale: Michael (George Brent) is something of a Lothario who plans to marry for money, but his real love Ann (Joan Blondell) has a different idea. Mario (George Raft) is living in South America because he is on the lam from some trouble in Louisiana. His is a world of nightclubs and tough guys. Then we have Johnathan (Randolph Scott) who is a rodeo rider and all round cowboy, who finds himself adopting three orphaned girls on his way to see his mother on Christmas Eve. I won’t describe how this happens, but needless to say it involves a woman he meets and the two of them undertake a preposterous adventure. Oh, and did I mention that the elderly lady, Aunt Mathilda (Ann Harding) uses an elaborate train set to pass the sugar, cream, and other things at her dinner table. The emphasis on adoption strikes a particularly fine note. Here we have a family that does not have a biological connection, only an emotional one. We found the proceedings quite satisfying, and most suitable for Christmas. 

 

White Christmas (1954), directed by the dependable Michael Curtiz. No snow in Vermont and it is Christmas time. No matter, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye can spark things up and bring people to this snowless ski resort, and besides, snow starts falling on Christmas Eve. This is a patriotic celebration of Christmas with a variety of musical numbers. It begins and ends with a reminder of the recent war. Memorable is Danny Kaye in purple leotard with similarly clad group of dancers parodying modern dance. Danny Kaye is especially clever and kind in bringing his comic repertoire to this film; he does not steal scenes although he comes close to doing so. And then we have Vera-Ellen of the slim legs (yes, sad to say she did struggle with anorexia) dancing up a storm. She is flexible, graceful, and pixyish. Rosemary Clooney and Bing sing pleasantly. The plot is simple, predictable, and certainly well-timed for the holiday season. Everything is staged carefully. And the film reminds me, snow is coming!