Yes, it’s time for another installment of The Bestees; my
selections for the best examples of the subject genre from the Golden Age of
Hollywood. This nostalgic wandering will
have us visiting traditional offerings appropriate to the holiday season.
For my Greatest Generation, Baby-boomer and X-gen readers,
this will likely be a stroll (or perhaps sleigh ride) down nostalgia lane. Because we began our individual collections
of cultural icons before the great mass media explosion, our exposure was
limited somewhat by the three (or four, if you lived in a market large enough
to support independent stations) channels entering our homes through the
television. We all saw the same movies
growing up. You will encounter nothing
new here other than my opinion, well formed as it tends to be.
For the Y-gen, Z-gen and Millenials that frequent my erudite
ramblings, you may be exposed to something new and valuable in helping you
understand your forbearers. So put down
your i-whatevers and watch a movie… in particular one (or all, if you dare) of
these movies.
In reviewing “greatest” Christmas movies lists to ensure I
did not forget anything, I was disheartened to see the likes of Die Hard among the population. A movie must have more going for it than to
be set against a Christmas Season backdrop to be a true Christmas movie. It must somehow relate the philosophical
import of Christmas to a redemption or epiphany for a downtrodden soul on the brink
of losing their faith or moral compass.
You know, redemption, the whole point of the event, seasonally.
Christmas, euphemistically referred to as the Holiday Season
in our politically-correct era, has always been a time for feel-good morality
plays. I am not ashamed to say that the
following list of films contributed much to my concepts of morality, charity
and community. So for your pop-culture
edification, and perhaps a little tuning of your personal ethos, I give you the
best Christmas movies of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
10.) Babes In Toyland 1934-MGM, directed by
Gus Meins, Charles Rogers: There are
many film versions of this children’s classic.
Setting this one apart are the antics of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. If you don’t know those names, this is a good
place to get acquainted. For you
grandparents out there, this movie is an excellent opportunity to offer your
precious little ones an alternative to X-box, et al.
9.) Christmas in Connecticut 1945 Warner
Bros., directed by Peter Godfrey: Barbara
Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan star in this romantic comedy about a food writer who
has no domestic skills being forced into a public relations liaison with a
returning war hero. All movies made in
1945 featured a returning war hero as part of the cast.
8.) The Shop Around the Corner 1940 MGM,
directed by Ernst Lubitsch: The plot of
hostile music shop co-workers unaware that they are the amorous correspondents
seeking love drips with irony. This gem
stars Maureen Sullivan, Jimmy Stewart and Frank Morgan (the Wizard of Oz).
7.) We’re No Angels 1955 Paramount Pictures,
directed by Michael Curtiz: Take three
hardened Devil’s Island escapees, add one family headed by an inept merchant
and mix well with a sinister corporate auditor.
Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray are the convicts but Basil
Rathbone is the criminal. Adolf, though,
may just be the best character in the story.
6.) Meet John Doe 1941 Warner Bros.,
directed by Frank Capra: Who’d a thought
Frank Capra would be involved in a movie about a down-on-his-luck baseball
player manipulated by a scheming publicity writer into a role as political
advocate? Well yeah, I guess everybody
would. Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
play the principals, but the story is carried by supporters Walter Brennan
(ever stalwart) and Edward Arnold (ever evil).
Will he jump?
5.) The Man Who Came to Dinner 1942 Warner
Bros., directed by William Keighley: An
oft copied plot for movies and teleplays, this is the unsettling story of the
ill wind that blows no good. Monty
Woolley plays a pompous, over civilized New York critic inserting himself into
the lives of his Midwestern hosts and manipulating the lot. At its heart, this is a love story; you just
have to peel away the onion layers to get to it. This is my favorite Bette Davis
performance. That gives you great
insight into either Bette Davis or me, you choose.
4.) Miracle on 34th Street 1947 Twentieth
Century Fox, Directed by George Seton:
Edmund Gwenn’s portrayal of a man who may or may not be Santa Claus will
leave you wondering. Remember, this is
the man who was chasing giant ants around the New Mexico desert in 1951’s Them! Please, please, please do not substitute any of the made-for-TV copies for this
gem. Then write to Santa and tell him
you were a good little girl or boy.
3.) The Bishop’s Wife 1947 RKO, directed by
Henry Koster: David Niven is a bishop
faced with a crisis of faith who asks God for help with his faltering quest to
build a cathedral. The cavalry arrives
in the form of Dudley (Cary Grant), an angel dispatched to help ease the bishop’s
burden. Dudley, however, seems more interested in the bishop’s wife, played by
Loretta Young (who wouldn’t). There is
also a nice performance by Elsa Lanchester (that’s Frankenstein’s bride) as the
bishop’s housekeeper. Although my
objective analysis places this gem at number three, it is my favorite holiday film. And
that, professor, is undeniable fact.
2.) A Christmas Carol (originally titled Scrooge) 1951United Artists (USA),
directed by Brian Desmond-Hurst: Just
forget about any of the other versions of this story you are familiar
with. Alastair Sim’s performance as
Scrooge most likely allowed Charles Dickens (look it up!!!) to rest in everlasting
peace. Sans all of the dreamworld
sorcery of animation and CGI additions of later versions of this classic story,
Sim and his co-actors bring the personalities to life. You will never call someone Ebenezer lightly
again.
1.) It’s a Wonderful Life 1946 RKO, directed
by Frank Capra: Not only is this the best
Christmas movie ever made, I’ll give you your spoiled southern belle and Mafioso
family, and aver that this is the greatest American movie ever made. Nobody with a heart (and that includes some
of us who’s possession of such an organ is suspect) can watch this film and not
root for George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) as he struggles with events spinning his
ordered world out of control. If you don’t
agree that this is the ultimate underdog triumphs story, well your heart is two sizes too small!
After you’ve seen all
of these movies, we can get together and listen for a bell to ring.
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