I'll Be Seeing You (1944)

My husband and I began our holiday viewing last week, and the first film on this year's "must watch" list was 1944's I'll Be Seeing You.  This movie is one of my 25 all-time favorites, and though I've reviewed it here before, that was back in 2011---the first year of They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To's life; therefore, I'm going to re-run that article, as I think the Christmastime setting (including a singing of "O, Come, All Ye Faithful")  makes this a perfect movie to add to your holiday viewing schedule.

A touching wartime romantic drama, I'll Be Seeing You stars Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotten, with Tom Tully, the always-delightful Spring Byington, and a teenaged Shirley Temple taking on supporting roles.  Directed by William Dieterle, this charming film just might bring a mist to your eye.

The story is about Mary Marshall (Ginger), who is on furlough from a women's prison. (You'll find out during the movie why she was sent to prison.) While on a train traveling to visit her aunt, uncle, and cousin for Christmas, she meets Zachary Morgan (Joseph Cotten), a handsome soldier who has recently left an Army hospital, where he was being treated for the effects of what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Mary and Zach both disembark the train at the same stop, and upon Zach's request, Mary gives him her uncle's telephone number.  They begin spending time together and soon fall in love. However, since Zach's emotional state is still quite tenuous, Mary doesn't tell him that she's been in prison and will soon be going back.  And with Zach working through his own personal demons, can there possibly be a future for these two hurting souls?

I'll Be Seeing You is a sweet and tender movie, and although it doesn't bring huge sobs, it definitely gets me misty-eyed a couple of times.  I think all hopeless romantics will love it.  With its Christmastime setting, it's a lovely film to watch this time of year.  Out on DVD, it should be quite easy to track down; plus, it's on TCM's schedule twice this month---Friday, December 18th at 8:00 p.m. and Friday, December 25th, at 12:45 p.m. (ET). 

Happy viewing!!

The Great O'Malley (1937)

Seems like Pat O'Brien spent his career playing cops or priests, and in The Great O'Malley nothing is anything different for him.  From 1937, this touching, 71-minute, William Dieterle drama features Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, and child star Sybil Jason in supporting roles.

James O'Malley (O'Brien) is a New York City police officer with a penchant for handing out tickets.  For Officer O'Malley there are absolutely no gray areas---black is always black.  With his overzealous, no-room-for-discussion ways, he hands out tickets left and right.  Continually citing people for old-fashioned ordinances that no one even remembers anymore, such as too many bells on a wagon or a storefront awning being the wrong length, Officer O'Malley has become a pain in the neck to the people on his beat.  His superior warns him that justice needs to be tempered with mercy, but O'Malley just doesn't get it.

One day, he pulls John Phillips (Humphrey Bogart) over for having a loud muffler on his car.  Although Mr. Phillips asks O'Malley to quickly write the ticket because he is on his way to the first job he's had in years, the officer takes his time about things.  By the time Phillips arrives at his job, he's late, and the job has been given to someone else.  With a wife and lame daughter at home, Phillips is desperate and tries to pawn his gun; however, when the pawnshop owner won't pay the amount of money Phillips wants, Phillips clobbers the man on the head and then robs the store, a crime for which he ends up being sentenced 2-10 years.

Officer O'Malley's superior believes that O'Malley's focusing on minor infractions drove John Phillips to crime...had O'Malley not stopped Phillips for something as petty as a noisy muffler, he wouldn't have missed out on the job and wouldn't have been driven to the breaking point.  The police chief believes that O'Malley needs to get a heart and stop harassing people, and in an effort to either make or break the officer, the police captain demotes O'Malley to the position of school-crossing guard.  And it just happens to be the school which John Phillips' daughter, Barbara (Sybil Jason), attends.

Barbara, who walks with a limp, is a kind and loving child, and she soon has stolen the heart of the gruff crossing guard.  She tells him her father is working in Canada, but when Officer O'Malley escorts Barbara home one day, he sees a photo of her father and realizes that he is none other than John Phillips.  At this point, Officer O'Malley is a changed man, and he seeks to undo the damage he caused the little girl's family.  How everything works out is the balance of the film.

Though not spectacular, this really is a gem of a film.  It's tender and touching and even gets me mildly misty-eyed.  It affords the opportunity to catch Humphrey Bogart before he became the huge star that he did (this film came just after The Petrified Forest); plus, the little girl, Sybil Jason, is adorable.  Also, the message of tempering justice with mercy is a good one. I actually came close to giving this 4 stars, but in the end, I went with 3, simply because in films this short, I don't feel the characters or the story are developed enough.  So, this really is a "could have been 4 stars if it was a bit longer" kind of movie.

TCM will be airing The Great O'Malley on Tuesday, July 15th, at 1:30 p.m. (ET).  Plus, the film is out on DVD as part of the Humphrey Bogart Essential Collection.  I do hope you get a chance to see this, as I think it's worth it.

Happy viewing!!

The Search (1948)

The Search, from 1948, is a somewhat sentimental post-war drama, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Montgomery Clift in his second film appearance.  Also starring Wendell Corey, Aline MacMahon, and Ivan Jandl, The Search provided Mr. Clift with his first Best Actor Academy Award nomination.  According to Clift's biography, Monty considered The Search to be "the most fulfilling artistic experience of his life."  (From Montgomery Clift, a Biography, by Patricia Bosworth.)

The movie begins with a trainload of displaced children arriving at a relief center, where they will be temporarily housed while a search is made for their relatives.  Though the intent of the center is to help, many of the children, having previously been herded onto trains and shipped off to concentration camps, are understandably terrified and untrusting.  One little boy in particular, Karel Malek, is so frightened that he actually finds a way to run away, escaping on his own into war-torn Germany.

Ralph "Steve" Stevenson (Monty Clift), an American soldier still stationed in Germany, happens upon the hungry and frightened little boy.

Feeling that the boy shouldn't be wandering around on his own, Steve feeds him and then takes him back to his apartment, with the intent to locate his parents.

Though fearful and untrusting at first, Karel comes to realize that Steve is his friend and wants to help him.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Hannah Malek is combing the relief centers in search of the son from whom she was separated at Auschwitz, hoping against hope that he still lives.

A sweet, mildly heart-tugging film, The Search always gets me misty-eyed. Montgomery Clift is extremely good in this Oscar-nominated role, and his chemistry with the little boy (Ivan Jandl) is terrific. Wanting to be completely prepared for his role, before shooting began, Mr. Clift lived for a time in an army engineer's unit, dressed in army fatigues, and toured U. N. Relief and Rehabilitation camps in Germany. He was totally driven to make his character and the film authentic, which resulted in numerous improvisations of the script and endless battles with the film's producer. In the end, though, the film received unanimous acclaim and Monty, who was pleased with his performance, became one of Hollywood's hottest stars.

A solid 4-star film, The Search is definitely worth watching, and since it is available on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down.  If you are a Montgomery Clift fan, or if you like post-war films, definitely see this.  You're sure to enjoy it.



Happy viewing!!!

Remember the Day (1941)

When was the last time you found yourself thinking about that middle school teacher you had such a crush on?  You know, the teacher you adored so much that you wished the entire school day belonged to English (or math, or whatever) class, just so you could be in his (or her) presence...the teacher you so wanted to impress that you worked your tail off in his (or her) class, knowing he (or she) would be proud of your efforts and accomplishments...the teacher who, in the fantasy world of the "tween," you imagined might "like you back."  Never mind that we now know it would be foolhardy, not to mention illegal, for a teacher to get involved with one of his students; in the dream world of a 1970's middle schooler, a love affair with the teacher was possible. For me, the teacher who inspired those things was 6th grade English teacher, Richard Barnett---oh, was he dreamy! Though the man hasn't crossed my mind in close to 40 years, after watching the very charming, heartwarming, and sentimental Remember the Day last night, I found myself thinking about him, even vividly visualizing his handsome face and friendly smile.  One of the "new to me" films I had on my agenda for Claudette Colbert month, this lovely 1941 romantic drama also stars John Payne and features Douglas Croft, Ann Todd, Anne Revere, and Jane Seymour in supporting roles.  If you are anything like I am, this Henry King-directed film will take you on a trip down memory lane, bringing those crush-inducing teachers to your mind front and center.

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Mostly told in flashback, the story begins in the present day, as presidential nominee Dewey Roberts (John Sheppard, aka Shepperd Strudwick) prepares to  speak at a Washington, D.C. event. Among those in attendance is a somewhat-older-looking woman, Nora Trinell (Claudette Colbert), who hopes for an opportunity to meet with Mr. Roberts.  After handing a note to the bellboy, Miss Trinell allows her mind to travel back to April, 1916, when she first met little boy Dewey (Douglas Croft).

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A student at Auburn Grammar School, the school where Nora has just begun teaching, Dewey Roberts is a bright and friendly young man.  In very short order, a special bond is formed between the boy and his teacher, with Miss Trinell even stopping by Dewey's home when he is absent due to a knee injury and with Dewey naming his model ship the Miss Trinell. Although Dewey's plan has long been to attend his father's old prep school the following year, because of his attachment to Miss Trinell, he changes his mind.  Telling his beloved teacher that she's beautiful, Dewey informs her that he is going to stay on at Auburn and play football under Mr. Hopkins (John Payne).

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A fellow teacher at Auburn, Dan Hopkins coaches the baseball and football teams.  He and Nora fall in love, yet with their positions at the school to be considered, they don't publicly declare their love. Both Nora and Dan are quite close to Dewey, and through postcards they each send him, their relationship comes to the attention of the school principal.  Mindful that his teachers need to be setting a good moral example for the students, Mr. Steele requests a resignation.  (I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I won't reveal more than that.)

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The years go by...Dewey Roberts grows to be a successful man with presidential aspirations...Nora Trinell gets older, touching the lives of countless other students along the way.  Now, here in 1941, will they have a chance to speak with one another?  And if they do, will Dewey even remember the teacher he used to love so dearly?  These questions will play out in the remainder of the film.

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Remember the Day is a charming, extremely sentimental movie, with enjoyable performances from all. Miss Colbert and Mr. Payne have terrific chemistry together, and Ann Todd (Ann E. Todd, not British actress Ann Todd) is her usual delightful self.  Douglas Croft, who would grow up to be Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees and James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy, is another child actor I enjoy watching.  He does a great job here.  Incredibly heartwarming, this film didn't just get me misty-eyed---it had me heartily weeping.

The film was released shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, in December, 1941, so, obviously it did much more than simply entertain; with its nostalgic, patriotic tone, I'm sure it inspired audiences as well.  It definitely worked its nostalgia on me, reminding me of one of the most wonderful, inspiring (and crushable) teachers I ever had---6th grade English teacher, Richard Barnett. I think now is a good time to pull those boxes of yearbooks out of the far recesses of the garage!

Remember the Day is out on DVD (and available through Classic Flix); it used to be available on YouTube, but I can't find it there anymore.  I do hope you get a chance to see it, as it is a lovely, heartwarming story and, easily, a 4-star film for me.

Happy viewing!!

The Whales of August (1987)

To celebrate the 101st anniversary of the Gish sisters' (Lillian and Dorothy) screen debut, Movies Silently and The Motion Pictures are hosting a blogathon in their honor. This is my contribution to the event.  Go HERE for a list of the others who are participating.

Deep into their twilight years, screen legends Lillian Gish and Bette Davis joined forces in The Whales of August, a poignant film which explores how people cope with the aging process and the thought of approaching death.  Also starring Vincent Price, and featuring Ann Sothern and Harry Carey, Jr. in supporting roles, this 1987 film was adapted from the David Berry play of the same name.  It saw Miss Sothern receiving a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination.

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Widowed elderly sisters Libby Strong (Bette Davis) and Sarah Webber (Lillian Gish) have been spending their summers in a cottage on the coast of Maine all their lives.  As young girls, they, along with their friend Tisha (Ann Sothern), used to watch expectantly for the annual August arrival of the migrating whales.  Eventually, the whales no longer made an appearance, but that is not the only change the women have known.

                                                               

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Libby is blind . . . and bitter.  Somewhat estranged from her daughter, she is now dependent upon Sarah to take care of her.  Yet far from being grateful for Sarah’s love and care, Libby is crotchety, unhappy, and extremely negative.  She believes death is right at her door, even suggesting to Sarah that they are too old to consider new things, that their lives are over and the grim reaper will be along for them any day now.

Sarah, who lost her husband in the war, enjoys painting and gardening.  Kind and friendly, she has struck the fancy of Mr. Maranov (Vincent Price), a down on his luck Russian nobleman.  After inviting him to dine with her and Libby, Sarah spends some time primping and reminiscing about her late husband.

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A true gentleman, Mr. Maranov accepts Sarah's dinner invitation, even bringing along that morning's catch to share with the sisters. Libby is rude to him, though, saying there is no need for him in their house.  Although Sarah would be interested in seeing the kindly gentleman, with Libby’s negativity, it doesn’t seem likely that she will.  Sarah very much wants to go on with living for what time she has left, while Libby feels that her life is already over. Tisha suggests to Sarah that she make other arrangements for Libby and then move in with her.

Will Libby ever be able to enjoy the time she has left, thus enabling Sarah to do the same?  Or will Sarah be forced to make other arrangements for her sister so that she will be able to embrace the remaining years of her life?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of this touching drama.

The Whales of August is a lovely, sentimental, heart-tugging movie, made all the more so by the knowledge that it is, essentially, a goodbye song---and not just for Libby and Sarah.  This is the final film of both Miss Gish and Miss Sothern and the next to last of Miss Davis.  Vincent Price would make less than a half dozen more films after this one, so he is in the final stages of his career as well, and director Lindsay Anderson made no more feature films after this.  In a touching and beautiful way, The Whales of August gives us--and each of them---the chance to say goodbye.

     

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Hard to believe that Miss Gish is 93 years old here---she definitely aged beautifully and looks years younger than her age. Gracious, spry, and lovely, she gives a moving performance, ending her seven-and-a-half decade career on a beautiful, grace-filled note. By taking on this role "at the age of 93, Miss Gish became the oldest actress to have appeared in a starring role."[1]

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Bette Davis, two years away from her death here, is very clearly in poor health.  Earlier in the decade, she had battled cancer (which would ultimately return and be the cause of her death) and been afflicted with a series of strokes, resulting in partial paralysis of the left side of her face.  The effects of the paralysis are obvious. Still, though, she does her usual great job of bringing an unkind, largely unlikable character to life, and she plays blind very believably. Without all the bizarre makeup so prevalent in her late-career films, Bette looks less harsh---younger-looking even---than in some of her 1960's works.  Even here at the end of her career, she remains my #1 gal.

Putting these two screen legends together, of course, had the potential for contention and rivalry.  However, according to Bette Davis, Larger Than Life,  “Miss Gish proved far tougher and more impervious to Davis’s barbs than many lesser players by simply switching off her hearing aid whenever any nonsense occurred.”  [1] Touche for Lilllian!  That is definitely one way to tune out those who drive us crazy!

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Vincent Price, while not having a whole lot to do, is well-suited to this role.  Given that I have a predisposed negativity towards Mr. Price (the result of The House of Usher as a child), for me to see him in a positive light says a lot for the man’s acting skills.  I enjoyed his chivalrous character here.  Ann Sothern received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work here, and while she doesn't have much to do, she's funny and sweet in her role.  

Besides Misses Gish and Davis, the other star of The Whales of August is the stunning scenery.  Who wouldn’t enjoy a trip to the coast of Maine after finishing this. Although the film is slow-moving and without any dramatic action scenes or special effects, the characters, the stars’ performances, the scenery, and the touching story are enough to make it quite charming. 

Out on DVD, The Whales of August ought to be fairly easy to track down.  Fans of any of these four wonderful stars will enjoy catching them in their final years.  I'm calling this a 4-star film---one definitely worth a watch.

Happy viewing!

[1]  Bette Davis, Larger Than Life, by Richard Schickel and George Perry, Running Press Book Publishers, 2009

Imitation of Life (1934)

Regular readers of They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To know that I am a sucker for tearjerker dramas. The more touching a film is, the more I like it.  One such heart-tugger is 1934's Imitation of Life, which I reviewed back in the very first week of this blog's existence. What I have deemed a "mommy movie," Imitation of Life is one of four films I always watch during Mothers' Day weekend.  (The others being Stella Dallas, Madame X, and Penny Serenade) Loving this film as I do, I decided a revision and expansion of my earlier review was in order during Claudette Colbert's reign as star of the month.

Based on Fannie Hurst's novel of the same name, Imitation of Life stars Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers, with Rochelle Hudson, Fredi Washington, and Warren William taking on supporting roles. Nominated for three Academy Awards (including Best Picture), Imitation of Life is not only a 5-star film for me, but it is one of my 5 favorite films of the entire decade of the 1930's and among my 20 favorite films of all-time.  I absolutely love this movie.

As white widow Bea Pullman (Claudette Colbert) tries to balance the responsibilities of running her late husband's maple syrup business and taking care of her young daughter, into her life comes Delilah Johnson (beautifully portrayed by the wonderful Louise Beavers), a black woman---also a widow---with a similar-aged daughter of her own. After Delilah convinces Bea to hire her as her maid, she and her little girl, Peola, move in with Bea and daughter Jessie.

Upon tasting Delilah's delicious pancakes one morning, Bea realizes that with her maple syrup and Delilah's pancake recipe, the two of them could join forces and go into business together. Bea sets out to snag a building and all the necessary equipment for them to do so. The business is a great success, and before long, they have gone beyond just a restaurant...in fact, they are packaging Aunt Delilah's Pancake Mix and selling it to grocery stores all across the country. Although, Delilah is a partner and earning a good living through the business, she continues to stay on as Bea's maid, since they have also become good friends.

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Daughters Jessie and Peola, who are now school age, attend a nearby school, but the extremely light-skinned Peola, does not want her teacher nor any of her classmates to know she is black. Able to pass as white because of her fair complexion, she seeks to hide her blackness; when Delilah shows up at the school one day---claiming to be Peola's mother and thereby ending the masquerade---Peola is furious with her.

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The years go by....the women's business becomes more and more successful, Jessie (now Rochelle Hudson) heads off to school, Bea falls in love, and Peola (now Fredi Washington) grows more and more angry at her skin color and tries even harder to sever ties with her black heritage and to live in a white world. She even, at one point, disowns her mother, who keeps showing up in her life and ruining things for her.  How everything plays out is the remainder of the film.

As you can imagine, this is a sobber!!! Yes, Peola will see the error of her ways and seek to make amends; the scene in which that happens is particularly poignant and touching. If you are anything like I am, the tears will be pouring down your face then.

While Claudette Colbert gets top billing in this movie and is completely wonderful and charming in her role, for me, the real star is the amazing Louise Beavers.  Miss Beavers' portrayal of Delilah is totally delightful and full of love and grace and faith.  I was in love with her from moment one. Fredi Washington is terrific in her role as well.  She brings Peola's tortured soul brilliantly to life.  

Even more than the racial situation, Imitation of Life is the story of a mother's love for her child. Both Bea and Delilah loved their daughters unconditionally and sacrificially and would give anything---even her own life---for her.  As a woman who has devoted over two decades of my life to motherhood, I find that stories like this quite resonate with me.

The team of Ross Hunter and Douglas Sirk got their hands on this story in 1959, remaking the film with Lana Turner and Juanita Moore in the Claudette Colbert/Louise Beavers roles and Sandra Dee and Susan Kohner as their respective daughters.  Despite the fact that I adore Lana Turner and count her among my top 5 favorite actresses, I definitely prefer the earlier version. The remake is moving and heart-tugging and I do enjoy it and deem it a 4-star film, but for a couple of reasons, it just doesn't top the original for me. Yes, Lana is gorgeous and her acting is terrific, and Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner are both sensational; however, in the remake, Turner's character is extremely selfish.  She can't hold a candle to Claudette's Bea. Also, Juanita Moore's character is always just a maid---the women don't go into business together. Finally, the white daughter is more whiny and selfish in the remake, making it hard to really like her. The one upside to the Sirk version is that the downward spiral of the black daughter gets more attention and is much more graphic than in the earlier film, making it, therefore, all the more heartbreaking.

Out on DVD, this film ought to be fairly easy to track down.  One of the ways it is available is in the 2-disc Imitation of Life collection, which includes both films, along with bonus feature commentary.

Happy viewing!

NOTE:  Unless stated otherwise, all photos were obtained from Doctor Macro  (HERE)

The Christmas Box (1995)

A Christmas movie in August?  And a 1995 one at that?  I know what y'all must be thinking . . ."Surely you jest, Patti.  There's no way in the world you of all people should want to talk about Christmas now.  After all, you know Christmas means December and winter---two things not at all on your list of "likes."  And furthermore, why are you---who almost never watches a film made after 1965---highlighting a 1990's work?" Alas, yes, y'all would be right on both counts.  I am not even remotely ready to consider the all-too-soon departure of the glorious season of summer or to start thinking about the holiday season. And, typically, I do steer clear of  "modern" (my translation: post-1965) films.  However, The Christmas Box really isn't a Christmas movie, but only has a short hunting-for-a-Christmas-tree scene and, thus, can be enjoyed any time of the year; plus, made in the 90's or not, it's clean, wholesome, and inspiring.  It also happens to be one of my absolute favorite Maureen O'Hara films, so spotlighting it during her reign as star of the month is a definite must.

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Based on Richard Paul Evans' novel of the same name, The Christmas Box is a 1995 made-for-TV drama/fantasy movie, starring Richard Thomas, Maureen O'Hara, and Annette O'Toole, with child star Kelsey Mulrooney taking on a supporting role.  Winner of a Primetime Emmy, The Christmas Box is Miss O'Hara's 3rd to last work.  After this, she would go on to make 2 more TV movies, before retiring and bringing an end to her six-decade career.

Part-owner of a busy ski shop, Richard Evans (Richard Thomas), lives with his wife, Kerri (Annette O'Toole), and young daughter, Jenna (Kelsey Mulrooney), in a small apartment in suburban Salt Lake City.  Although Richard's business is successful and he is at a point where it may be possible to open a second store in another city, the long hours he has put in have robbed him of time with his family. Grieved by how much Richard's workaholism keeps him away from home, weary of the problems which come with managing their apartment complex, and feeling it is not a good environment for Jenna, Kerri suggests they take on a live-in caregiver role for the wealthy, elderly Mary Parkin (Maureen O'Hara). Though he has no desire in the world to do such a thing, to appease Kerri, Richard agrees to an interview with Mrs. Parkin; he makes a bad first impression, though, and upon leaving the interview, it seems unlikely that their family will be chosen for the position.

As it turns out, the Evans family is chosen by Mrs. Parkin to be her caregivers.  Although she really doesn't desire to have live-in domestic help, widowed Mary has unwillingly agreed with her lawyer that her tenuous health requires another's presence in the home.  Adamant that remaining in her home with strangers is preferable to having to leave it, the elderly lady grudgingly offers the position to the Evans family, and they move in just before Thanksgiving.

Thrilled to be living in the beautiful Parkin mansion, Kerri and Jenna soon break through the icy wall Mrs. Parkin has erected around herself, becoming quite close to her.  Richard, however, can't seem to get on with the old woman.  Besides disapproving of everything he does, she asks the most bizarre questions of him, such as "What was the first gift of Christmas?"  With the holiday rush and the hoped-for expansion keeping him busy at the store and Mrs. Parkin's strange, probing questions, Richard finds himself incredibly stressed. His sleep is disrupted by dreams of angels calling his name; on top of that, he is drawn to the beautiful, old Christmas box---with its trove of love letters---in the attic  Will Richard be able to figure out what it is Mary longs for him to understand before it's too late?

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One of my family's absolute musts during the Christmas season, The Christmas Box is a tender, lovely, heart-tugging movie, which always brings me to tears.   The characters are ones who will capture your hearts---even Richard.  You so want him to "get it," to understand the lesson Mary is trying to impart to him before it is too late.  While I love The Waltons, I have never been a  John-Boy fan, so I wasn't sure Richard Thomas would work for me in this movie. Alas, he does.  I like his character, and I enjoy the comical way Mr. Thomas brings him to life.

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Maureen O'Hara aged beautifully and gracefully.  She's 75-years old here, and she's totally lovely. The beauty of her youth has not diminished with age...nor has her acting ability. She does a terrific job as the feisty, but loving, Mary Parkin.   Little Kelsey Mulrooney is completely charming as Jenna, and she and Miss O'Hara have wonderful chemistry together.  Annette O'Toole is totally believable as the kind, loving, gracious Kerri.

Although the characters in the story have the names of Richard, Kerri, and Jenna Evans, the story is not an autobiographical one.  It actually was a story Mr. Evans wrote for his two young daughters, and he never intended for it to be published.  To read more about how The Christmas Box touched hearts and became an international bestseller, visit Mr. Evans' website (HERE).

Out on DVD, The Christmas Box should be easy to track down.  One of its releases pairs it with its prequel story, Timepiece, starring James Earl Jones, Ellen Burstyn, Kevin Kilner, and, Naomi Watts (in the Mary Parkin role which Maureen O'Hara will have in The Christmas Box). Additionally, The Christmas Box is available in its entirety on YouTube.  It's a lovely movie, with a timeless, much-needed message, and I highly recommend it, whether at Christmastime or anytime during the year.

Happy viewing!

Spencer's Mountain (1963)

The inspiration for the long-running, award-winning television series The Waltons came in the form of 1963's heartwarming drama, Spencer's Mountain.  Starring Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara, and James MacArthur, with Donald Crisp (in his final film), Wally Cox, and Mimsy Farmer taking on supporting roles, this Delmer Daves Technicolor film is based on the novel by Earl Hamner, Jr. While Mr. Hamner's novel and The Waltons have an Appalachian Mountain setting, for this film, the locale was changed to the more rugged mountains of Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.

For three generations, the Spencer family has been living in the Snake River area of Wyoming. Old Hannibal Spencer, who is now buried in the family plot, was the first of the family to arrive there, and his son (Donald Crisp) stayed on and raised a family of ten sons.  Each of those sons has remained in the area and is now raising a family of his own.  The film focuses on the life of son Clay (Henry Fonda), his wife, Livvy (Maureen O'Hara), and their nine children.

Rich in love, but poor in cash, the Spencer family has dreams.  Father Clay yearns to build a grand home for his large brood.  Whenever possible, he steals time away to work a bit on the dream house. Mother Livvy wants a graduation ring for son Clayboy (James MacArthur), and Clayboy yearns to attend college, a dream that seems as far away as the moon, even with the partial scholarship he has received.  For any or all of the family's dreams to be accomplished, much sacrifice will have to be made.  How it all plays out---in ways which will sometimes remind you vividly of The Waltons---is the balance of the film.




Filmed on location in the Grand Tetons and the surrounding area, the movie's scenery is incredibly gorgeous.  It is also very familiar (and beloved) to me.  Living within a day's drive from Grand Teton National Park, our family has vacationed there on four different occasions. The beautiful mountain peaks in the film are ones we have enjoyed photographing ourselves; and the little church in the film is the Chapel of the Transfiguration, which sits at the south end of the park, and which our family has visited on every trip.  (With a view like this, can you imagine the difficulty of keeping your mind on the preacher's sermon?!  My photo, taken on a 2006 family vacation.)

At times, I thought Spencer's Mountain was a 4-star "like it a lot" film, while at others it was a 3-star "good, enjoyable, like it okay" film.  So, while I'm going with 3 stars, it's more like 3.5. The overzealous girlfriend scenes grew a bit tedious, as did some of the hymn-singing.  The story is sweet, sentimental, and morally appealing, and the performances of all are solid.  Miss O'Hara is her usual beautiful self, and although I'm not much of a Henry Fonda fan, I have to admit, he is terrific in this role.  Donald Crisp, in his final film appearance, doesn't have much to do, but he does it well.  I think he ended his career on a high note.  One of the youngest children is played by Kym Karath, who portrayed the youngest Von Trapp daughter, Gretel, in The Sound of Music.  She is a bit precocious here in Spencer's Mountain, but she's also adorable and sweet.  I was completely charmed by her.

Out on DVD, Spencer's Mountain should be fairly easy to track down.  Additionally, it is on the TCM schedule for this coming, Sunday, August 11th, at 9:30 a.m. ET (as part of Henry Fonda's day in Summer Under the Stars).  If you are a fan of The Waltons, you will definitely want to see the film which inspired it.

Happy viewing!!

One Foot in Heaven (1941)

One of the ten films up for Best Picture of 1941 was One Foot in Heaven, a little-known sentimental drama starring Fredric March and Martha Scott.  Directed by Irving Rapper, and with a Max Steiner score, One Foot in Heaven is a gem of a film, garnering 4 stars from me. Based on the autobiography of Hartzell Spence, this touching movie covers approximately two decades in the life of the author's father, Methodist minister, William Spence (Fredric March).

Reverend Spence's story begins in 1904, in Ontario, Canada, where he surprises his fiance, Hope Morris (Martha Scott), and her family, with the news that having been touched by the Spirit of God at a revival meeting the previous week, he has abandoned his plans of practicing medicine and, instead, has given his life to the healing of men's souls.  Not only has his vocation plan changed, but so have his living arrangements---he has been offered a church in a tiny town in Iowa.  Speaking a passage in the Bible about going where he goes, Hope offers her support to William, and the two are wed and then embark on their new life.

The film chronicles the ups and downs of the Spences life as they go about living with "one foot on earth, and one foot already in Heaven."  From welcoming two sons and a daughter into their family, to seeking to raise their children according to their religious convictions, to financial pressures, shabby housing, self-righteous parishioners, and moves to other cities, the Spences face each day with faith in God and each other.  (There's a scene in which Reverend Spence, in an effort to teach Hartzell the "dangers" of movies, takes his son to the theatre.  The two see a William S. Hart silent film, The Silent Man.  That is the closest I've been to a non-talkie since turning off Wings six years ago!)

One Foot in Heaven isn't an overly exciting film---there are no major action scenes---but it is, nevertheless, a sweet, touching, and very worthwhile film.  It depicts a healthy, loving, functional family; a strong belief in God;  a desire to live a moral life, without making the morality akin to self-righteousness.  While action-craving audiences of today might find a film like this boring, I appreciate the opportunity to see a devoutly religious person living out his faith without being depicted as a sanctimonious hypocrite.  After catching Rain (reviewed HERE) last year and being troubled by the self-righteousness of the preacher in that film (Walter Huston, in a fantastic performance), One Foot in Heaven is a lovely breath of fresh air.  While the family has a strong moral code by which they live, they are never "holier than thou" about it.  They simply live their lives according to their convictions, all the while extending love and kindness to those who might not see things as they do, sometimes even being willing to change with the times.  The preacher's annoyance wasn't with "the sinners," but with the church.  In fact, at one point he said, "The real heathen are in the church."  As a deeply religious person myself, I appreciate the positive portrayal of a faith I hold dear.



The film's cast is wonderful.  Some of the supporting players include Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart, Moroni Olsen, Elisabeth Fraser, Frankie Thomas, Laura Hope Crews, and Harry Davenport.  Martha Scott, who will always be Judah Ben-Hur's mother to me, is really lovely here. And Fredric March---very nearly at "beloved" status in my book---is terrific.  He portrays Reverend Spence with an appropriate mixture of sternness and love...and his prayers are powerful indeed!

Incidentally, when I popped by TCM to look for a video to include, I noticed that there are 11 pages of reviews for this lovely film.  That is, by far, the most reviews I have ever noticed for any film on TCM.  I read only 3 pages of them, but every single one was glowing in its praise and begging for the film to be made available on DVD; the overall TCM star rating was 4 1/3, and the Leonard Maltin review gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars. Obviously, despite being a film of little "action," its charm more than makes up for that.  If you enjoy inspiring, uplifting stories, this ought to fit the bill nicely.

Not out on DVD and rarely on the TCM schedule, however, One Foot in Heaven may prove to be quite difficult to track down.  If you get a chance to see it, though, I highly recommend it...if only to be transported to a time that is no more.

Happy viewing!

CMBA "Fabulous 40's" Blogathon---Sentimental Journey (1946)

Sentimental, sensitive,  and extremely emotional by nature, I am always on the lookout for touching, tender, heart-tugging films, and after finally tracking down 1946's Sentimental Journey---which had been on my "want to see" list for close to four years---I thought it would be the perfect addition to the Classic Movie Blog Association's "Fabulous Films of the 1940's" blogathon.  There are hundreds of wonderful films in that decade, and nearly four dozen of them are being showcased by other bloggers in this 6-day event.  To read the other entries, go here.

The second of four films Maureen O'Hara and John Payne made together, Sentimental Journey is a little-heard-of gem.  It features William Bendix and Sir Cedric Hardwicke in supporting roles and introduces child star Connie Marshall.  (While Miss Marshall had appeared in Sunday Dinner for a Soldier two years earlier, it is in Sentimental Journey that she is billed as being presented.)  Directed by Walter Lang, this lovely drama runs 94 minutes.

When stage actress Julie Beck (Maureen O'Hara) learns she is dying, her first thought is about her producer husband, Bill (John Payne).   Julie knows she is Bill's whole world, and she fears he will have no desire to go on without her. Wanting a child for Bill to cling to after she's gone, yet knowing she is unable to bear a child herself, Julie wonders if adoption might be the answer.

While walking on the beach shortly after recovering from a bad spell, Julie comes upon a group of children from a Brooklyn orphanage; she is immediately drawn to the one little girl sitting all alone.  A dreamy, fanciful child, Hitty (Connie Marshall) reminds Julie of herself at that age, and she approaches Bill about adopting her.  A somewhat selfish, possessive man, Bill---who has no idea Julie is dying---doesn't see the need for a child; in fact, he says, Julie is the only family he needs.  However, to please Julie, he agrees, and the two of them make a trip to the Martha Stone Orphanage.

Hitty is thrilled to see Julie again, and she happily accompanies the couple to their New York home.    Sweet and loving, and with a desire to please, Hitty quickly learns how to take care of Bill and make his home life comfortable.  But Bill is not comfortable---he's tense and agitated...and completely annoyed by Hitty's fanciful nature.  And when Julie chooses to stay home with a sick Hitty rather than attend an event with him, Bill is angry.  He doesn't like having to share his wife.

Knowing Bill can't change who he is, nor can Hitty change who she is, Julie finds herself in the position of having to choose between them.  Should she send Hitty back to the orphanage?   The stress of the situation brings about a fatal attack, and just before she dies, Julie begs Hitty to stay with Bill no matter what..to watch over him...to continue doing for him all the things they had done for him together.

Completely devastated by his wife's death, Bill can barely function.  He gets through her funeral and the days afterward as though in a trance.  He certainly wants no part of Hitty and her attempts to fill the void left by Julie's death.  And for Hitty, who is also grieving the loss of Julie, Bill's rejection is heartbreaking.  How these two hurting souls find peace and love will play out in the balance of this lovely, sob-inducing film.





Sentimental Journey is a wonderful, 4-star film for me.  Maureen O'Hara is the most beautiful I have ever seen her.  She's simply stunning here, and her character is a joy---kind, caring, gentle, accepting.  John Payne's character is---as is necessary for the story---self-centered and unlikable.  Still, though, I couldn't help rooting for him to come to his senses and realize what he was throwing away.  Though perhaps not on the same plain as Natalie Wood, Connie Marshall is, nevertheless, completely charming as little Hitty. She will easily capture your heart!  Just like Miss O'Hara and Miss Wood had super chemistry together in Miracle On 34th Street, so, too, do mother and daughter have a beautiful connection in this film.  As Julie's doctor, Cedric Hardwicke has a fairly small part, but he plays it well.  And William Bendix---as Bill and Julie's friend and Hitty's adopted "Uncle Donnelly"---adds a bit of lightheartedness. Given the film's title, it will come as no surprise that the lovely 1945 song "Sentimental Journey" is liberally interspersed throughout.  As Julie and Bill's song, that beautiful melody is heard over and over again.



Although Sentimental Journey touched me deeply and had the potential to be another Penny Serenade in my estimation, I have to admit that it fell just a trifle short, a result, I think, of it's 94-minute running time.  With Penny Serenade coming in at 119 minutes, there was a full 25 minutes more to develop the characters and situations.  As it was, I felt things were rushed and, therefore, a little less deep than they could have been.  Had the film been longer, I have no doubt it would have merited 5 stars, instead of the 4 I have given it.

Sadly, Sentimental Journey is a film that is not easy to track down---it's not out on DVD, and TCM never seems to air it (at least in the three to four years I've been looking for it, I've not noticed it on their schedule).  Finally, earlier this year, I found it in its entirety on YouTube; however, as of the day of this writing, it appears to be there no longer.  All that to say, finding a way to view Sentimental Journey may be rather difficult, but if you do get the opportunity, go for it.  It's a sweet and---as its name suggests---sentimental journey.

Happy viewing!

Madame X (5 stars)

In celebration of Lana Turner's February 8th birthday, I recently enjoyed a re-watch of my favorite of her films---Madame X---and since my review of it was way back on the very first day of this blog, I decided a re-write and expansion of that post was in order.

With Lana Turner in the title role and supporting help from John Forsythe, Constance Bennett, Ricardo Montalban, Burgess Meredith, and Keir Dullea, 1966's Madame X is not only my favorite Lana Turner film but my favorite film of the 1960's and among my top 7 movies of all-time.  It's an incredibly beautiful, heart-tugging movie...the one I consider to be the tearjerker of all tearjerkers (though Gary Cooper's Ten North Frederick is right up there too). It doesn't just cause me to weep...but to sob...almost to the point that I can barely breathe.  Sometimes, I pop the movie into the player and then fast-forward to the final 30 minutes just so I can sob my  heart out.  Strange, yes...but the absolute truth. 

The story is about Holly Anderson (Lana), a young woman who has married into a rich and powerful family.  Her husband, Clay (John Forsythe), has political aspirations and an extremely controlling mother (Constance Bennett) who wants to be sure her son becomes all that he aspires to be.  Although Holly and Clay seem happy and even have a son early into their marriage, Clay travels a great deal, leaving Holly very lonely.  Her mother-in-law, however, tells Holly that she simply must not sit home and long for Clay...that she has a role to fulfill...that she must continue to be seen socially.

Holly begins to attend social functions with another man (Ricardo Montalban), and eventually he falls in love with her.  When Holly informs him she cannot see him anymore, they fight, and he tumbles down a flight of stairs, dying immediately.  Mother-in-law insists that since it looks like Holly killed him, a scandal will ensue, thus ruining Clay's political future.  Determining that the best way to protect her son and grandson from Holly's "indiscretion" is to get Holly out of their lives, mother-in-law promises to cover everything up if Holly will just disappear forever.  So...at mother-in-law's urging and with her help, Holly "dies" in a tragic boat accident and then goes to Europe, where mother-in-law sends money for her support.

For twenty years, Holly spirals downward into alcoholism and addiction and perhaps prostitution (nothing is shown, so that possibility is left to the imagination). She is a shell of the beautiful woman she used to be. Eventually, a con man discovers who Holly really is, and he intends to use that information to extort money. Desperate to keep the man from destroying her husband's political hopes and her son's future ambitions, Holly shoots him and is sent to trial. The man appointed to defend her is none other than her now-grown-up son, and neither mother nor son has any idea who the other is.




At the time I first discovered Madame X, I didn't profess to be a huge Lana Turner fan; in fact, I really didn't care for her that much. While I loved the movie and the title character, Lana herself did nothing for me.  Since then, though, I've come to  love Lana and now deem her among my five favorite actresses of all time.  I truly believe her performance in Madame X has to be the finest performance of her career.  She is completely brilliant here...very definitely worthy of an Academy Award nomination, which, unbelievably, she did not receive.

It has recently come to my awareness that there is a 1937 version of Madame X, with Gladys George in the title role.  I would love an opportunity to see it and to compare the two films.

Since Madame X is out on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down a copy.  Try to see it if you can, as it really is an amazingly beautiful, heart-tugging movie which I highly recommend.

Happy viewing!!

To Sir, with Love (5 stars)

Another one of my 5-star film discoveries for this year is To Sir, with Love, a 1967 drama starring man of the month, Sidney Poitier.  Filmed in England, this film features a British supporting cast---Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, and Lulu among them.  James Clavell (of Shogun fame) wrote the screenplay and produced and directed the film, which, like Blackboard Jungle twelve years earlier, finds Mr. Poitier surrounded by delinquent students in a high school classroom.

Unable to obtain a job in his career field, engineer Mark Thackery (Sidney Poitier) relocates to London, where a teaching job in an inner-city school awaits him.  Though Mark has never taught before, and despite warnings that the students are rebellious rejects from other schools, he, nevertheless, accepts the position.  Knowing the behavior of the students in Mr. Thackery's classroom, another teacher jokingly refers to Mark as a "lamb for the slaughter."

Stepping into the classroom, Mark is transported to a wild, unruly, uncooperative world. Disrespect for authority---and even for one another---is the norm for the students.  They swear, throw things from windows, create disturbances, and---Mark soon discovers---the majority of them can barely read.

Idealistic and wanting to help the kids become mature, responsible, properly-behaving adults, Mark strives for a way to reach them.  Since traditional methods won't work with this bunch of rebels, he'll need to try a different approach.  How Mark turns a group of wild hooligans into a class of respectful, caring students will play out in the remainder of the film.

To Sir, with Love is a wonderful movie, with terrific acting by everyone.  Mr. Poitier, of course, leads the pack, giving his usual brilliant performance.  I really loved him in this role, which, incidentally, is one of the few in which his race isn't central to the story.  Also played perfectly were the student parts---especially Pamela (Judy Geeson) and Denham (Christian Roberts).

In some ways, To Sir, with Love is like Mr. Poitier's earlier classroom film, Blackboard Jungle---only this time, Sidney is the teacher, not the delinquent.  (Glenn Ford is the teacher in that film.) Both films feature a teacher who won't give up...who won't throw in the towel...who will do whatever is necessary to make a positive impact on his students.  They're both terrific films about the life-changing role a teacher can have.   What took To Sir, with Love from 4 to 5 stars for me is its beautiful sentimentality.  The final few minutes, which feature student Barbara (Lulu) singing "To Mr. Thackery (Sir), with Love," really touched me.  I vaguely remember this song from childhood (I was 6 when it was popular), but hearing it in context with the film gives a whole new meaning to the lyrics.  They're powerful, heart-tugging, and tear-inducing.



Mark had cared...and that caring resulted in them caring, and that was very touchingly portrayed in the final few minutes.  Quite honestly, I think To Sir, with Love is the quintessential teachers' movie.  Sure it's a 45-year old film, but its message is timeless.

The film is out on DVD, and it is also on the TCM schedule for Sunday, April 14th, at 1:30 p.m. (ET).  If you like Sidney Poitier---or inspiring movies---you ought to greatly enjoy this.

Happy viewing!