25 Greatest Christmas Films: #17 — ‘Christmas In Connecticut’ (1945)
by John NolteThere’s a “Twilight Zone” episode early in the first season where Ida Lupino plays a Norma Desmond-type screen star: aging, resentful, a little nuts and holed up in a dark Hollywood mansion lost in the glory days that run endlessly on an old film projector. The final Serling-esque twist is that she ends up transporting herself into one of her own 25 year old films where she can live forever in a sophisticated romantic celluloid dream, always young always beautiful, where the world is as she believes it should be.
For some reason Serling presents that twist as though it’s a bad thing. I don’t know, sounds like a plan to me, and if there’s one movie-world on this list that I would want to transport myself into it would be “Christmas in Connecticut.”
This 1945 Warner Brothers’ charmer is as light as the souffle Barbara Stanwyck’s magazine writer, Elizabeth Lane, pretends she can cook for thousands of magazine readers and now will have to in reality if she’s to keep her job. Using recipes from her Uncle Feliz (the terrific S.Z. Sakall), Lane has crafted an identity for her readers and employers that doesn’t exist. Everyone believes she’s a Connecticut housewife with a newborn baby living on a storybook farm when in reality she’s single, childless, can’t boil an egg, and living in a cramped New York City apartment. As expected, topsy soon goes turvy and for the Christmas holidays her boss (an absolutely delightful Sydney Greenstreet) decides to offer a returning soldier (Dennis Morgan) a Christmas weekend with Lane on her storybook farm. Oh, yes, and the boss would like to join them.
You can see how the story will unspool from here but it doesn’t really matter because the fun is in watching these immortal players bounce around the effortless plot complications and somehow work it all out in the end.
But at the center of it all is the stunning Stanwyck, whose screen presence was a trifecta of perfection: Brains and incredible sex appeal without ever losing that girl-next-door quality — though that’s not the only reason I would like to live in this movie.
What a wonderful place to visit: America in 1945, the war all but won, in Manhattan and the countryside with a splendid group of character actors … and my only competition Dennis Morgan, who I’m pretty sure I could eliminate as competition for the luminous Stanwyck with a frying pan from behind.
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Anyone remember what job Morgan's character had in the Navy? Just curious, and my eyes aren't that good. Right arm ratings were discontinued in '49.
Morgan's character was a Chief Bosun's Mate.
Whew, good to see you're back on track, John. Was worried about you there for a while. The way you were going I thought you might say something really crazy like, "Besser made a good Stooge."
was the 1992 remake with Kris Kristofferson any good? I imagine it wasn't
That was so awful, it wasn't even a remake. It was an abysmal rewrite.
Did we skip #17?
Stanwyck and Morgan were a delight. An attractive and believeable couple. However the things that make "Christmas in Connecticut" work (for me at least) are the superbly rendered character roles of Sydney Greenstrett, S.Z. ("Cuddles") Sakall and Reginald Gardiner. Greenstreet's expertly plays the blustering publisher with unerring skill and Sakall is, as always, a delight. However hat's off to Reginald Gardiner for turning the cliche spurned boyfriend into a thoroughly likeable and charming guy. The conversaton between Stanwyck, Gardiner and Robert Shayne (the nervous editor) where they set the scheme up is a jewell filled with intelligent and witty dialogue. Not only a great Christmas film but a tribute to the day when terriffic character actors roamed the Earth.
my question too…
Barbara Stanwyck..always hot…one of the original founders of the Conservative
Alliance in Hollywood. She would have a stroke today.
Excellent. Squeee
I'm so glad someone else has seen this movie. I thought I was all alone in the world, and it's one of my favorites.
Dennis Morgan had one of the greatest smiles in all of Hollywood.
Personally, having watched a lot of his movies in the last year, I think he's been underrated.
I love this movie!
Check out this politically INcorrect Christmas song at: http://www.myspace.com/rogerweber
Stanwyck would be smiling!
I was first introduced to this movie on Christmas Eve about 20 years ago. My husband and I wrapping toys and putting together doll houses or bikes, giving Santa a "helping hand", this movie on TV. It played every Christmas Eve for about 5 years and then was moved to a different station at a different time.
Today my daughter, now 24, and I watch this movie on DVD while I inform her of the happenings around the house, while she was in bed dreaming of Santa and sugerplums! What an outstanding movie and the so called "remake" – just plain horrible and unwatchable.
Thanks. That was a right arm rate then–that's when Hollywood still "got" the military.
I wholeheartedly agree!
Well I have not seen this one in a very long time, I think I will go to Block Buster and rent it for the week end. After all Sidney Greenstreet is in it. Back in the day Hollywood really did make movies that people wanted to go see.Christmas 1946 would see Its a wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street two of the greatest Christmas Movies ever. My guess these two along with Christmas Story will be in the top ten. Now I need to get out my Red Ryder BB gun. To bad they frown on giving them to young boys these days.
Christmas Story #2
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) #1
Good movie. Who knew Stanwyck was a carpet muncher?
He was actually a Chief Quartermaster, they are the guys who assist in navigating and steering the vessel.
I love this movie!
"…my only competition Dennis Morgan, who I’m pretty sure I could eliminate as competition for the luminous Stanwyck with a frying pan from behind."
Sorry John, but you know those 1940s girls only go for a man in uniform.
BTW: "Christmas in Connecticut " will be showing on TCM twice this month:
Thursday, December 17,2009 8:00 PM
Friday, December 25,2009 12:15 PM
Another right arm rate, Chief..
Never have seen it, just NetFlicked it.
That should read:
Another right arm rate. Right, Chief?
As one who was a Second Class Petty Officer I should know not to presume to tell a Chief anything, because a Chief knows, well . . . everything. Ask the Captain.
What a wonderful, beautiful, perfect film. I, too, wish that I could live forever in the sophisticated New York and the storybook Connecticut of this movie–dinner at Cafe Felix (was there EVER a cozier setting?) then off to a picture-perfect farm in Connecticut. I imagine that Holiday Inn is just down the road.
My wife, daughter and I find ourselves endlessly quoting this movie year-round. "Cold chicken is my WEAKNESS!" is a particular favorite, although I am partial to "I smell kidneys!"
Now yer talkin'! Wonderful film, despite the ever-dull Dennis Morgan.
We watched this last night! We love this movie! I had just been complaining about your choices.
I love this movie and just watched it again this past week on TCM. Stanwyck is the best. Dennis Morgan? Married once for 61 years and father of 3. Now that's a legendary Hollywood actor.
This is my absolute FAVORITE Christmas movie. Love Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan. Their chemistry is great. The whole film is superb!
Hoo Yah, Shipmate!
This is, too, one of my favorite Christmas movies. I bought it and watch it a couple of times a year…think Christmas in July. It is so good. Stanwyck is fabulous…she always is and Dennis Morgan is no "Ball of Fire" (ha) but he is really perfect in this movie. And the amazing Sidney Greenstreet is always worth watching.
They don't make actresses like Stanwyck anymore. Do you realize she was 37 when they filmed this?
Quoting @theotherandrewb "What a wonderful, beautiful, perfect film. I, too, wish that I could live forever in the sophisticated New York and the storybook Connecticut of this movie–dinner at Cafe Felix (was there EVER a cozier setting?) then off to a picture-perfect farm in Connecticut. I imagine that Holiday Inn is just down the road."
ME TOO *sighs*
quoting @chambers
" The conversaton between Stanwyck, Gardiner and Robert Shayne (the nervous editor) where they set the scheme up is a jewell filled with intelligent and witty dialogue. Not only a great Christmas film but a tribute to the day when terriffic character actors roamed the Earth."
AGREED! This movie is the PERFECT blend of charming, witty, romantic, and hilarious. Beautifully acted, filmed & directed. It is, in my opinion, flawless.
Merry Christmas!
Superb website…
[...]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[...]……
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