Posted on 12/23/2008 5:28:14 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
This is the last movie review for 1938 to appear here. Unless I am mistaken it is number twelve. I have tried to include all the big commercial successes and Oscar winners of the year plus others that have earned lasting reputations. Four of them have in common being stage plays converted to film (“Angels with Dirty Faces”, “You Can’t Take it With You”, “Holiday,” “Pygmalion”). There were a few costume dramas (“Marie Antoinette”, “Adventures of Robin Hood”, “Jezebel”). There was one musical (“Alexander’s Ragtime Band”) and one in a sort of exotic, foreign adventure category of its own (“Algiers”). “Algiers” was a remake of a French movie named “Pepe Le Moko.” One – a huge commercial success – would qualify as a feature-length sitcom today (“Love Finds Andy Hardy”). That leaves “Boys Town,” which, along with “Angels with Dirty Faces,” has a sort of social justice consciousness-raising aspect to it. And of course today’s Christmas fantasy morality play. Those of us watching the development of the worldwide crisis that would become the Second World War can conclude that the American public was not particularly concerned about it yet. At least not concerned enough for it to be deemed marketable by Hollywood. I did watch one British film from 1938 set in Europe. That was “The Lady Vanishes,” directed by Alfred Hitchcock. (The U.S. release date was November 1. I don’t know if the Times passed on reviewing it or I just overlooked it.) “The Lady Vanishes” is set on a train in an unidentified Nordic country on which the British heroes and heroine hope to make it to safety across the border of another unnamed country. The bad guys resemble SS officers without insignia. For Europeans imminent war was an attention getter. In this country no doubt folks were too concerned with putting food on the table and keeping a roof overhead to worry about events across the nice, wide oceans.
My favorite "Christmas Carol" is by Henson.
Light the lamp, not the rat.
I think the George C. Scott version is the best on film. And let’s not forget the Mister Magoo version of which I have fine childhood memories.
My favorite movies of the year include “The Big Broadcast of 1938,” a musical about a race horse that featured Judy Garland singing “Dear Mr. Gable,” aka “You Made Me Love You,” a tribute to actor Clark Gable. “Broadway Melody of 1938,” which is about a race between two ocean liners, introduced the song “Thanks For the Memory,” while the horse opera “Under Western Stars” generated the hit song “Dust.”
As for animated features, the full-length film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” introduced the song “Heigh Ho,” a hit for Horace Heidt & His Musical Knights, who performed it in the movie as “the Seven Dwarfs,” while the animated short “Small Fry” generated a hit song by the same name by Kay Kyser & His Orchestra, and “Boy Meets Dog,” another animated short, featured a swinging musical production number.
Incedentally, although I’ve seen several films from 1938, I haven’t seen a single one from 2008—and I doubt if I can name a hit song from this year.
I'm sorry I left those two off my viewing list. I had my list and checked it way more than twice, but I still missed some "Essentials," as they say on TCM.
To prevent a recurrance of this tragedy I will solicit suggestions for 1939. That was one incredible year for Hollywood. How about it? What were the important films of 1939? Especially the ones not that were not big Oscar winners. I think I have those on the list already.
Blastphamy!! A Christmas Story is a great Christmas movie. I watch it every year. Though I agree that "It's a Wonderful Life" is also a great movie.
My favorite Christmas movies:
1) The Bishop’s Wife (1947, Cary Grant, David Niven, Loretta Young)
2) A Christmas Story (1983, written and narrated by Jean Shepherd)
3) A Christmas Carol (1938, Owen/ 1951, Sim/ 1984, Scott)
4) White Christmas (1954, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye)
5) Miracle on 34th Street (1947, Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwenn)
6) It’s a Wonderful Life (1946, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed)
I must be the only person in America who hasn’t seen It’s a Wonderful Life. Not sure why, I just never had any desire to see it. The other films on your list are fine, although I do prefer the Scott version of A Christmas Carol.
I've seen it, but only once or twice. I thought it was good, but not AS good as some people find it, and that's why I've got it ranked sixth.
Well....now that Shrek has been born, I’m putting his little Christmas cartoon at the top of my list! ;)
Tiny Tim’s story still waters mine eyes
First, I’m thrilled to know that other folks have seen and evaluated various versions of “A Christmas Carol”...Secondly, I think the G.C. Scott version is the best, followed by the ‘51 Alastair Sim version, then the 1938 version. My wife prefers the musical 1970 version with Albert Finney (not a big fan myself). I haven’t seen the recent film with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge.
Patrick Stewart is my favorite as Scrooge but I also like the musical version.
Cool. I’ve meant to watch the Stewart version, just not had the chance.
I think I’m the only one here who remembers the Mister Magoo version. It had terrific music.
I seem to recall the existence of a Mr. Magoo version, though I don’t recall ever watching it.
Me too. "And razzleberry dressing!" [as sung by Tiny Tim] :-)
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