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It once was a wonderful life
New York Daily News ^ | 11/30/04 | Jack Mathews

Posted on 11/30/2004 7:18:48 AM PST by nypokerface

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1 posted on 11/30/2004 7:18:48 AM PST by nypokerface
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To: nypokerface
My family and I watch this one every year. :-)

2 posted on 11/30/2004 7:23:50 AM PST by TheBigB (I sure could go for a charbroiled hamburger sammich and some french fried potatoes!)
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To: nypokerface

I absolutely love Christmas Story..the mom saying you'll shoot your eye out, the tongue on the frozen pole, the snow suit scene, the leg lamp. Great movie


3 posted on 11/30/2004 7:23:54 AM PST by mel
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To: nypokerface

I love these old classics. It's obvious the talent for writing and imagination for these classics doesn't exist any more. It's a shame, but our world has changed. Hopefully the future holds some nice surprises.


4 posted on 11/30/2004 7:25:50 AM PST by TexasTaysor
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To: nypokerface

I saw "It's a Wonderful Life" last SAT for the first time in a long time. I forgot what a great movie it was - truly an epic film that is way more than a Christmas classic.

I've thought time to time about how many lives that movie saved. Meaning, back in 1946, coming out of the Depression and WWII, I'm sure there were a lot of Americans very down in the dumps and perhaps suicidal (like George Bailey). The final message of "no man is failure as long as he has friends" probably lifted the spirits of many depressed/suicidal folks at the time.

Just a thought.


5 posted on 11/30/2004 7:26:07 AM PST by GianniV
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To: TheBigB; All

Now that is a classic..


6 posted on 11/30/2004 7:26:15 AM PST by KevinDavis (Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
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To: nypokerface

Interesting!

I also like A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart, released in 1999. And his dramatic reading of the story is still available as an audiobook, I think. He read it on Broadway for years. Although Alistair Sim's version will be THE classic for all time, Stewart does pretty well, and it's closer to the original story in the book.

But if we start comparing versions of this story, we'll be here all day! :)

PS I also have to mention Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation. Not a "classic" in the sense of what the author is talking about (and maybe even an example of what he's against), but funny for the right audience in the right mood. I skimmed the article and missed it if he mentioned it. I would guess it's Chevy's last funny film. No wonder he seems so grumpy these days.


7 posted on 11/30/2004 7:26:22 AM PST by cvq3842
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To: nypokerface
"HOLIDAY INN" (1942) Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds

Simple, charming, extraordinarily underrated. One of my favorites.

8 posted on 11/30/2004 7:27:30 AM PST by Petronski (One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble, not much between despair and ecstasy.)
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To: TheBigB

Christmas Vacation bump. You can have an uplifting story in a cynical age. Parts of it are pretty crude, but then so was Animal House. The story holds up.


9 posted on 11/30/2004 7:28:55 AM PST by js1138 (D*mn, I Missed!)
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To: nypokerface
Kelsey Grammer did an outstanding job as Scrooge in the ABC Christmas Carol that aired this past Sunday. This story has always been near and dear to my heart. The Alstair Sim 1951 version was always a favorite.

In 7th Grade my best bud and I adapted this story for our elementary school Christmas season. Howard was the narrator who filled in many of the voices. I was {gulp} Scrooge and with a minimalistic cast, scenery and costumes we pulled it off. Given today's anti Christian bent in the ACLU and schools we wouldn't be allowed to produce this play anymore!

BTW, off subject but this morning Turner Classic Movies showed "Best Years of Our Life". Maybe this generation needs to understand the harrows of military coming home and the suffering experienced by family and friends.

10 posted on 11/30/2004 7:29:24 AM PST by Young Werther
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To: mel; All

What is not to like about the movie??


11 posted on 11/30/2004 7:29:33 AM PST by KevinDavis (Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
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To: nypokerface

Does "Die Hard" qualify as a Christmas classic?


12 posted on 11/30/2004 7:29:40 AM PST by dfwgator (It's sad that the news media treats Michael Jackson better than our military.)
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To: nypokerface

"Bad Santa" was pretty funny, but who would consider it a holiday movie? I would classify it as just a straight crime comedy - for adults only.


13 posted on 11/30/2004 7:29:50 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves
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To: cvq3842

We treated the kids to their first showing of "Christmas Story". It was a hit.

I am a great con-a-sewer of Dickens Christmas Carol movied. I liked Scrooged. My favorite is the Magoo version because of the music. Still, none of them match the written story.


14 posted on 11/30/2004 7:30:48 AM PST by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
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To: nypokerface

Well, there's nothing better at Christmas than to gather the family around the fireplace, sing some carrols and have a good viewing of "Alien."


15 posted on 11/30/2004 7:31:59 AM PST by orionblamblam
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To: mel

Last weekend I drove by some neighbors who were moving and there were some mannequin legs in the pile of refuse.

I thought about snagging them to make a lamp, but the wife would never understand.


16 posted on 11/30/2004 7:33:00 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance (Stay safe in the "sandbox" Greg! Thread degradation services available. Inquire within.)
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To: GianniV
The final message of "no man is failure as long as he has friends" probably lifted the spirits of many depressed/suicidal folks at the time.

Probably not. If I remember correctly the movie was a comparative flop at the box office and only became the classic on TV.

17 posted on 11/30/2004 7:33:17 AM PST by Drennan Whyte
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: AppyPappy
My favorite is the Magoo version

I haven't seen that version in years.

19 posted on 11/30/2004 7:37:28 AM PST by csvset
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To: Petronski

I love "Holiday Inn". We watch it every year.

"White Christmas", too.


20 posted on 11/30/2004 7:37:37 AM PST by cyncooper (And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm)
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