In 1945 with the war finally nearing its end, Americans were exhausted but starting to feel buoyant again. While the war news remained grim, and with the further confirmation of Nazi atrocities and Japanese atrocities, even more grim, but we were now on the downhill slope. It helped that movies, while many still reflected the … Continue reading During World War Two: 1945 Movie Recs
During World War Two: Christmas Anytime
Due to wartime shortages, Christmas was leaner than it otherwise might have been. Kids were given toys made out of paper and wood instead of metal, and the public was encouraged to give war bonds as Christmas presents. Christmas movies, however, were not in short supply, only they could come out at any old time … Continue reading During World War Two: Christmas Anytime
Five Unusual Christmas Movies
OK, last year in my "Christmas Movies Are All the Same (And I'm Still Here For It)" post, I said that every Christmas movie ends idyllically. All i's are neatly dotted and all t's neatly crossed, with everyone holding a cup of cider or hot chocolate and smiling prettily while Grandma hands out cookies. Heh, … Continue reading Five Unusual Christmas Movies
Extra Baggage
For the rest of his career, David O. Selznik tried and failed to recapture the tremendous success he enjoyed with Gone With the Wind, but even he took a breather and made smaller movies now and then. Not many, but he made them, and probably the most winsomely strange of the bunch was 1945's I'll Be Seeing … Continue reading Extra Baggage