David Vance SubstackRead More
There are four movies that I always like to make the time to sit and watch at this time of the year and I wanted to share them with you. You might also like them! There is no real favourite as I think they are all absolutely superb. They make me nostalgic for times that have now passed.
The most recent (!) is Miracle on 34th Street, the 1994 remake of the 1947 classic. This a rare example where the re-make is just as good as the original. The casting is superb, with Richard Attenborough giving a magnificent portrayal of Kris Kringle/ Santa Claus. I love the innocence and the joy in this movie and I always cheer at the ending!
Next up, is “It’s a Wonderful Live” starring Jimmy Stewart and it was released in 1946. Put simply it is a morality tale set in this season. An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman see the value of his own life. Here are some fleeting images from it and the life of George Baily. It is a fantastic watch.
My 3rd must watch is “White Christmas, the classic that came out in 1954.
Now as well as containing Irvine Berlin’s immortal “White Christmas” (which was previously featured in the 1942 movie “Holiday Inn”) it also contains a snappy funny romantic plot. Set in the aftermath of World War II, the plot follows two song-and-dance men, Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye), who team up with a sister act, Betty and Judy Haynes (Clooney and Vera-Ellen), to save the struggling Vermont inn owned by their former commanding general! Vera Ellen was a very sexy act and knew how to dance btw!
Next up, and this might surprise you. “The Sound of Music”. This is a terrific movie and I think it was the first one I ever went to see!
The movie is based on the 1959 Broadway musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, which in turn was inspired by Maria von Trapp’s memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singer. It is set in Austria on the eve of the 1938 Anschluss with Nazi Germany. It follows Maria, a spirited young postulant sent to serve as governess to the seven children of a widowed naval captain, whose lives she transforms with music and love. As political tensions rise, the family must flee Austria to preserve their freedom. Terrific performances by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. I went to do the Sound of music tour in Salzburg last December and it was simply brilliant!
As you see, most of these movies came out in the 1940-1950’s. I was trying to work out what makes them so special and I think it is that despite being Hollywood productions, there is a Christian dimension to them all.
Given the season, isn’t that so apt?
