Film Festival: Christmas classics I’ll Be Seeing You (1944) is a World War II drama brought to the screen by David O. Selznick. It’s a Christmas story and a love story starring Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton, and Shirley Temple. Selznick bought the rights to the 1938 Broadway song I’ll be seeing you. The song was…
classic films
Elf modern Christmas fantasy: Lisa’s Home Bijou
Film Festival: Contemporary Christmas Elf (2003) follows the journey of a man searching for his birth father. The young man is Buddy (Will Ferrell), who was raised by elves at the North Pole. He finds his father in New York at Christmas in the Empire State Building. Along the way he finds love and helps…
Annotated Miracle on 34th Street: Lisa’s Home Bijou
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) is a clever fantasy Christmas film. It’s been shown on TV so many times it doesn’t really need a review. I think it’s time for an annotation for younger viewers since the film is now 72 years old. Here’s my take on some of the sayings and culture in the…
Bus Stop 1950s Western comedy: Lisa’s Home Bijou
Film Festival: William Inge stories Bus Stop (1956) opens with Virgil (Arthur O’Connell) and Bo (Don Murray) practicing steer wrestling for the rodeo in beautiful Montana. Bo is the very young owner of the ranch and Virgil is his top hand. They get on a bus to ride from Montana to Phoenix for the big…
Come Back, Little Sheba: Lisa’s Home Bijou
Film Festival: William Inge Come Back, Little Sheba (1952) is based on William Inge’s first Broadway play. It’s a drama of a marriage started for the wrong reasons and people staying together with their dreams lost. Lola Delaney (Shirley Booth) greets student Marie Buckholder (Terry Moore) at the door of the house. Lola is still…