Looking back at my record in 2010,and seeing that I only watched one Christmas-themed film that year (the likable Elf (2003-also reviewed)),I felt that for this year,I should really try to get hold of some "X-mas classics" which I had never seen before.Whilst searching on Amazon Uk for some of the more well known titles,I suddenly got a rec from the site for a film that I had never heard of before.
Checking the cast,and seeing that "The King of Noir" and Norman Bates favourite Blonde had starring roles in the film,made this sound like the perfect start for my Christmas classics viewings.
View on the film:
When checking the DVD case to this film,my initial excitement for the movie experienced a bit of a drop,when I discovered that along with Mitchum and Leigh the film featured that old chestnut the slowly kills off any TV Comedy series:a kid.
Impressively,child actor Gordon Gebert avoids most of those pit falls by making the character pretty balanced,with Timmy never completely becoming an "aw shucks" kid,or an annoying little brat,but instead walking that fine line of being in between.
Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh show a very natural chemistry,with the scenes of Leigh and Mitchum spending the day together,allowing for Robert to show a pretty under rated comedic side with his very good dialogue delivery.
Although Leigh and Mitchum do take centre stage in the film,Wendell Corey (who,like Leigh would work with director Alfred Hitchcock on the movie Rear Window and an episode of Hitchcocks TV show)is able to steal some of the films best scenes thanks to performing Connie's ambitious lawyer boyfriend role with a real relish.
Whilst the cast do their best to cover up the cracks in Isobel Lennart's screenplay,some of the 'cracks' in the film are sadly left open,with Connie's job of being a "comparison shopper" for a company not having even the smallest appearance of someone from the company who she works for. (which could have been a nice little role for a character actor)
Opening the second half of the film hinting that the life of Mitchum's character is more troubled then it originally seemed (such as him being homeless),the film sadly leaves most of that mood behind,with the final moments of the film being a chase to a train station.
Final view on the film:
A very enjoyable,flawed Christmas Comedy-Drama,with great performances from the whole cast.
Checking the cast,and seeing that "The King of Noir" and Norman Bates favourite Blonde had starring roles in the film,made this sound like the perfect start for my Christmas classics viewings.
View on the film:
When checking the DVD case to this film,my initial excitement for the movie experienced a bit of a drop,when I discovered that along with Mitchum and Leigh the film featured that old chestnut the slowly kills off any TV Comedy series:a kid.
Impressively,child actor Gordon Gebert avoids most of those pit falls by making the character pretty balanced,with Timmy never completely becoming an "aw shucks" kid,or an annoying little brat,but instead walking that fine line of being in between.
Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh show a very natural chemistry,with the scenes of Leigh and Mitchum spending the day together,allowing for Robert to show a pretty under rated comedic side with his very good dialogue delivery.
Although Leigh and Mitchum do take centre stage in the film,Wendell Corey (who,like Leigh would work with director Alfred Hitchcock on the movie Rear Window and an episode of Hitchcocks TV show)is able to steal some of the films best scenes thanks to performing Connie's ambitious lawyer boyfriend role with a real relish.
Whilst the cast do their best to cover up the cracks in Isobel Lennart's screenplay,some of the 'cracks' in the film are sadly left open,with Connie's job of being a "comparison shopper" for a company not having even the smallest appearance of someone from the company who she works for. (which could have been a nice little role for a character actor)
Opening the second half of the film hinting that the life of Mitchum's character is more troubled then it originally seemed (such as him being homeless),the film sadly leaves most of that mood behind,with the final moments of the film being a chase to a train station.
Final view on the film:
A very enjoyable,flawed Christmas Comedy-Drama,with great performances from the whole cast.