Aren't Christmas movies supposed to make you feel good, especially if it's a Christmas romance? If you agree with me, don't rent Holiday Affair. As much as I love hunky Robert Mitchum, I wasn't rooting for him one bit during this love triangle. That speaks volumes, especially since he was up against Wendell Corey, whom I normally can't stand! Wendell Corey was actually the nice guy, the guy who deserved to get the girl, and the guy who clearly never stood a chance as soon as Bob entered the picture.
Janet Leigh is a widow and single mom to Gordon Gebert, and her steady beau Wendell Corey is the perfect suitor. He's patiently waited years for the physical side of their relationship, he cares about her son, he's kind and calm, and is a hard worker and good provider. He's also smart, logical, and romantic. However, when Janet meets Bob Mitchum, a carefree borderline-drifter who can't hold down a toy store job and dreams of working on riverboats, she's prepared to throw her reliable future away for him. It makes no sense that Gordon prefers Bob to Wendell, when Bob isn't necessarily nicer, and when Wendell is never mean. There's a great speech he gives Janet when he proposes: "Tim can be one of two things to me: He can be your son, who lives in our house, and I'll be very nice to him. Or he can be our son, and in that case, I'll bawl him out and spoil him and discipline him and worry about him and love him." Isn't that lovely? Hats off to screenwriters Isobel Lennart. However, as that beautiful speech is given, Janet's mind isn't even paying attention; she's fantasizing about Robert Mitchum.
Janet Leigh is a widow and single mom to Gordon Gebert, and her steady beau Wendell Corey is the perfect suitor. He's patiently waited years for the physical side of their relationship, he cares about her son, he's kind and calm, and is a hard worker and good provider. He's also smart, logical, and romantic. However, when Janet meets Bob Mitchum, a carefree borderline-drifter who can't hold down a toy store job and dreams of working on riverboats, she's prepared to throw her reliable future away for him. It makes no sense that Gordon prefers Bob to Wendell, when Bob isn't necessarily nicer, and when Wendell is never mean. There's a great speech he gives Janet when he proposes: "Tim can be one of two things to me: He can be your son, who lives in our house, and I'll be very nice to him. Or he can be our son, and in that case, I'll bawl him out and spoil him and discipline him and worry about him and love him." Isn't that lovely? Hats off to screenwriters Isobel Lennart. However, as that beautiful speech is given, Janet's mind isn't even paying attention; she's fantasizing about Robert Mitchum.