SimonJack Some classical stories (novels) have been so popular for so long, that they are remade into movies every so many years. The stories remain virtually unchanged, but the cast, script and sets change. The most obvious of these is Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol." That literary and holiday classic lends itself very well to new productions, much like the works of Shakespeare. On the other hand, some specific movies have become favorite classics or are so part of our annual traditions that the casts have become ingrained in the stories. One can't see anyone else playing certain roles. One of the most obvious of these is Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." We can't imagine anyone other than James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, and Henry Travers playing the roles they had in that film. "Christmas in Connecticut" is another such film.Although it hasn't reached the stature of Wonderful Life, this film has become a holiday classic as well. It is a favorite of mine. Those of us who have seen it a number of times over the years can't imagine anyone other than those in its cast playing the roles in the film. Barbara Stanwyck is Elizabeth Lane, Dennis Morgan is Jefferson Jones, Sydney Greenstreet is Alexander Yardley, S.Z. 'Chuckles' Sakall is Uncle Felix, and Reginald Gardiner is John Sloan. Even beyond the main cast, some supporting actors are so good and right for their roles, that they have become 'ingrained' in the parts. These include Una O'Connor as Norah, Dick Elliott as Judge Crothers, and Robert Shayne as Dudley Beecham. This movie came out less than a month before Japan's surrender and the end of World War II. It was nearly 1 ½ years ahead of "It's a Wonderful Life." There are no war scenes in "Christmas in Connecticut," but the war had a strong influence and part in the plot of the film. The war that had ended had nothing to do with the plot of "It's a Wonderful Life." While both films have Christmas settings, their stories and intended audiences are quite different. "It's a Wonderful Life" is all family entertainment, with strong seasonal appeal to children as well as adults and strong moral and human overtones. "Christmas in Connecticut" is a very good romantic comedy that is adult all the way. It's approved viewing for children as well – very clean and proper. But the humorous script and sequences are written for adults. It doesn't have tremendously clever dialog with witty wisecracks and comebacks. Rather, it has clever lines that fit visual situations. The film has some hilarious sequences. Watch for Uncle Felix, Elizabeth and Sloan at the buffet table in the restaurant. Another is at Alexander Yardley's home, between him and Elizabeth – and then the butler and Elizabeth. Judge Crothers pops in and out of scenes in a funny sort of cat-and-mouse series of scenes. Then there's the Connecticut square dance. And Yardley's dialog with Sloan about the former's ability to detect lies and fraud. The farm cow plays in another humorous sequence. Elizabeth and Jones have a wonderful sequence, warm and funny, with the baby. Later, the baby switches lead to all sorts of mayhem and humor. There are more, from the opening scenes of two sailors adrift after their ship is torpedoed, to the very end. I noted some reviewers thought the plot was too contrived or silly. I think it's an excellent plot, very well contrived, with several specific twists that fit together perfectly to make it work. This is not an uproariously funny film. It's a warm, entertaining romantic comedy. Its turns with the truth, marriage, fidelity and other virtues are obvious to an adult audience. So, we don't take them as serious but as part of the humor of the plot. Nor is this a film of funny characters. Stanwyck, Greenstreet and Morgan are mostly straight characters, although Greenstreet has some very humorous dialog in a couple places. The only standout humorous role is that of Uncle Felix. To a lesser degree, Norah and Dud are comedic roles. The comedy is mostly in the lines of these three characters, and in the physical responses and scenes with the others. To that extent, Stanwyck and Greenstreet are especially good in their straight roles that lend to the comedy. Greenstreet is a riot as the prudent overseer of morals and propriety of his columnist employee, Elizabeth. This is a most enjoyable film. Its transparent plot seems very straightforward. Yet I seem to discover something new to enjoy each time I watch this movie. I heartily recommend it for anyone who hasn't yet seen it. One viewing should suffice to make it a part of your annual Christmas holidays list.Here are a few snippets of the fun and funny dialog that I enjoy. Elizabeth, "Dud, we're going to be married." Dud, "What? Hey, now, look here Elizabeth, it isn't that bad." John, "Oh, really, Beecham."Judge Crothers, "I suppose you'll give the bride away, Uncle Felix?" Felix, "Me – I don't give nobody away. Always, I keep my mouth shut."Butler, "Pardon me, Mrs. Lane. "I'm planning on having a farm in Connecticut myself one day. I'd like some good bottomland." Mrs. Lane, "Bottomland?" Butler, "Yes. That's the best for farming, isn't it?" Mrs. Lane, "Oh, some people say yes, and some people say no." Butler, "But what do you say?" Mrs. Lane, "Uh, I'm inclined to agree with them." Butler, "Oh, thank you very much."

vincentlynch-moonoi I found this movie disappointing. Which surprised me, because I like most of the actors and they do a decent job here. So what's the problem? Well, it all just seems too contrived.Barbara Stanwyck is fine as the female lead, although I don't see this as one of her outstanding performances (and there were many). Dennis Morgan is pleasant, as he always was; I typically enjoy him in a film. Nice to see Sydney Greenstreet taking one of his lighter roles. Reginald Gardiner, not always one of my favorites, is fine here as the husband to be (?). S.Z. Sakall plays S.Z. Sakall (he was no actor...always played the same role...but was adorable). And, Una O'Connor was as delightful, as always. So, the problem is not the actors.The problem is the script. Sort of a screwball Christmas story...but not quite. Disappointing in terms of romance. It had its funny moments, but not that many moments strung together. The only thing that really comes together in the story are the contrived circumstances.I'm not saying it's a bad movie. It's okay. Pretty average. But as much as I love a good Christmas movie, this just didn't light my Christmas tree. Okay to watch...once.

Dunham16 The first half of the 1940's was marked by well known performers from other film genres stepping out of character to star in what may be the last wave of remembered Hollywood screwball comedies still marketed for home viewing and seasonally aired on television. Barbara Stanwyck does her usual professional job as the hard as nails career woman fudging a domestic column for a magazine whose bluff is called in thirties type screwball involving a runaway horse and cow, mixed up babies, Cuddles Szakall stealing the show at every turn with his comic flair and a rural farmhouse which lacks the central iconic focus of every movie advertising the charm of a rural farmhouse - the welcoming, party sized period kitchen. The storyboard is a nonsensical enough fantasy to work yet the editing takes most of the true comic flair out of the film. It seems to me most of the way through a decent musical with at least Dennis Morgan singing once but not truly a top flight comedy.

Scarecrow-88 Spunky, fun Christmastime balderdash has popular magazine article writer Barbara Stanwyck stuck in the predicament of hosting a faux Christmas Eve/Day homemaking extravaganza for her boss (Sydney Greenstreet) and a war hero (Dennis Morgan) who survived (along with a fellow soldier/pal) on a raft on the ocean for several days without food…the problem is she isn't the amazing cook, sensational mother, and superb farm-marm that leaps from the pages of her articles. The real cook with all the gourmet dishes isn't Stanwyck but SZ Sakall from Budapest who is fortunate enough to benefit from her fame. Sakall will accompany her to a farm supplied by architect Reginald Gardiner (he is always habitually asking Stanwyck to marry him) if Stanwyck will marry him. Reluctantly, she will but her betrothal to Gardiner keeps getting delayed by Sakall who knows she doesn't love him. The child is brought by to be babysat by a mother who works at the war factory (female one day, but the next is a different worker with a male baby!), so Stanwyck (who doesn't know a thing about being a mother) must wing it, aided (much to her delight) by Morgan (he grew up with children and knows how to bath and feed them). The problem that arises for Stanwyck is that she falls head-over-heels for Morgan and must somehow steer her affections/lust for him away and focus on successfully fooling Greenstreet into believing she is actually exactly as she claims. The whole comic angle is Stanwyck masterminding this grand charade even as her behavior and heart yearn for Morgan. Greenstreet expects what he reads in her articles to be articulated in person and Stanwyck must find ways to escape. This is designed like a screwball comedy or something you might see from Preston Sturges. There's constant activity, evasive maneuvers, close-calls, daunting tasks demanding think-on-your-feet (or just plain luck) responses, lots of wooing and romanticizing, and unexpected developments (baby is "kidnapped" by his actual mom much to Greenstreet's dismay; the male-female baby change; Greenstreet expecting Stanwyck to "skillet a flapjack" in his presence; the "theft" of a horse carriage that lands Morgan and Stanwyck temporarily under arrest) that complicate matters further. Stanwyck had a magnetic screen presence even in films like this that feel like holiday, feel-good fodder, perhaps considered a notch or two behind the Lady Eves and Ball of Fires, but I thought "Christmas in Connecticut" would be easy to go down with some eggnog and cookies. It has that holiday atmosphere (the farm is idyllic and snowy, the house is elegant, there's the decoration of the gigantic Christmas tree, the piano-played carol, and the cast are breezy and fun to watch). When you are needing something Christmassy for a night in December, this is as entertaining a film as I could recommend…it has all the ingredients without schmaltz or melodramatics.