On a recent shopping trip, we rummaged through a discount bin of DVDs and found several $5 copies of the WWII-era comedy Christmas in Connecticut(1945).
We were delighted and dismayed. We were excited to see these DVDs, but why so many? We considered handing them out to fellow shoppers: “Take this and watch it tonight!”
The truth is, we (yours truly) watch this film Every. Single. Year. We can’t get enough of it, even though we’ve memorized most of the script.
It’s a comedy of deceptions – as many comedies are – about a New York food-and-lifestyle writer (Barbara Stanwyck) who pens a popular column for a national magazine, Smart Housekeeping. She’s famous for writing about “her” recipes (which are supplied by a restaurant owner), her (non-existent) husband and baby, and her (also non-existent) farm in Connecticut.
It’s a good gig that pays well, until the overbearing publisher of her magazine (Sydney Greenstreet) insists she invite a Navy hero (Dennis Morgan) to her Connecticut farm for Christmas. Greenstreet thinks this publicity stunt will boost the magazine’s circulation numbers.
But get this: Stanwyck can’t cook. So she has to figure out how to create a dazzling holiday menu and produce a family + farm if she wants to keep her job.
If that weren’t stressful enough, boss man Greenstreet decides to invite himself for Christmas to Supervise the Goings-On.
After WWII, the famously thrifty Warner Bros. Studio trimmed production budgets to recoup costs from the war years. This film was no exception; for example, Stanwyck’s mink coat is the same one Joan Crawford wore in Mildred Piece.
Nevertheless, this holiday classic feels as lavish as they come. The sets are expansive and tastefully appointed, yet they convey a cozy holiday feel that makes you want to curl up by the fire with a Tom & Jerry.
That’s not the only reason we love this film. Here’s why it’s one of our favourites:
Barbara Stanwyck’s wardrobe, designed by the fabulous Edith Head.
Witty lines, such as Stanwyck’s explanation as to why she was Out All Night: “We weren’t galavanting. We were in jail.”
A large and interesting cast of characters, including a suspicious housekeeper (Una O’Connor), a jilted fiancé (Reginald Gardiner), and a kindhearted navy nurse (Joyce Compton).
The unlikely hero – a sort of fifth column – played by S.Z. Sakall, manipulates the other characters to achieve the results he (and we the audience) think are best.
The food, which has a starring role in this film. If you can watch without snacking, you’re a stronger person than us.
Christmas in Connecticut was released in August, 1945, and it grossed $3M US, approx. $46.5M today. (A made-for-television remake, starring Dyan Cannon and Kris Kristofferson, was released in 1992.)
According to IMDb, Stanwyck’s character was loosely based on prolific columnist/author Gladys Taber, who lived on a Connecticut farm and wrote for Family Circlemagazine. Even the way Stanwyck’s character writes her column is an homage to Taber’s style.
The film is a reflection of post-war America, when soldiers returned to upended lives, and women were encouraged to embrace domestic arts. Stanwyck’s presence, however, makes the film feel timeless. Her character is smart and talented, and she’ll Write Her Own Ticket, thank you very much.
We high recommend Christmas in Connecticut if you haven’t already seen it. It might become a new holiday favourite – and if you’re looking to own it, we know where you can pick up the DVD for only $5.
Christmas in Connecticut: starringBarbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet. Directed by Peter Godfrey. Written by Lionel Houser & Adele Comandini. Warner Bros., 1945, B&W, 101 mins.
I love your comment about having the movie “committed to memory.” So many movies in our head we don’t really need to watch them for the umpteenth time, yet we must. We MUST!
I’ve seen this one umpteen times too! In fact, this is the film that introduced me to Barbara Stanwyck and made me fall in love with her. I’m so glad to hear you love it too.
All five of those are good reasons to like Christmas in Connecticut. But in spite of all that, I just can’t get past Dennis Morgan. I can’t see for the life of me why Barbara Stanwyck falls in love with him — especially with Reginald Gardiner right there!
I hear ya – Barbara Stanwyck is so me (as I would like to be) in this movie – not being able to cook and sporting a fur coat (hey – settle down PETA – it was the 40s). You’re speaking my language here, darlin’.
Stanwyck . . . what an amazing actress. You can see her stride into a nightclub with a fur coat ordering a martini. You can see her home, home on the range riding a stallion. You want her dramatic…she can do that. You want her funny…she can do that. You can hate her or cry for her. And if you want her to do burlesque and do the split…well. Ain’t nuthin’ she can’t do.
Thank you Ruth for sharing your love of “Christmas in Connecticut” for my blogathon! Stany rocks!
Happy to have stumbled upon silverscreenings…surprised I didn’t do so sooner. Just a general comment to congratulate you on your erudition and obvious affection for cinema and its’ history. And thank you for highlighting the forgotten as well as the not so forgotten “good stuff”.
We must remember that probably 80% (?) of ALL movies, then and now, do not stand the test of the present let alone the test of time. So it is nice to have excellent curators to remind or reveal the “old stuff” worth watching again.
Speaking of that I just had a chance to watch The Maltese Falcon 1941 (same year as Citizen Kane) again…and for a movie that is EIGHTY years old now it is amazing how well it has endured that test of time. In many ways the illustrious granddaddy of all detective noir to follow and quite possibly the best of them.
The script just sparkles and crackles with quotable quotes not unlike Casablanca the following year. And of course it is visually great too. All of the principals are fabulous as you well know but also let us not forget the likes of Elisha Cook jr.! who popped up in more classics than you can shake a stick at…”I couldn’t be fonder of you if you were my own son”, Gutman says, “but, well, if you lose a son it’s possible to get another. There’s only ONE Maltese Falcon. Wilmer here simply doesn’t understand these things”.
Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments. Yes, there is only one Maltese Falcon, and I share your affection for it. Great script, great casting, and fab director.
You make a good point about movies that stand the test of time. We recently saw a movie from the late 1990s, and it’s already so dated, while classics like The Maltese Falcon still seem fresh.
Thank you. I couldn’t find a place to post general comment stuff… so anyone on the hunt for my personal input on The Maltese Falcon would have to look under Christmas In Connecticut ha. It was just the most recent comment space. Glad you noticed!
Yes. At some point you have admit that a truly excellent movie that ticks all the boxes at once and stands the test of time simply because it hangs together so well from start to finish …is a rare thing. That is not to say there are no excellent and amazing individual performances and SEQUENCES which always deserve to be pointed out and commented on, as you do, but the whole enchilada is a rare dish.
And of course always subjective…but if you get enough knowledgeable people to agree it is something really worthy it probably is.
For instance, it is amazing how many of those Warner Bros actors because of this movie and other reasons were compelled to play basically the same character over and over in an avalanche of lesser movies later. Ah well…but here it was fresh and what great characters they were…”gad sir, you ARE a character”.
You make a good point about a truly excellent movie, and how rare it is. It’s always a treat to see engaging sequences, interesting camera angles, etc., but – like you said – it’s a rate gem to see an entire movie like that.
One of the only Christmas movies that isn’t complete bullshit! Besides, as the “Sports Analogies Hidden in Classic Movies” guy…one can never go wrong with a Barbara Stanwyck flick. After all, she was the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl 🙂
Silver Screenings 
I love your comment about having the movie “committed to memory.” So many movies in our head we don’t really need to watch them for the umpteenth time, yet we must. We MUST!
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Haha! You know it! And I laugh just as hard ad I did the first time.
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I’ve seen this one umpteen times too! In fact, this is the film that introduced me to Barbara Stanwyck and made me fall in love with her. I’m so glad to hear you love it too.
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She is so good here, isn’t she – very real and relatable. Not to mention hilarious. And her wardrobe!
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All five of those are good reasons to like Christmas in Connecticut. But in spite of all that, I just can’t get past Dennis Morgan. I can’t see for the life of me why Barbara Stanwyck falls in love with him — especially with Reginald Gardiner right there!
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Fair enough. Reginald Gardiner is quite a dish himself, and he comes with that gorgeous farmhouse.
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What a mercenary reason to be in love– Yeah, that farmhouse. xoxo
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😄
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Saw it only once, and liked it. You got me thinking about my favorite Christmas movie. Maybe it’s Miracle On 34th Street.
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I love Miracle on 34th Street! It’s another one I’ve seen a zillion times. Which version do you prefer? I adore the original with Maureen O’Hara
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The original. Never saw the remake.
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I hear ya – Barbara Stanwyck is so me (as I would like to be) in this movie – not being able to cook and sporting a fur coat (hey – settle down PETA – it was the 40s). You’re speaking my language here, darlin’.
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Me too! Barbara Stanwyck is living my dream in this film: writing, eating Felix’s fab food, and sporting all those fab clothes.
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I’ve never seen this but now I HAVE TO. 🎄
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Oh yes, I think you’d like it. This film is so much fun.
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Never seen it! Looks like I’ll have to add it to my Christmas movie list next Christmas 🙂
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Oh yes – I hope you can add it to your list. You won’t be sorry!
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So with you on this movie, especially the humor. And the snacking part–they’ve got me at the mushroom omelet. 🙂
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I know, right? I bet that Felix makes a mean omelet.
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Stanwyck . . . what an amazing actress. You can see her stride into a nightclub with a fur coat ordering a martini. You can see her home, home on the range riding a stallion. You want her dramatic…she can do that. You want her funny…she can do that. You can hate her or cry for her. And if you want her to do burlesque and do the split…well. Ain’t nuthin’ she can’t do.
Thank you Ruth for sharing your love of “Christmas in Connecticut” for my blogathon! Stany rocks!
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So true! She strikes the right note every time, and it’s easy to forget she’s acting.
Thanks for hosting this marvellous blogathon!
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Yep! Total Christmas favorite. That whole sleigh ride scene is so dreamy ❤
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Oh yes, the sleigh ride scene!! “Dreamy” is the perfect description.
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Happy to have stumbled upon silverscreenings…surprised I didn’t do so sooner. Just a general comment to congratulate you on your erudition and obvious affection for cinema and its’ history. And thank you for highlighting the forgotten as well as the not so forgotten “good stuff”.
We must remember that probably 80% (?) of ALL movies, then and now, do not stand the test of the present let alone the test of time. So it is nice to have excellent curators to remind or reveal the “old stuff” worth watching again.
Speaking of that I just had a chance to watch The Maltese Falcon 1941 (same year as Citizen Kane) again…and for a movie that is EIGHTY years old now it is amazing how well it has endured that test of time. In many ways the illustrious granddaddy of all detective noir to follow and quite possibly the best of them.
The script just sparkles and crackles with quotable quotes not unlike Casablanca the following year. And of course it is visually great too. All of the principals are fabulous as you well know but also let us not forget the likes of Elisha Cook jr.! who popped up in more classics than you can shake a stick at…”I couldn’t be fonder of you if you were my own son”, Gutman says, “but, well, if you lose a son it’s possible to get another. There’s only ONE Maltese Falcon. Wilmer here simply doesn’t understand these things”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments. Yes, there is only one Maltese Falcon, and I share your affection for it. Great script, great casting, and fab director.
You make a good point about movies that stand the test of time. We recently saw a movie from the late 1990s, and it’s already so dated, while classics like The Maltese Falcon still seem fresh.
LikeLike
Thank you. I couldn’t find a place to post general comment stuff… so anyone on the hunt for my personal input on The Maltese Falcon would have to look under Christmas In Connecticut ha. It was just the most recent comment space. Glad you noticed!
Yes. At some point you have admit that a truly excellent movie that ticks all the boxes at once and stands the test of time simply because it hangs together so well from start to finish …is a rare thing. That is not to say there are no excellent and amazing individual performances and SEQUENCES which always deserve to be pointed out and commented on, as you do, but the whole enchilada is a rare dish.
And of course always subjective…but if you get enough knowledgeable people to agree it is something really worthy it probably is.
For instance, it is amazing how many of those Warner Bros actors because of this movie and other reasons were compelled to play basically the same character over and over in an avalanche of lesser movies later. Ah well…but here it was fresh and what great characters they were…”gad sir, you ARE a character”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You make a good point about a truly excellent movie, and how rare it is. It’s always a treat to see engaging sequences, interesting camera angles, etc., but – like you said – it’s a rate gem to see an entire movie like that.
LikeLike
One of the only Christmas movies that isn’t complete bullshit! Besides, as the “Sports Analogies Hidden in Classic Movies” guy…one can never go wrong with a Barbara Stanwyck flick. After all, she was the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl 🙂
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Thanks for the link! I’m heading there now.
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