Happy Valentine's Day: Top 5 Romance Movies

A portrait of me courtesy of Banksy

Valentine's Day is the time of year that our thoughts turn once again to love, romance and relationships. However, romance is a very common theme in Christmas stories as well. In fact, Christmas movies so frequently use The Hook-Up as a storyline if it isn't the the primary plot, Romance will most certainly will be the B or C story. I'm speaking of the popular Christmas TV movies that we all watch on the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, and ABC Family. But the tradition of romantic Christmas movies isn't new. The classic Hollywood studios also produced romantic Christmas movies many of which we still watch on Turner Classic Movies or on DVD.

Below is a list of my top five favorite classic Hollywood romantic Christmas movies some of which I've written about before. In no particular order:

Holiday Affair (1949)

This romance story stars the hunk Robert Mitchum as Steve Mason and actress Janet Leigh as Connie. Connie works as a comparison shopper who gets Steve, a toy store employee, fired from his job at Christmas time. Her young son Timmy keeps urging his mother to befriend Steve and she indulges him because of her guilt. This film was re-made for television in 1996 starring David James Elliott and Cynthia Gibb however it lacks the charisma of the original film's casting.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

This romantic comedy is one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies. I absolutely adore Barbara Stanwyck. Stanwyck plays Elizabeth Lane, a magazine writer about domestic skills (think 1940s Martha Stewart) who is asked to entertain a war hero over the Christmas holiday. Unfortunately, Elizabeth is a woman of words--not an actual domestic goddess--and she has to cover up her lack of cooking and hostessing skills while trying to impress the good-looking war hero. This movie too was re-made for television, starring Dyan Cannon in the Stanwyck role in 1992.

Bachelor Mother (1939)

Another romantic comedy, this sassy story features a wise-cracking Ginger Rogers and actor David Niven. Rogers plays Polly Parrish a department store clerk, who is mistaken for the mother of an orphaned baby. After a series of misunderstandings and assumptions, she is forced into keeping the baby and claiming it as her own. When she catches the eye of the young wealthy owner of the store, played by David Niven, she has a hard time keeping her secret about being a single woman with a baby! Turner Classic Movies also broadcasts the 1956 musical remake of this film entitled Bundle of Joy which stars Debbie Reynold and Eddie Fisher. However, I still prefer the original.

Remember the Night (1940)

Another Barbara Stanwyck vehicle, this film also stars Fred MacMurray. He plays a district attorney with a soft heart who releases a female accused convict (Stanwyck) from jail over the Christmas holiday. He doesn't realize she has nowhere to stay during the holiday. When he finds out she will be homeless, he feels an obligation to look after her until her court date after Christmas. So the tough-talking Bad Girl finds herself accompanying the lawyer to his family home in the Midwest to spend Christmas with a traditional, loving family. This film's story is sweet and tender in all the right places.

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)

This film is based on the successful Broadway play written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Click here to see what I've blogged about it before. The romance in this chaotic comedy is between characters played by Bette Davis and Richard Travis. This film is a rare comedic role for Davis, and she really shines. The Man Who Came to Dinner has been re-made for television several times most recently for PBS in 2000.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Morrissey...and Christmas?

One of my best Christmas gifts this year was Simon Goddard's new book Mozipedia. I just can't put this book down! There's more here than anyone should ever want to know about Morrissey and The Smiths yet it's my favorite new thing.

Something I've learned from this book is that while Morrissey takes the view that Christmas is 'very annoying,' (see Mozipedia p. 72 under the listing Christmas), he has also claimed two popular Christmas-themed movies as those among his favorite films. They just so happen to be two of my favorite movies as well.

According to p. 72 of Mozipedia, Morrissey lists Christmas in Connecticut as one of his favorites. No wonder, this 1945 film starring Barbara Stanwyck has been a Hollywood classic for decades. I previously wrote about Barbara Stanwyck's participation in Christmas programs on this blog. Click on the link to read that posting again --> Barbara Stanwyck.

Check out the original trailer for 1945's Christmas in Connecticut

And, according to p. 245 of Mozipedia, Morrissey also names 1942's The Man Who Came to Dinner on the list of his favorite films. This too is a classic Hollywood film that is still popular enough to be shown every year on Turner Classic Movies channel--as is Christmas in Connecticut. Though actor Monty Woolley plays the title character in The Man Who Came to Dinner, it also stars Bette Davis in a rare comedic role. I wrote about this movie last year. Click on the link to read that posting again --> The Guest That Would Never Leave.

The original trailer for 1942's The Man Who Came to Dinner--though it doesn't reflect the chaos and fun of the storyline.

I have to listen to the Smiths' song 'Cemetry Gates' again (it's on The Queen is Dead album). Apparently the lyrics refer to this movie--so says Mozipedia.

What did you get for Christmas?

Barbara Stanwyck

SET YOUR DVRs: for Turner Classic Movies channel this Sunday, 12/6 at noon (EST) and 2 pm (EST) for Christmas in Connecticut and Remember the Night.

One of my favorite actresses, Barbara Stanwyck, is known for her melodramas and her unique character style of being tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Most people remember her for her femme fatale role in Double Indemnity. But she also appeared in the lighter, holiday films Christmas in Connecticut and Remember the Night. These aren't just classic films they are standards. And should be.

If you're a fan of Double Indemnity, you may want to see Remember the Night as Stanwyck once again shares the screen with actor Fred MacMurray.

The lifeless remake of Christmas in Connecticut, starring Dyan Cannon, was actually directed by now-Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. There's some holiday trivia sure to impress at the Christmas dinner table.

And, if you're looking for something different--wait until 12/22 on TCM to watch Barbara Stanwyck in the Frank Capra classic Meet John Doe. You already know Jimmy Stewart isn't going to commit suicide by jumping from the bridge this year--so watch 1941's Meet John Doe to see if Stanwyck can keep Gary Cooper from jumping from the roof of a building. The holidays sure can be rough!

Not enough Stanwyck yet? Well, then get the Christmas episode of the TV western, The Big Valley, entitled "Judgment in Heaven." It's on disc 5 of the first season--at the local public library or your favorite online DVD rental provider.