From the Big Screen to the Little Screen, Part 2

Okay, I'm running a little late to end my tribute to the Oscars...so let's just call this March 32nd.

In Part Two, I wanted to acknowledge Oscar-honored Christmas films that have inspired television re-makes. 1946's It's A Wonderful Life was nominated for four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. However, it was interpreted as a made-for-TV movie in 1977 as It Happened One Christmas starring Marlo Thomas as the story's female lead Mary Bailey, Orson Welles as Harry Potter and Wayne Rogers as the husband, George Bailey. This movie is very rare and as far as I can tell, hasn't re-aired on television in decades. Though many critics didn't like it, I'm dying to see how they re-interpreted the story to fit a female lead.





1947's Miracle on 34th Street was nominated for Best Picture but won three Oscars (Best Actor: Gwenn, Best Screenplay: Seaton, Best Original Story: Davies). The story was adapted several times for television anthology series episodes. However, it was also a 1973 made-for-TV movie starring Sebastian Cabot as Kris Kringle. This version has never charmed the critics but it is still worth seeing. The last several years, it has seen a resurgence in popularity and has been re-broadcast nationally at Christmas time.

And, 1944's Going My Way starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald won seven Oscars. Okay, I know, I know--this film is NOT Christmas-themed however, it has been broadcast nationally on TV at Christmas time for decades. (It does contain a scene with Bing Crosby singing 'Silent Night' with his boys choir.) With the sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's, these two films share a very close association with Christmas. Anyway, the movie inspired a TV series also entitled Going My Way with Gene Kelly in the role of Father O'Malley. This program appears to have a Christmas episode, 1962's 'Keep an Eye on Santa Claus.' I'd love to see the holiday installment of this rare series.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Christmas is officially on its way when I see Santa Claus at the end of Macy's parade on Thanksgiving morning. This particular parade has become permanently associated with Christmas because of the popular movie Miracle on 34th Street. There have been several versions of the story including 1947's black-and-white version with Natalie Wood playing the skeptical little Susan Walker and 1994's color version with Mara Wilson in the same role. There is also at least three made-for-TV versions including one from 1973 starring Sebastian Cabot (that's Family Affair's Mr. French to TV junkies), one from 1959 starring Ed Wynn as Kris Kringle, and one from 1955 that was an installment of the anthology drama series The 20th Century-Fox Hour that is floating around under the misleading title "Meet Mr. Kringle."

But if you're looking to see another Christmas story with Macy's parade, check out the 1966 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. entitled "The Jingle Bells Affair." Here spies Napoleon Solo and Kuryakin are providing security for the Russian Chairman who is scheduled to speak at the UN after the holiday. However, the Chairman is so impressed with the parade and the abundance at Macy's department store that his comrades fear that he will betray the Communist commitment. An awesome Cold war episode. See page 81 for the original discussion of this episode in the book.