Very charming film is more a straight romantic comedy than a Christmas film per se, but any chance to see cinematic greats such as Barbara Stanwyck (especially at this vintage) and, one of the finest character actors ever in Sydney Greenstreet, together is definitely not a lump of coal in a cinephile's Christmas stocking, no-siree!
While recovering in a hospital, war hero Jefferson Jones grows familiar with the "Diary of a Housewife" column written by Elizabeth Lane. Jeff's nurse arranges with Elizabeth's publisher, Alexander Yardley, for Jeff to spend the holiday at Elizabeth's bucolic Connecticut farm with her husband and child. But the column is a sham, so Elizabeth and her editor, Dudley Beecham, in fear of losing their jobs, hasten to set up the single, childless and entirely nondomestic Elizabeth on a country farm.
Quick Stats
7.0
TMDB Rating
174
Votes
1h 42m
Runtime
$864K
Budget
$3.0M
Box Office
347%
Return
Key Crew
DirectorPeter Godfrey
WriterLionel Houser
CinematographyCarl E. Guthrie
ComposerFriedrich Hollaender
EditorFrank Magee
Production DesignStanley Fleischer
Produced by
Warner Bros. Pictures
Where to Watch
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Critics & Reviews
2 featuredI greatly loved this yuletide film, with excellent performances by Barbara Stanwyck and Sydney Greenstreet, and fine direction by Peter Godfrey. Had they a stronger actor in the lead than Dennis Morgan, it would be a perfect film, but it's still a wonderful Christmas perennial and favourite to watch. The Oscar-winning short Star in the Night, directed by Don Siegel and a bonus on this DVD, is even better...Very charming film is more a straight romantic comedy than a Christmas film per se, but any chance to see cinematic greats such as Barbara Stanwyck (especially at this vintage) and, one of the finest character actors ever in Sydney Greenstreet, together is definitely not a lump of coal in a cinephile's Christmas stocking, no-siree!
Cast
Barbara Stanwyck
Elizabeth Lane
Dennis Morgan
Jefferson Jones
Sydney Greenstreet
Alexander Yardley
Reginald Gardiner
John Sloan
S.Z. Sakall
Felix Bassenak
Robert Shayne
Dudley Beecham
Una O'Connor
Norah
Frank Jenks
Sinkewicz
Joyce Compton
Nurse Mary Lee
Dick Elliott
Judge Crothers
Betty Alexander
Nurse Smith (uncredited)
Charles Arnt
Homer Higgenbottom (uncredited)
Arthur Aylesworth
Sleigh Driver (uncredited)
Walter Baldwin
Herb, the Sheriff (uncredited)
E
Edward Biby
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
