{"id":21133,"date":"2011-12-12T15:20:46","date_gmt":"2011-12-12T22:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=21133"},"modified":"2020-12-25T20:29:50","modified_gmt":"2020-12-26T03:29:50","slug":"christmas-in-july-1940","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=21133","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in July (1940)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Now that you&#8217;re a capitalist, I don&#8217;t know how you feel about working for a living.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Poster-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-21134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Poster-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA lowly employee (Dick Powell) engaged to his sweetheart (Ellen Drew) is fooled by his co-workers into thinking he&#8217;s won a $25,000 slogan-writing contest, and believes his luck has changed for good.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Advertising<\/li>\n<li>Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Dick Powell Films<\/li>\n<li>Get Rich Quick<\/li>\n<li>Preston Sturges Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nAlthough its title is finally justified in a later sequence &#8212; when the protagonist&#8217;s girlfriend refers to their luck as feeling like it&#8217;s &#8220;Christmas in July&#8221; &#8212; one could be forgiven for feeling a twinge of disappointment upon learning that this early Preston Sturges comedy (his second as director) really has nothing to do with Christmas, per se (so don&#8217;t watch it, like I did, in hopes of generating a bit of holiday spirit). However, the film stands up just fine on its own merits, and remains clear evidence of Sturges&#8217; gift for writing clever, incisive satires which effectively skewer their targets while maintaining just the right amount of hope and belief in goodwill. <\/p>\n<p>At just 67 minutes long, the storyline here moves like a breeze, shifting quickly from what looks like it will be simply a painful lesson in undue humiliation (as the ever-hopeful Powell is taken for a ride by several of his naughty co-workers), to an unexpectedly joyful tale of happy coincidence and good luck. Naturally, things must eventually come to a head &#8212; but along the way, we&#8217;re witness to both the delights of seeing asinine men-in-power made fools of, and deserving underlings given a chance to show their best light. Meanwhile, those who harbor nagging suspicions about the &#8212; er, <em>veracity<\/em> &#8212; of the advertising industry need look no further than here to have their suspicions verified; what makes for an &#8220;award-winning&#8221; slogan has apparently always remained a hotly contested exercise in Emperor&#8217;s Clothing. With that said, the film&#8217;s ending remains the best one possible, on all counts; watch and see for yourself. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Powell and Drew are perfectly cast (and utterly believable) as the central young couple in love, and are surrounded by Sturges&#8217; dependable crew of supporting comedic actors (including the inimitable William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn). <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dick Powell and Ellen Drew as Jimmy and Betty<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Powell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Powell-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-21139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Powell-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Powell-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Powell-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Powell.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A clever, witty, satirical screenplay<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Money-Talks.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Money-Talks-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-21137\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Money-Talks-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Money-Talks-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Money-Talks-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Money-Talks.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Feel-Good.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Feel-Good-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-21138\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Feel-Good-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Feel-Good-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Feel-Good-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Christmas-in-July-Feel-Good.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as early evidence of Sturges&#8217; genius. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0032338\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/movies.nytimes.com\/movie\/review?res=9D07E2DD1738E532A25755C0A9679D946193D6CF\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=1638&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s2186stur.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/70903\/christmas-in-july#articles-reviews?articleId=12741\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/christmas-in-july\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Now that you&#8217;re a capitalist, I don&#8217;t know how you feel about working for a living.&#8221; Synopsis: A lowly employee (Dick Powell) engaged to his sweetheart (Ellen Drew) is fooled by his co-workers into thinking he&#8217;s won a $25,000 slogan-writing contest, and believes his luck has changed for good. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Advertising Comedy Dick Powell Films Get Rich Quick Preston Sturges Films Review: Although its title is finally justified in a later sequence &#8212; when the protagonist&#8217;s&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=21133\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21133"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59577,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21133\/revisions\/59577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}