• 20Dec 09

  Christmas carols and more

  Hi guys. I had wanted to do all kinds of blogs before Christmas, but time has been a factor. I have today (Sunday) off, but I'm feeling just a little under the weather. No biggie, just a little cold, but it comes with a headache that makes it a little uncomfortable to sit at the computer for too long, so I'll have to skip the quiz for now.

  Anyway, I want to write a little about my favorite Christmas carols, and then some random thought, along with the answers to the last quiz on Christmas movies. I'm not very good at picking favorites, and that goes for Christmas carols, but here is a few, starting with the religious ones, which I prefer. "Silent Night", written about 190 years ago by a parish priest in Austria, as "Heilige Nacht, Stille Nacht". "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", written by Charles Wesley, who, along with his brother, John, was a founder of the Methodist movement. "Adeste Fideles", aka "O Come, All Ye Faithful", a traditional hymn, probably composed by monks, is another favorite. "We Three Kings", too, because I'm fascinated by the story of the Wisemen. "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", "O Holy Night", written by a man who later in life became an atheist, or an agnostic. There is an interesting legend about this song during the Franco-Prussian War, on Christmas Eve, 1870. There's also a similar, better documented story about a temporary ceasefire on Christmas Eve, 1914. You can learn more about them by typing in related keywords on Google, or maybe Wikipedia. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" has always been one of my favorites. I like Bing Crosby's version the best, even though he says "God Rest YOU Merry Gentlemen".

  Among my favorites of the secular songs is "White ChristChristmas carmas". Local legend has it that Irving Berlin was staying at the Arizona Biltmore hotel in Phoenix when he got the idea for the song. However, I read one of the more obscure lines says something about Beverly Hills, which would prove otherwise. Anyway, he really did stay at the hotel. Of course, "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" is one of everybody's favorites. I grew up on the Gene Autry version, but I also like Dean Martin's version. "Jingle Bells" is perhaps the quintessential Christmas carol, even though it makes no mention of christmas, only a sleigh ride in the snow, which means little to those of us who live in warmer climates, or those who live south of the Equator, where it's summer.

  Well, I wish I could say more, because there are so many great carols, both religious and secular, that would occupy a lot of time and space, but I'm getting a little tired now.

  I read that actress Jennifer Jones died a few days ago. Too bad it didn't get more mention in the mainstream media. She was great in The Song of Bernadette, from 1943, about the little French girl in the 19th century who experienced a series of Marian apparitions. Jones won Best Actress for that role, even though it was billed as her film debut. Rest in peace, Jennifer.

  I also wanted to write a blog about Santa Claus and how he is depicted in various cultures, but that's iffy. Anyway, here are the answers to the last quiz:

  a) The Song of Bernadette

  b) Since You Went Away

  c) The Bells of St. Mary's

  d) The Yearling

  George was yelling "Merry Christmas, movie house!"

  2. Who played the little girl in Miracle on 34the Street?

  a) Natalie Wood

  b) Patty Duke

  c) Mary Tyler Moore

  d) Jane Fonda

  3. Also in Miracle on 34th Street, which sitcom star appeared as a judge's advisor?

  a) William Demarest

  b) William Bendix

  c) Jim Backus

  d) William Frawley

  4. In A Christmas Story, what radio program is Ralphie listening to?

  a) Little Orphan Annie

  b) The Lone Ranger

  c) The Adventures Of Superman

  d) Red Ryder

  tThe toy he coveted was the offici lRed Ryder BB gun, but Little Orphan Annie is referred to as his favorite show (he got the official LOA decoder rings in the mail, which turned out be "a crummy commercial").

  5. Who wrote the score for White Christmas?

  a) Rogers and Hammerstein

  b) Dmitri Tiomkin

  c) Miklos Rosza

  d) Irving Berlin

  Who else?

  Again, I wish I had more time, and energy, to say more, but I'll try and blog something before Christmas. Merry Christms, friends!

  • Posted Dec 20, 2009 11:30 am PT
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• 13Dec 09

  Other Christmas Classics

  (Okay, let's see if I get this posted right this time!)

  Thanks to all who read my blog on It's A Wonderful Life and left comments and tried to answer my quiz questions. No one got all the answers (are some of my questions getting too hard?), but you're all pretty smart. As I said, there's so much to talk about concerning this movie, so much it would take a big book, or an encyclopedia, to cover it all. I'll probably think of some other things later on. Feel free to mention any other tidbits or trivia in the comments.

  This time I want to talk about other Christmas classics. One of the all-time classics is Miracle on 34th Street. Unlike IAWL, it has a Christmas theme throughout and was perhaps the quintessential holiday classic before the resurgence of IAWL. It was remade as a TV movie in the early 70s with Sebastian Cabot as Kris Kringle. Also as an episode of a 1950s television anthology series with Thomas Mitchell as Kris Kringle. I have that episode as part of a DVD Christmas compilation. Bing Crosby starred in both The Bells of St. Mary's and White Christmas, two other classics. The Dickens classic A Christmas Carol has been made so many times it's hard to think of a definitive version. Scrooge is probably an inspiration for mean old Mr. Potter in IAWL, except Scrooge is redeemed at the end, unlike Potter. I went see A Christmas Story at a theater in 1984, a year after it's initial release. It's amazing how quickly it became a Christmas favorite. Darren McGavin should have won an Oscar. He was a hoot! I also saw Home Alone, another fast classic, which dominated at the box office for several weeks. When I was a kid, my sisters loved Shirley Temple in Heidi (1937), which took place on Christmas Eve during the climax. One of my mom's favorite movies was Since You Went Away (1944), which is sometimes played around the holidays. Shirley Temple was in that too, in a supporting role. Two other movies that are considered holiday movies are Miracle of the Bells, starring Fred MacMurray and Frank Sinatra, and Beyond Tomorrow. Both are seldom, if ever, shown on television. The latter has fast become a favorite of mine. I first saw it as part of the aforementioned Christmas compilation, and later on a separate colorized DVD, retitled Beyond Christmas. It was made in 1940, and had a few familiar names, but no big stars. Check out those two on imdb.com. Are there any other favorites of yours? I hope you all have time to enjoy your favorite holiday movies.

  Here are the answers to the last quiz:

  1. Who was originally set to star in a movie version of "The Greatest Gift"?

  a) Cary Grant

  b) Clark Gable

  c) Henry Fonda

  d) Gary Cooper

  He later got the starring role in The Bishop's Wife.

  2. Who was Capra's first choice to play Mary Hatch?

  a) Olivia DeHavilland

  b) Martha Scott

  c) Ann Dvorak

  d) Jean Arthur

  She co-starred with Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, another Capra film.

  3. Which cast member had previously played Jesus in a Cecil B. DeMille silent epic?

  a) Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter)

  b) H. B. Warner (Mr. Gower)

  c) Charles Williams (Eustace, the Building & Loan accountant)

  d) Samuel S. Hinds (Peter "Pa" Bailey)

  In King Of Kings from 1927, one of the last all-silent films. He was already in his 50s by the time he played Jesus.

  4. Ward Bond, who played Bert the Cop, what go on to star in what TV western?

  a) High Chaparral

  b) The Virginian

  c) Wagon Train

  d) Rawhide

  The only other western besides Gunsmoke and Bonanza to finish a season at #1 in the Nielsens (although I think he died before it reached #1).

  5. Frank Faylen (Ernie the Cab Driver) would go on to co-star in what TV sitcom?

  a) The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis

  b) The Bob Cummings Show (Love That Bob)

  c) The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet

  d) Life With Father

  He played Dobie's dad, Herbert T. Gillis ("I gotta kill that boy! I just gotta!").

  Here' another quiz of Christmas movies:

  1. In It's a Wonderful Life, George is running through the main street of Bedford Falls after returning from his alternate reality and passes a movie theater. What movie is on the Marquee?

  a) The Song of Bernadette

  b) Since You Went Away

  c) The Bells of St. Mary's

  d) The Yearling

  2. Who starred as the little girl in Miracle on 34the Street?

  a) Natalie Wood

  b) Patty Duke

  c) Mary Tyler Moore

  d) Jane Fonda

  3. Also in Miracle on 34th Street, which sitcom star appeared as a judge's advisor?

  a) William Demarest

  b) William Bendix

  c) Jim Backus

  d) William Frawley

  4. In A Christmas Story, what radio program is Ralphie listening to?

  a) Little Orphan Annie

  b) The Lone Ranger

  c) The Adventures Of Superman

  d) Red Ryder

  5. Who wrote the score for White Christmas?

  a) Rogers and Hammerstein

  b) Dmitri Tiomkin

  c) Miklos Rosza

  d) Irving Berlin

  Next time, when I get a chance, I'll blog about Christmas carols. Till then, bye and stay warm.

  P.S. Thanks, IndianaMom. I checked, double-checked, and triple-checked my tags the first time, but I guess a quadruple-check was in order. Man, those tags!

  • Posted Dec 13, 2009 10:59 am PT
  • Category: Movies
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• 13Dec 09

  Blogging trouble

  I have a new blog all written up, but I can only get about the first half to display. Is anyone else having this problem?
  • Posted Dec 13, 2009 10:22 am PT
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