Movie Review: ‘A Christmas Carol’ (12/23/38)

Microfiche-New York Times archives | 12/23/38 | Frank S. Nugent

[PAR35]

OK, looks like you got most of the great ones (and a few I’ve never heard of).

I don’t know the US release dates, but what about (in declining order):

Ninotchka (Garbo)
Gunga Din (Cary Grant)
Destry Rides Again (Jimmy Stewart)
Buck Rogers
Jessie James (Randolph Scott)
Night Riders (John Wayne)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Women, starring Norma Shearer, Rosalind Russell, Joan Crawford, Paulette Goddard, and on and on.....

Good call. U.S. release date 9/1/39. Hmmm, something about that date . . . Never mind, we will cover it. Oh, and you are added to the ping list. Thank you very much.

[Fiji Hill]

Two films from 1939 that I enjoyed when I viewed them are “Gulliver’s Travels,” a full-lentth animated feature that I saw about 48 years ago when it was screened in a school auditorium, and “Hell’s Kitchen,” starring Ronald Reagan, which I saw at a Young Republican convention in Los Angeles in 1976.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Ninotchka - Already on the list
Gunga Din - Jan 26 release. I have the review.
Destry Rides Again - Dec 29
Buck Rogers - Feb 6. I didn't see the review but I wasn't looking for it. Maybe I can go back for a second try. Although I hate to go backwards since library time is so hard to come by.
Jesse James - Jan 14. Ditto.
The Night Riders - Apr 12
Gulliver's Travels - Dec 20
Hell's Kitchen - Jul 3

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Dionysius]

I agree heartily. Finney was wonderful; the music superb; and the characterizations unforgettable. Fezziwig’s Christmas Party was a delight. Alec Guiness’ and Kenneth More’s portrayals of Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Present also stood out. I’ll probably have “Thank You Very Much” in my head for the rest of the day.

Merry Christmas!

[bronxboy]

We start watching it on Thanksgiving-after football of course. We watch it quite a bit during the holiday season and it’s on for 24 hours starting on Christmas eve on TNT-love the movie. It’s a family tradition. We like Jingle All The Way also, It’s a wonderful Life, original Scrooge, Snoopy, Rudolf (all the cartoons-love them) Bells of St. Mary and a movie with Bing Crosby called Holiday something, my wife forces me to watch White Christmas and Christmas in Connecticut as well. One of our new favorites is Christmas Do-over. My wife and daughters like Christmas with the Kranks as well.

[CougarGA7]

I love all of those old ‘claymation’ style Chrismtas cartoons. My wife is a red head and sometimes when we get up if her hair is particularly dishoveled I’ll start singing the Heat Miser song.

[bronxboy]

I love that song! We used to wait for those movies. They were only on once a year when we were kids. We got to eat a TV dinner (real treat) in the living room and watch Rudolf and Frosty. My kids don’t get it. They grew up with VCR’s and cable.

[CougarGA7]

Pretty much the same here. Great memories. My mother did buy a Beta Max though. She still has a special talent to buy the product that is going fail. (Beta, Sony minidisks, IBM PC Jr, and her latest HD DVD) She felt Blue Ray was just a fad.