Tinsel time fling
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Last evening, CineVerse dusted off an old chestnut that time seems to have forgotten: Holiday Affair. It proved to be a worthy little Christmas-time flick that generated ample buzz among our members. Here's what our gab session yielded:
WHAT DID YOU FIND INTERESTING, ORIGINAL OR UNEXPECTED
ABOUT HOLIDAY AFFAIR?
·
The casting of Robert Mitchum in a role depicting
a kind, lovable family man of a love interest is curious, considering he had
just been busted for marijuana possession a year earlier, and also considering
how opposite his Hollywood persona and screen personality is to a cute but
dedicated character like the one Janet Leigh plays.
·
The film tugs on the heartstrings perhaps a bit
more than you think because of the fact that Connie is a war widow and Timmy
has lost his father—making us care more about whom Connie picks not only for
herself but as the stepfather to her child.
·
The romantic love triangle battle between the
two suitors, Steve and Carl, is comical and fairly well written; the casting
choices are appropriate based on the characters’ respective personalities and
what each represents to Connie: one a safe, conservative breadwinner, the other
more of a soulmate who offers more of a risk but also more romantic excitement
and good looks.
·
The character of Timmy is pivotal in terms of
setting much of the plot in motion, and he’s a real scene-stealer, which is
impressive for such a young actor.
THIS FILM LOST MONEY UPON INITIAL RELEASE AND BECAME A
RARE ARTIFACT OF A CHRISTMAS MOVIE. DO YOU FEEL THAT FATE WAS DESERVED? IS
HOLIDAY AFFAIR AN OVERLOOKED CLASSIC THAT DESERVES TO BE RANKED ALONGSIDE OTHER
CLASSIC AND TIME-HONORED CHRISTMAS FILMS?
·
Arguably, this story has little to do with the
holiday of Christmas and could easily have been set at any other time of year.
·
However, the same could be said of many classic
Christmas movies, including It’s a Wonderful Life.
·
Ask yourself: does this film truly get you in
the Christmas spirit? Or are you entertained more by the romantic triangle
angle and the curious chemistry between Mitchum and Leigh?
·
Debatably, the film features no standout
performances, no Oscar-worthy screenplay, and very by-the-numbers direction, so
nothing truly stands out here except for a heartwarming story that’s quite
simple.
·
The fact that it’s an obscure, little-seen
Christmas pic could be to its benefit: it could prove to be a refreshing,
although lightweight and unsubstantial, discovery to those who enjoy unearthing
antique holiday films. Too much exposure could have created a popular backlash
against this picture.