Christmas in Connecticut

Movie

I get something new every time I watch this delightful 1945 classic. A classic movie has dialogue that stands the test of time and this has it in spades. If you listen carefully you will hear lots of gems. For instance, Barbara Stanwyck plays Elizabeth Lane, an ambitious columnist who is faking everything she writes about. She pretends to be a gourmet cook who is married with a baby, living on a farm in Connecticut. She really is single living in a cramped little apartment in New York, and doesn’t know how to cook. When she thinks she’s going to lose her job she finally agrees to marry a boring architect she doesn’t love. When he assures her he can wait for her to grow to love him she responds…”Can you wait that long”?  Love it. This movie is full of these. See how many you can find.

Christmas in Connecticut

Her overbearing boss is played by Sydney Greenstreet famous for his role in The Maltese Falcon. He doesn’t know she is pulling the wool over his eyes and insists she open her home to a wounded hero-soldier home on leave for the publicity. Dennis Morgan ( a great crooner) plays Jefferson Jones, the hero she falls for but she can’t tell him she’s really single. Throw in a Hungarian Uncle Felix and a Irish housekeeper who mix like oil and water this is a movie worth keeping.

Sydney Greenstreet with Stanwyck in Christmas in Connecticut

Uncle Felix and Nora the housekeeper

I love Barbara Stanwyck and a few years ago was happy to find another holiday film she did with Fred MacMurray which I will share tomorrow.  I’ve spent another day acting like Santa’s workshop. I love crafting gifts and since I have a really skimpy budget and had to be off my knee it’s worked out great. The reality is that I would make home made stuff anyway. I can’t help it. The feeling starts around the fall change of weather and I start collecting supplies. It was a problem when I was involved in craft fairs because it was hard for me to get inspired in the summer. Now I just do it for fun. The creative spirit is a wonderful thing. See you tomorrow.