Christmas in July (1940)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Preston Sturges

Writer:

Preston Sturges (written by)

Release Date:

18 October 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

If you can't sleep at night, it isn't the coffee - it's the bunk!

Plot:

An office clerk loves entering contests in the hopes of someday winning a fortune and marrying the girl he loves...

Plot Keywords:

Contest | Telegram | Coffee | Office | Clerk

Cast

Dick Powell	...	Jimmy MacDonald
Ellen Drew	...	Betty Casey
Raymond Walburn	...	Dr. Maxford
Alexander Carr	...	Mr. Shindel
William Demarest	...	Mr. Bildocker
Ernest Truex	...	Mr. J.B. Baxter
Franklin Pangborn	...	Don Hartman (radio announcer)
Harry Hayden	...	Mr. E.L. Waterbury (office manager)
Rod Cameron	...	Dick (co-worker)
Adrian Morris	...	Tom Darcy (co-worker) (as Michael Morris)
Harry Rosenthal	...	Harry (co-worker)
Georgia Caine	...	Mrs. Ellen MacDonald
Ferike Boros	...	Mrs. Schwartz
Torben Meyer	...	Mr. Schmidt
Julius Tannen	...	Mr. Zimmerman

Runtime:

USA:67 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #6414) | UK:U

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The working title of this film was "A Cup Of Coffee".

Quotes:

Betty Casey: Why?
Mr. J.B. Baxter: I'm no genius. I didn't hang on to my father's money by backing my own judgment, you know. I make mistakes every day. Sometimes, several times a day. I have a whole warehouse *full* of mistakes. I should say it *would* make a difference. You see, I think your ideas are good, because they sound good to me. But I know your ideas are good, because you won this contest over millions of aspirants.
Jimmy MacDonald: Yes, but you see, Mr. Baxter...
Mr. J.B. Baxter: It's what you might call commercial insurance. As when a horse wins the Derby, you back him for the Preakness.
Jimmy MacDonald: [defeated] Well, I didn't win it.
Mr. J.B. Baxter: The Preakness?
Jimmy MacDonald: The contest. It didn't win anything. It was a joke.
Mr. J.B. Baxter: [shouts] A joke?
Jimmy MacDonald: That's what they meant it to be, anyway.
Mr. J.B. Baxter: [shouts] Who did?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Radio Days (1987)

How a film ought to be made.

I'm a film buff...I watch movies of all sorts all the time. But Christmas In July may well be my favorite film of all time. It is well-constructed, tightly executed, and just plain hilarious. I've never laughed harder at any film then I did during the seen where Dr. Maxford gives Jimmy the check.

As always Bill Demerest is great. The entire cast shines in this film. I'd advise anyone striving to become a writer/director of films to study this film. This is how it ought to be done.