Tag: William Demarest

Christmas in July (1940)

Christmas in July (1940). 68 minutes. Directed by Preston Sturges. Starring Dick Powell (as Jimmy MacDonald), Ellen Drew (as Betty Casey), Raymond Walburn (as Dr. Maxford), Alexander Carr (as Mr. Shindel), William Demarest (as Mr. Bildocker), Ernest Truex (as J. B. Baxter), Franklin Pangborn (as Don Hartman), and Georgia Caine (as Ellen MacDonald). Written by Preston Sturges.

Christmas in July might initially appear to be a holiday film akin to It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), or  Holiday Inn (1942); but Christmas in July, in spite of its name, is not an actual Christmas movie and does not take place during the holiday season. (It is also not the origin of the phrase, “Christmas in July,” which has roots in the late 19th century.) The movie is instead about gift-giving and abundance manifested outside of the winter months—in the spirit of Christmas beneficence but devoid of the religious sentiment. The film’s protagonist, Jimmy

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The Jolson Story (1946)

The Jolson Story (1946). 130 minutes. Directed by Alfred E. Green. Starring Larry Parks (as Al Jolson), Evelyn Keyes (as Julie Benson), William Demarest (as Steve Martin), Bill Goodwin (as Tom Baron), Ludwig Donath (as Cantor Yoelson), Tamara Shayne (as Mrs. Yoelson), Scotty Beckett (as young Asa Yoelson), Jo-Carroll Dennison (as Ann Murray), and John Alexander (as Lew Dockstader). With vocal performances by Al Jolson.

Al Jolson is billed as “America’s greatest entertainer” in the tagline for The Jolson Story. However, I would be surprised to hear anyone alive today describe him in a similar way. Jolson will forever be associated with groundbreaking cinema because of his performance in The Jazz Singer (1927), the first feature-length film to use synchronized sound; and Hallelujah! I’m a Bum (1932), another of his starring vehicles, is one of the finest films of the 1930s. But in spite of the tremendous success he enjoyed during his lifetime, his legacy as a … Read the rest