Navidades en julio

On the surface this effort from the brilliant Preston Sturges looks like a standard sugar coated feel good movie, but strip away the outer skin and you get a delightful collage of comedy, romance, satire, drama, and nudge nudge observations about hunger of wealth and all the spin offs that wealth creates.

I don't deem it unfair to state that the films core plot of frivolity may not be to everyone's taste, but to me personally it ticks all the boxes for a joyride with more at its heart. The pace of the film is more in keeping with screwball comedies of the great era, but that is not to say that the film doesn't shift down a gear for poignant reflection, because it does, but ultimately the film is full of hilarity from many quarters, that is acted out accordingly from a sparky cast, and of course directed by a deity .

A joyous winner that prods you in the ribs and gives a cheeky wink along the way. 9/10

Have said many times about being a pre-1970s classic film fan, of all genres and decades, a lot of my favourite films being made between the 1930s and 1960s. The same applies too for films from the 1970s onwards. Am not saying that every pre-1970s film is great, there are a fair share of average all the way down to dud ones but they are out-weighed by the very good to classic films (the best parodied and referenced numerous times since and influenced many film-makers).

Preston Sturges had for me one of the best "golden years"/prime period for any director, which started with his debut film 'The Great McGinty' (which is very good). My definition of this is when a director makes 5 or more great films in a row. From this period, even when the film was one of the weaker ones it still managed to be good and more, which is testament to how great and more his best golden years/"prime period" films were. Feel the same about 'Christmas in July' as with 'The Great McGinty', though slightly preferring the former. Found 'Christmas in July' to be a joy to watch and deserving of more praise than it gets, when it comes to satirising dreamers placing faith in get-rich contests 'Christmas in July' is a great and relatively overlooked example of how to do it well, make it entertaining while also relatable and tactful.

Can find hardly anything to fault actually. Maybe it is a little too short, would have been more than happy with having 10-15 minutes more perhaps. That can be easily ignorable though, as there is not a dull second to be had in 'Christmas in July', one of those films that drew me in from the start and never let go, and the many good things are so great.

Maybe other Sturges films are sharper (am actually going to include 'The Great McGinty' here), have more insights into the subjects explored and are more daring. Again a very subjective personal preference and not actually much of a knock on the film.

That it's so beautifully paced throughout and always compelling in its story, which entertained and invested emotionally, is one strength of 'Christmas in July', but there are many more. Sturges' direction continues to be remarkably well accomplished for again so early on (this is only his second film released quite close to 'The Great McGinty'). The production values are very good, very nicely shot in particular even if visually there aren't exactly iconic moments (not that it needed to be, not that kind of film).

A major strength of 'Christmas in July' is the script. The comedy is hilarious at its best and never gets corny. The pathos is genuinely touching without getting schmaltzy. And the romantic element is truly charming and with remarkable humanity. It's not always easy balancing more than two tones well and there have been many instances in films that do where one or more have not been handled well. 'Christmas in July' balances the comedy, pathos and romance deftly, no signs of them clashing with each other that it doesn't make sense, and all three as indicated are written spot-on. Then there are the performances, which are uniformly good. As likeable and charming Dick Powell and Ellen Drew are, and their chemistry is just lovely, it's the comedic performers who shine more with the main scene stealer being Raymond Walburn.

In summary, a joy. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This may be my favorite Preston Sturges film. It's as well written and well crafted as anything he made after it. Sturges had a knack for creating unique characters and throwing them into even more unique situations.

Jimmy MacDonald is absolutely determined to make money the easy way; by winning a contest. A few of his coworkers, aware of his desperation to win an upcoming contest, decide to send him a telegram in order to make him believe he's won the recent contest, along with the enormous cash reward. What begins as a cruel little joke (to find out how Jimmy would react to winning) becomes something much bigger. It wouldn't make sense for me to explain the plot any further; much of the enjoyment in watching the film comes from how it unpredictably unfolds.

"Christmas in July" is rather unusual in comparison to some of Sturges other movies, namely his two most famous films, "The Lady Eve" and "The Palm Beach Story". It contains more pathos and less sexual innuendos, but it never becomes cheap, manipulative melodrama. It's also quite short in comparison to his other movies, but it's all the better for it.

Coffee company clerk Dick Powell (as Jimmy MacDonald) enters a sloganeering contest with the catchphrase: "If You Can't Sleep at Night, It Isn't the Coffee, It's the Bunk!" Mr. Powell thinks the slogan is as "clear as crystal," but pretty, pragmatic girlfriend Ellen Drew (as Betty Casey) is unmoved. Although his slogan is confusing, Powell is optimistic about winning the $25,000 prize. The next day, Powell is anxious to learn if he's won the contest; and, three of his practical-joking co-workers send him a phony telegram stating, "We take great pleasure in informing you that your slogan has won the twenty-five thousand dollar first prize…"

Powell excitedly picks up his prize, from cantankerous Raymond Walburn (as Maxford), who doesn't know his executives haven't yet picked the winner. Powell plans his wedding to Ms. Drew, and buys gifts for most of the people in his lower-class neighborhood. Drew says he's spending money like it's "Christmas in July." Then, the prank is discovered…

Writer/director Sturges' bright satire is still amusing, after all these years. Like "Maxwell House" coffee, it's "Good to the Last Drop" - perhaps, the story could be revised, for the "Starbucks" era (many of the Sturges lines don't need changing). The supporting players - Mr. Walburn (Maxford), Alexander Carr (Schindel), William Demarest (Bildocker), Ernest Truex (Baxter), and others - are excellent.

******** Christmas in July (10/18/40) Preston Sturges ~ Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond Walburn

Joyous dose of whimsy from writer-director Preston Sturges, a filmmaker who always managed to wring both sentiment and cynicism from a fairy tale premise. Dick Powell plays a working-class guy under the impression he's just won $25K in a coffee-slogan contest. Based on a play Sturges wrote in 1931 (titled "A Cup of Coffee"), the film is brief at 70mns but sharp as a tack, and a wonderful stroll through Hollywood's Golden Era. Powell is terrific, and Ellen Drew is equally good as his sweetheart. A gem from Paramount, one which received not a single nomination from any awards branch. ***1/2 from ****