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One of the lesser holiday movies, this 1949 comedy stars Janet Leigh as a war widow who can't afford to buy her son a toy train for Christmas. A veteran (Robert Mitchum) who happens to be standing by in a department store overhears her plight and offers to purchase the toy, thus setting into motion a series of funny complications. Wendell Corey plays Leigh's suspicious, condescending boyfriend, whose jealousy compounds Mitchum's problems, and Harry Morgan is very good as a night-court judge trying to make sense of everything that happens. The movie didn't do so well at the box office at the time of its release, but it has gained an affectionate fan base over the years. Don't expect Miracle on 34th Street, but as a spirited lark for Yuletide, this is a lot of fun. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Intelligent Christmas Fun
Holiday affair is never mentioned when the roster of Christmas cinema classics is read, which is unfortunate because it's actually a very good movie. It would be unfair to compare this with It's A Wonderful Life which came out three years earlier, or even Miracle on 34th Street (two years before). But the similarities in style and tone are there, this being a feel-good Christmas family movie made with intelligence. The studios must have realised they were on to a good thing.

Underneath the layer of seasonal schmaltz is a story with its roots in the then popular obsession with psychoanalysis. The jilted fiancé makes references to subconscious desires of Janet Leigh's character, and the whole story is based around a Freudian-Oedipus arrangement with the son taking the place of a dead father. But this is all (just) under the surface of the story of little boy who Santa Claus forgot, whose Christmas is made special by a selfless eccentric played by Mitchum. Mitchum is an actor who could be accepted in almost any character - his face gives so little away that he is often described as 'laconic', but it's clear that here he is a good guy who is so honest he even cuckolds poor old Wendell Corey's character in front of him rather than be deceitful. Corey's character of 'the other man' is so doomed from the start to be a poor runner up to Mitchum that it must have been a thankless role for him, but he tackles it well. Watch out too for future M*A*S*H* star Harry Morgan (credited as Henry Morgan) who steals one small scene as a bemused police lieutenant. If you want a change from Frank Capra or James Bond, try this with your turkey and Brussels sprouts.

Such a great movie, I'm reviewing it for the 2nd time!
I had the pleasure of watching this again last night. Invited my family over & we were all in the mood for a nice, holiday movie. I quickly pulled this off the shelf, knowing that they hadn't yet seen it, telling them they were in for a real treat. I tend to watch this every 2 years, so it was time. This movie is like a hidden gem, and though I am sure it received decent reviews when it was first released, there were probably more people who preferred It's A Wonderful Life & other more popular Christmas movies. Holiday Affair holds up well, despite the way things were at the time of the story(late 1940s). Guy meets girl, who is already practically engaged to another man, but that doesn't get in the way of his falling for her in a big way. One way to her heart is the way he quickly wins over her young son, by getting him the much desired set of trains he covets more than anything. Robert Mitchum shines in this film, & plays off both Janet Leigh & Wendell Corey quite well. When I previously reviewed this movie back in November of '98, I wrote it in such a hurry that I misspelled Ms. Leigh's surname, which I made a point to correct this time around. Yet again, I must highly recommend this terrific little movie, and it is an absolute must-have for those that like to collect Christmas themed movies. Definitely a movie to be enjoyed for many Christmases to come, & despite an attempt a few years back with a so-so remake, they just don't make 'em like this anymore. 'Nuff said!

Save your money.
I thought this was a a cheap shot to cash in on the season. It has poor character development, stilted language and a hackneyed plot. It just isn't a cozy Christmas film. Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh rely on sterotypical roles like the "tough guy with a heart of gold" and she is the damsel in distress who almost marries the wrong man." I think a much better holiday sleeper is Christmas in Connecticut.

Holiday Affair
I remember this movie from my teen years and I liked it then as much as I liked seeing it again. Good story line and good acting. I've always liked Bob Mitchum and he plays a good role in this movie. I was happy to add this movie to my collection.

holiday affair
I saw this movie in australia in the fifties and Im almost sure it had an other name it was called christmas in july can anyone help me on that one ? thnk you ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Romantic Success!
The relentless search for that certain someone is a timeless romantic theme that Betsy Drake plays up comically to absolute perfection. This movie has proven to be a stunning success with BOTH sexes time and time again. I still have friends ask me about "that funny old movie where the girl tries to catch a husband." Although you sometimes want to ring Drake's neck and tell her to join a convent, she is at the same time extremely endearing and you want to tell Cary Grant "come on, just give her a kiss and she'll die happy!"

Of course, Cary Grant pulls off being the reluctant gentleman doctor superbly. Not letting Drake steal the show, he even gets his own dig in through a cute plot twist at the end.

This is not just a great date movie - it's a great group movie that will have both guys and gals laughing at the "tender trap" girls spring on wary males.

Dated, but cute.
At the very least "Every Girl Should Get Married" is extremely dated. In fact, the sentiments and values it extols were probably considered dated and quaint at the time it was released. (It was released just a few short years after the end of World War II. A war which saw huge numbers of women enter the work force or join the military to support the war effort.) At worst, this movie could be considered highly offensive to some people. If the National Organization for Women had a list (similar to what the Catholic Church used to have) of "morally objectionable" movies then this film would probably be near the top of the list.

Basically, what we have here is a film about a young woman whose seemingly only goals in life are to be a dutiful wife (who dreams of cooking intimate dinners for her working husband) and an adoring mother. Yep, it's pretty darn old-fashioned. The one modern twist to the entire film is the promotion of the idea that a woman should be allowed to pursue a man without her character being questioned. However, even this modern twist is considered problematic to us 21st century viewers because this young woman's "pursuit" would undoubtedly today be called "stalking." In fact, if this movie was remade today it would be a Lifetime movie about an obsessed woman in need of a restraining order and psychological counseling.

Yet despite all the above problems, this is a cute little movie. It's a harmless, cotton-candy confection of Hollywood Golden Age escapist entertainment. Betsy Drake stars as "Miss Anabel Sims," a 20 yr old department store employee, who dreams constantly of marrying, settling down in a lovely home, and raising children. One day during lunch in a diner as she reaches for a magazine on child rearing, she literally bumps into "Dr. Madison Brown" who was reaching for the same magazine. When she looks into the face of a man who seemingly shares her interest in small children, Anabel is immediately smitten. (Of course, it helps when the man looks just like Cary Grant!) Her infatuation grows when she discovers that he's not married and a pediatrician. And thus Anabel embarks on her life's mission to marry the good doctor which requires doing research on his entire life, following him around, and involving her playboy boss (Franchot Tone) to hopefully create jealousy. Of course, Dr. Brown, who was quite content in his indepedent bachelor life, initially finds Anabel's constant scheming to ensnare him to be an amusing nuisance, but as time goes on her charms start to do their work on him.

Betsy Drake (who later became Mrs. Cary Grant) has a very cute, girl-next-door charm to her which helps overcome the rather obsessive nature of her character. Cary Grant plays Cary Grant- a suave charmer who is bemused but not really surprised that a woman would go to such lengths to capture him. (My favorite scene with Grant is his doing an imitation of Anabel's annoying greeting: "Oh, Dr. Brown! What surprise meeting you here!" which she uses on numerous occassions as she follows him around.)

Yes, this movie is dated, quaint, and could cause the committed feminist to scream out in rightous indignation: "She should think about herself becoming a doctor and not just a doctor's wife!!" But, overall, "Every Girl Should Get Married" is a cute movie which provides some harmless entertainment in less than ninety minutes.

a sweet, classic, boy meets girl, fairy tale worth watching.
I absolutely love this movie! I check every few months to see if it will be released on DVD. This is a wonderful, classic, feel good movie. It is sweet and amusing. It's the kind of movie I like to curl up on the sofa and watch with my daughter, while drinking a cup of hot chocolate. There is nothing here that is offensive or alarming. It's good clean wholesome fun.
LOVE IT!

an old, cute and sweet movie
This movie is SO cute. I don't understand why some people take it so seriously. The girl does not desperately want to marry just any man, she wants to marry HIM. Everything she does is just out of love. Of course, she can live without him, but she'd rather be with him. I find this movie very sweet and extremely funny.

Don't miss it
I thought this movie was hilarious! Betsey Drake acted exactly how I feel like acting every time I fall head-over-heels. Anybody who's ever gone out of their mind in the name of love will understand this movie. ... Read more

Description

After a dedicated search effort, Anabel Sims thinks she's found Mr. Right. Her target is Madison Brown, a handsome pediatrician. All that's left is to trap him! (In a twist of fate, the leads in the film were married soon after the movie was released in theaters.) ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Romantic Success!
The relentless search for that certain someone is a timeless romantic theme that Betsy Drake plays up comically to absolute perfection. This movie has proven to be a stunning success with BOTH sexes time and time again. I still have friends ask me about "that funny old movie where the girl tries to catch a husband." Although you sometimes want to ring Drake's neck and tell her to join a convent, she is at the same time extremely endearing and you want to tell Cary Grant "come on, just give her a kiss and she'll die happy!"

Of course, Cary Grant pulls off being the reluctant gentleman doctor superbly. Not letting Drake steal the show, he even gets his own dig in through a cute plot twist at the end.

This is not just a great date movie - it's a great group movie that will have both guys and gals laughing at the "tender trap" girls spring on wary males.

Dated, but cute.
At the very least "Every Girl Should Get Married" is extremely dated. In fact, the sentiments and values it extols were probably considered dated and quaint at the time it was released. (It was released just a few short years after the end of World War II. A war which saw huge numbers of women enter the work force or join the military to support the war effort.) At worst, this movie could be considered highly offensive to some people. If the National Organization for Women had a list (similar to what the Catholic Church used to have) of "morally objectionable" movies then this film would probably be near the top of the list.

Basically, what we have here is a film about a young woman whose seemingly only goals in life are to be a dutiful wife (who dreams of cooking intimate dinners for her working husband) and an adoring mother. Yep, it's pretty darn old-fashioned. The one modern twist to the entire film is the promotion of the idea that a woman should be allowed to pursue a man without her character being questioned. However, even this modern twist is considered problematic to us 21st century viewers because this young woman's "pursuit" would undoubtedly today be called "stalking." In fact, if this movie was remade today it would be a Lifetime movie about an obsessed woman in need of a restraining order and psychological counseling.

Yet despite all the above problems, this is a cute little movie. It's a harmless, cotton-candy confection of Hollywood Golden Age escapist entertainment. Betsy Drake stars as "Miss Anabel Sims," a 20 yr old department store employee, who dreams constantly of marrying, settling down in a lovely home, and raising children. One day during lunch in a diner as she reaches for a magazine on child rearing, she literally bumps into "Dr. Madison Brown" who was reaching for the same magazine. When she looks into the face of a man who seemingly shares her interest in small children, Anabel is immediately smitten. (Of course, it helps when the man looks just like Cary Grant!) Her infatuation grows when she discovers that he's not married and a pediatrician. And thus Anabel embarks on her life's mission to marry the good doctor which requires doing research on his entire life, following him around, and involving her playboy boss (Franchot Tone) to hopefully create jealousy. Of course, Dr. Brown, who was quite content in his indepedent bachelor life, initially finds Anabel's constant scheming to ensnare him to be an amusing nuisance, but as time goes on her charms start to do their work on him.

Betsy Drake (who later became Mrs. Cary Grant) has a very cute, girl-next-door charm to her which helps overcome the rather obsessive nature of her character. Cary Grant plays Cary Grant- a suave charmer who is bemused but not really surprised that a woman would go to such lengths to capture him. (My favorite scene with Grant is his doing an imitation of Anabel's annoying greeting: "Oh, Dr. Brown! What surprise meeting you here!" which she uses on numerous occassions as she follows him around.)

Yes, this movie is dated, quaint, and could cause the committed feminist to scream out in rightous indignation: "She should think about herself becoming a doctor and not just a doctor's wife!!" But, overall, "Every Girl Should Get Married" is a cute movie which provides some harmless entertainment in less than ninety minutes.

a sweet, classic, boy meets girl, fairy tale worth watching.
I absolutely love this movie! I check every few months to see if it will be released on DVD. This is a wonderful, classic, feel good movie. It is sweet and amusing. It's the kind of movie I like to curl up on the sofa and watch with my daughter, while drinking a cup of hot chocolate. There is nothing here that is offensive or alarming. It's good clean wholesome fun.
LOVE IT!

an old, cute and sweet movie
This movie is SO cute. I don't understand why some people take it so seriously. The girl does not desperately want to marry just any man, she wants to marry HIM. Everything she does is just out of love. Of course, she can live without him, but she'd rather be with him. I find this movie very sweet and extremely funny.

Don't miss it
I thought this movie was hilarious! Betsey Drake acted exactly how I feel like acting every time I fall head-over-heels. Anybody who's ever gone out of their mind in the name of love will understand this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pleasant Surprise
This lesser-known MGM musical turned out to be a pleasant surprise, for a couple of reasons. First, although this edition is from the comparatively low-budget VCI Home Video, the picture quality is excellent. It doesn't compare to DVD, of course, but this print is at least as good as some of the other "official" MGM/UA/Warner releases of vintage musicals I've seen on VHS. Secondly, the movie itself is quite entertaining, with a delightful performance by a young Debbie Reynolds and Lana Turner looking beautiful as always. The story, if not remarkable, is typical of the musical comedy-dramas that were being produced in that era. If you're a fan of Jane Powell and Esther Williams movies, you're bound to enjoy this one.

Nicely Done Romance Musical !!
This 1952 movie starts out with a romantic encounter in Italy between Fredda Barlo(Lana Turner),a rising singing starlet and Mr. Imperium(Ezio Pinza),an heir to a throne.Twelve years later they meet again and Mr. Imperium is forced to choose between his love for Fredda or his country.Also,co-starring Debbie Reynolds,Barry Sullivan,Cedric Hardwicke and Majorie Main,it's a nicely done romance musical!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pleasant Surprise
This lesser-known MGM musical turned out to be a pleasant surprise, for a couple of reasons. First, although this edition is from the comparatively low-budget VCI Home Video, the picture quality is excellent. It doesn't compare to DVD, of course, but this print is at least as good as some of the other "official" MGM/UA/Warner releases of vintage musicals I've seen on VHS. Secondly, the movie itself is quite entertaining, with a delightful performance by a young Debbie Reynolds and Lana Turner looking beautiful as always. The story, if not remarkable, is typical of the musical comedy-dramas that were being produced in that era. If you're a fan of Jane Powell and Esther Williams movies, you're bound to enjoy this one.

Nicely Done Romance Musical !!
This 1952 movie starts out with a romantic encounter in Italy between Fredda Barlo(Lana Turner),a rising singing starlet and Mr. Imperium(Ezio Pinza),an heir to a throne.Twelve years later they meet again and Mr. Imperium is forced to choose between his love for Fredda or his country.Also,co-starring Debbie Reynolds,Barry Sullivan,Cedric Hardwicke and Majorie Main,it's a nicely done romance musical!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pleasant Surprise
This lesser-known MGM musical turned out to be a pleasant surprise, for a couple of reasons. First, although this edition is from the comparatively low-budget VCI Home Video, the picture quality is excellent. It doesn't compare to DVD, of course, but this print is at least as good as some of the other "official" MGM/UA/Warner releases of vintage musicals I've seen on VHS. Secondly, the movie itself is quite entertaining, with a delightful performance by a young Debbie Reynolds and Lana Turner looking beautiful as always. The story, if not remarkable, is typical of the musical comedy-dramas that were being produced in that era. If you're a fan of Jane Powell and Esther Williams movies, you're bound to enjoy this one.

Nicely Done Romance Musical !!
This 1952 movie starts out with a romantic encounter in Italy between Fredda Barlo(Lana Turner),a rising singing starlet and Mr. Imperium(Ezio Pinza),an heir to a throne.Twelve years later they meet again and Mr. Imperium is forced to choose between his love for Fredda or his country.Also,co-starring Debbie Reynolds,Barry Sullivan,Cedric Hardwicke and Majorie Main,it's a nicely done romance musical!! ... Read more