TASK #47: O Henry
“Love is what you’ve been through with someone”. James Thurber
Here are my all time top Christmas movies:
1)“It’s A Wonderful Life”
When the mean-as-a-snake druggist smacks George in his bad ear while George is trying to explain that the old goof, who was shit-faced because his son died in battle, accidentally put poison pills in someone’s prescription, it makes me cry; and when the old goof realizes that George’s catch was going to keep his ass out of jail, he hugs him, it makes me cry, but in a good way.
2)“Love Actually”
Selfless sacrifice. That’s what the Christmas spirit embodies.
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This movie mashes up 10 of the most unlikely, non-nonsensical, hilariously unrealistic holiday stories into a giant gooey stew and yet somehow it all works. The Prime Minister and the weird cockney office assistant? The writer and the ditzy, non-English speaking substitute house cleaner? And the loopiest one of all: the horny Laura Linney with the brother issues? All that and more, but if you aren’t crying when Liam Neeson’s kid races through the airport after the mini-Mariah Carey, then you aren’t human.
3) “A Christmas Story”
My favorite scene: when the next-door-neighbor dogs rip the hell out of the Christmas turkey and the old man chases them out of the house. Why that scene? ‘Cause without it there wouldn’t be the the hilarious singing scene at the Chinese restaurant.
And there’s one good Christmas TV movie, better than all those cornball Hallmark movies lumped together:”Gift of the Magi”. The original. It’s not shown much because it’s in black and white and it looks cheesy, but it is good. It’s about this poor married couple who live in a New York tenement, circa 1890. The husband loves his pocket watch. Loves it. It’s his prized possession. And there’s his wife. She has long blonde hair that cascades around her shoulders. She loves her hair. It defines her. But she needs the proper combs and clips to manage her hair.
The story is set on Christmas Eve. Neither husband or wife have any money to buy each other a gift.
On Christmas morning they kneel by their tree. They hand each other small wrapped presents. The husband opens his box–it’s a watch fob, which is a strap that will hold his beloved watch on his belt. The wife beams–she knows it’s the perfect gift. Then she opens her present. Inside is a set of inlaid combs.The husband’s eyes light up. He knows he has given her the perfect gift.
Then the wife take off her night scarf. Her hair is gone! She sold it to buy the watch fob. The husband smile ruefully and reaches into his pocket for his watch. He shows her his empty palm–he sold the watch to pay for the combs.
The fall into each other’s arms. She doesn’t have her hair, and he doesn’t have his watch, but they have each other.
Selfless sacrifice. That’s what the Christmas spirit embodies.
Merry Christmas. Joe
Photo courtesy of the author