HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Max Swain was in many Mack Sennett films and was a big comedian in the early days of film. Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hope Putin is defeated, Trump disappears, the White House is restored, Ukraine wins, The Hamas is defeated and the Pakistan people are able to rebuild. Etc, etc, etc….On personal notes, let’s hope we remain healthy as well as our families, we don’t suffer financial mishaps and our furbabes are all healthy and happy. 

Now, on with the show and since this is New Year’s Day, let’s talk about movies where New Year’s Eve plays into a major plot point. Here re my 3…

1. HOLIDAY-1938

I just saw this film, last week,  after decades…I think I was a teen when I saw it back in the Middle Ages…Nyuck, nyuck. This film came out when Katherine Hepburn was voted “box office poison” and the  studio chiefs were reluctant to cast her in this film but, Cary Grant insisted because they got along so well and knew she was perfect in the role as the free spirited sister of his fiance. Cary Grant plays Johnny, a self man man who worked in investments and who now wants to travel and experience life. His fiancée, played by Doris Nolan, comes from a very wealthy family ruled by her domineering father, whom she adores. Johnny meets the controlling dad, the alcoholic son, played so well by Lew Ayres, and his fiancée’s free-spirited sister, Linda, played with perfect finesse, by Katherine Hepburn. Linda wants to throw the perfect engagement party, small and in their old playroom. Johnny loves it but not the fiancée. New Year’s Eve and the home is packed with insufferable people in all their fancy dress. This New  Year’s, transforms some and others, sadly, still the way Daddy wants things. It’s very well acted with some serious overtones but met with classy humour. The cast is excellent and it’s great to see Cary Grant perform some acrobatic stunts without a stuntman. When he came to The States he was part of an acrobatic troupe which served him well in more than just film.

2. MADE FOR EACH OTHER-1939

This is such an underrated film with James Stewart and the luminous Carole Lombard meet, fall in love and marry in just one day. He is married to his work as well which does not sit well with Carole Lombard. She also must contend with Jimmy’s very controlling and manipulative mother who makes things difficult for these 2 lovebirds. They have a baby which only contributes to their stress which culminates at a New Year’s Eve party. They are amidst the celebrations but saddened knowing they will separate..until they find out their baby is very sick and needs a serum but a blizzard stops them from attaining that serum. Charles Coburn, Stewart’s boss, hires a plane to fly the serum in but  will the pilot make it? This is a gem of a film with the 2 leads bringing dimension to their characters. New Year’s is the climax of the film when this dramedy turns into an adventure film fraught with intense emotions. Stewart got along well with potty mouthed Carole Lombard who everyone loved. Sadly, during the making of the film, a technician fell to his death when releasing balloons for the New Year’s Eve party.

3. THE POSEIDEN ADVENTURE-1972

I love this Irwin Allen disaster pic which were all the rage during the 70s. Like Airport, this film involves a who’s who of actors on a ship celebrating New Year’s Eve. A rogue wave throws the ship upside down killing poor Leslie Nielsen as the Captain. Gene Hackman ( what a horribly tragic death he had), plays a priest who tries to tell people they must leave and walk the bottom of the ship which is now at the top of the ocean. Most don’t want to leave, believing they will be saved if they stay put. A few decide to follow Hackman including an old couple , played by Shelley Winters and Jack Albertson, a bickering couple, Earnest Borgnine and Stella Stevens, the singer played by Carol Lynley, an older teen played by Pamela Sue Martin along with her kid brother. You also have Roddy McDowell who is a purser on the ship. They all climb the Christmas tree up to safety just before the glass roof cracks up and the ocean comes in killing everyone below. We follow these people as they keep climbing towards the bottom of the ship to safety, some don’t make it and Stella keeps losing her clothes. Shelley got an Oscar nomination for her role as the  older lady who used to be a swimming champ. The song,”The Morning After” hit the charts and won the Oscar for best song. This is a fun movie and I love watching it.

What New Year’s movies can you think of? Did you celebrate, stay up to watch the ball drop or go to bed early? 

Happy New Year!