Tag Archives: Katharine Hepburn

Best Classic Christmas Films of all time (10+1list)

Best Classic Christmas Films of all time.

written by Souranath Banerjee

Ho Ho Ho, Santa Claus is here.

Well, I am sure the old bearded man is almost there, reaching your place with all your specific demands but till then you can enjoy the Best Classic Christmas Films of all time; a humble Christmas gift from Cinema Forensic!

Classic Hollywood romantic comedies with a touch of Christmas in them, the likes of It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Holiday Affair (1949) and It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947) (though these four brilliant films are not included in the list below)

Enjoy the films and yes, Merry Christmas!

10. Holiday Inn (1942)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifkmvBNQhd8

Holiday-Inn-posterDirected by Mark Sandrich, this is the story of a special inn that opens only during the year-end holidays, and gives you a performance to remember throughout the year.

Brilliant chemistry between Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, a superb musical that boosts up the energy level of your Christmas holidays!

The song ‘White Christmas’ by Irving Berlin won the Oscar for Best Song!

9. Remember the Night (1940)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKcLcT9dOFk

Remember-the-Night-posterChristmas can make strange things happen, it can also make a serial shoplifter and her prosecutor fall in love!

But then what happens when the trial begins?

Directed by Mitchell Leisen, and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray this is one Christmas romance that can make you fall in love.

8. White Christmas (1954)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n3-UtakD3I

White-Christmas-posterBing CrosbyDanny KayeRosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen – and all the dancing and singing you can possibly imagine in one Christmas! 

The film has hit songs like ‘The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing‘ and the famous ‘White Christmas’

Directed by Michael Curtiz, this musical was that year’s most successful film. 

7. Holiday (1938)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcTo5vPm6Ng

Holiday-posterWith a dip in the jovial Christmas festive mood the film is about a man who wants to take a holiday in oder to find himself!

Original concept taken from a famous play, starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant and directed by George Cukor, this is one film that dares to ask a few very fundamental questions about the balance of happiness, ambition and the need for money in our life.

6. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7guqfYsG0dE

meet-me-in-st-louis-posterDirected by Vincente Minnelli, a comedy drama full of music, life, energy and Christmas mood!

Judy Garland sings the famous Christmas song ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas‘ and then there is also the popular ‘The Trolley Song‘ as well.

Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland met in the set of this film and got married soon afterwards!

5. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAFneciOP0M

bishops-wife-posterA bit similar to the very popular film It’s a Wonderful Life, where angles come to solve our human problems.

With a very unique trailer, and an impressive star cast including Cary Grant,  Loretta Young and David Niven, this is one comedy drama that gets more interesting as Christmas approaches!

Directed by Henry Koster, a must for this winter holiday season.

4. A Christmas Carol (1951) aka Scrooge 

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97PwRDfHBlg

A-Christmas-Carol-posterAdapted from Charles Dickens‘s famous novel by the same name; though numerous films are made based on it but this one is my favorite till date.

Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, and a great performance by Alastair Sim, the story of an old bitter miser named Scrooge, who on the Christmas-eve is being haunted by three ghosts!

3. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePa6nx7T76w

Christmas-in-Connecticut-posterA famous food writer who claims to be a brilliant cook is giving a traditional family Christmas invitation for a returning war hero and her boss, but unfortunately the truth is she cannot cook at all!

Directed by Peter Godfrey, and starring Barbara StanwyckDennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet, a classic comedy drama focused on the day of Christmas. 

2. Babes in Toyland (1934)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWAmlPclDPg

Babes-in-Toyland-posterStan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, the classic Laurel & Hardy combination that has given us numerous laugh riots is all set this Christmas to save their beloved ‘toyland’ from the clutches of the bogeymen. 

Directed by Gus Meins and Charley Rogers, a film that is funny and scary at the same time, and obviously a perfect Christmas special watch (though actually the story takes place in July).

  1. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ce_op2qG24

miracle-on-threefourth-street-posterAn old man is institutionalized when he claims to be the Santa Claus, every body thinks he is insane.

But then a young lawyer decides to defend him and argues in the courtroom that may be he is really THE Santa Claus.

Directed by George Seaton, starring Edmund Gwenn,  Maureen O’Hara,  John Paynea film specially made for all you Christmas romantics. 

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch).

+1. The Thin Man (1934)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqpO6mx8WCE

thin-man-posterDirected by W.S. Van Dyke, if you want your Christmas to be with a hint of excitement, this light hearted murder mystery is exactly the one you are looking for.

And William Powell and Myrna Loy together, they have the best on screen chemistry ever seen. 

A detective suspense thriller with a comic touch. A perfect Christmas special.

Poster courtesy: www.doctormacro.comwww.impawards.comwww.imdb.comen.wikipedia.orgwww.filmtotaal.nlthethinman1934.com.

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Katharine Hepburn – from ‘box office poison’ to ‘greatest female star’ of hollywood

Katharine Hepburn – from ‘box office poison’ to ‘greatest female star’ of Hollywood.

written by Souranath Banerjee

After inquiring onto whom i am writing about today, one of my dear friend asked me ‘Did you mean Audrey Hepburn? I know Marilyn MonroeElizabeth Taylor, even Sophia Loren but who is Katharine Hepburn?’

Hepburn5Well, i don’t blame my friend since firstly he is not too much into Hollywood movies and secondly, lets face it – Katharine Hepburn’s visual image is not as popular as some of her contemporary heroines mentioned above.

Katharine Hepburn was neither a style-icon like Audrey Hepburn, nor a diva like Marilyn or a sexy siren like Elizabeth Taylor or Sofia Loren.

But undoubtedly she was one damn good actress!

A career that ran for more than six decades, in which she was nominated 12 times for the Oscars in the ‘Best Actress’ category and won 4 of them. This is the record maximum number of Oscars won by any performer (actor/actress) till date.

Hepburn4In 1999, Katharine Hepburn was named by the American Film Institute as the ‘greatest female star in Hollywood History’, beating popular actresses like Bette Davis and Ingrid Bergman for the top spot.

Her career though began with initial success wasn’t all smooth and up-hill throughout her life.

Within a couple of years into Hollywood, Katharine won her first Oscar for her performance in Morning Glory (1933). It was her third film!

But then her career took a down fall and most of her films didn’t do well in the box-office. And on top of that she had problems with the press. She was too straightforward (often rude) to the reporters and the american audience didn’t seem to like her attitude. 

Hepburn-Stewart-posterEventually her unpopular image was blamed for most of her film’s failures and the Hollywood big-shot Production Houses reacted to it.

Katharine Hepburn was soon termed as the ‘box office poison’ and her film offers quickly dried out.

But it was certainly not the end of her career; far from it.

She planned her mega-comeback with the help of Howard Hughes (her partner at the time) who bought her the rights of the famous play The Philadelphia Story.

the-philadelphia-story-posterKatharine eventually sold the film-rights of the play to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on condition that she would be the star of the film. She also choose the director (George Cukor) and the stars Cary Grant and James Stewart.

In the film The Philadelphia Story (1940) she skillfully crafted her character so that the audience would laugh at her and eventually sympathize. And that’s exactly what happened!

The film became the top grossing movie of that year; she was nominated for the Oscars for her brilliant performance but more importantly she was welcomed back by the press and the audience.

lion-in-winter-posterAnd then there was no looking back for Hepburn. Throughout the 50s and the mid 60s she gave one hit after another – The African QueenSummertime, The RainmakerSuddenly, Last SummerLong Day’s Journey Into Night and many more. For most of these films she was nominated at the Oscars!

But her real success came in the late 60s when she bagged two back to back Oscars for the films Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968). She scooped another Oscar towards the end of her career for the film On Golden Pond (1981). 

Tracy-Hepburn-posterHepburn was a very private person, never liked to be bothered by reporters or her fans. Her twenty-seven years relationship with Spencer Tracy was kept a secret from the public for a long time!

Though married once early in her life Hepburn never had any children. She believed that motherhood to be a full-time commitment and said she was not ready for it.

She was claimed to be an headstrong person who was honest and blunt with her comments. She had great work ethics and was always enthusiastic about her projects.

Hepburn3Films, theaters, television – she kept herself busy with work till the last years of her life.

On June 29, 2003 when Katharine Hepburn died (at the age of 96), American president George W. Bush said Hepburn “will be remembered as one of the nation’s artistic treasures.” 

Her witty remarks were always impressive.

“I strike people as peculiar in some way, although I don’t quite understand why. Of course, I have an angular face, an angular body and, I suppose, an angular personality, which jabs into people.” 

PS – Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film The Aviator (2004) which was made on life of Howard HughesCate Blanchett‘s portrayed Katharine Hepburn. And that makes Cate the first performer to win an Oscar for playing a real-life Oscar Winner!

A few famous scenes from the film The Philadelphia Story.

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