December 14th 2013. Pick of the Day.
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New and continuing series this most holy of SantaCon observances include Film Forum's month-long trib to Barbara Stanwyck, the Film Society's equally massive George Cukor retrospective, that same institution's series dedicated to the collaborations of filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and muse Liv Ullmann, and Anthology Film Archives' revisit of the impressive CV of one Delmer Daves. The tomfoolery looks a little somethin' like this;
IFC Center
THE CHASE (1966) Dir; Arthur Penn
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) Dir; Frank Capra
MS. 45 (1981) Dir; Abel Ferrara
BARON BLOOD (1972) Dir; Mario Bava
Film Forum
BALL OF FIRE (1941) Dir; Howard Hawks
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) Dir; Nicholas Ray
LADY OF BURLESQUE (1943) Dir; William Wellman
Anthology Film Archives
YOUNGLBOOD HAWKE (1964) Dir; Delmer Daves
A SUMMER PLACE (1959) Dir; Delmer Daves
THE HANGING TREE (1959) Dir; Delmer Daves
Film Society of Lincoln Center
THE PASSION OF ANNA (1969) Dir; Ingmar Bergman
THE WOMEN (1939) Dir; George Cukor
HOUR OF THE WOLF (1968) Dir; Ingmar Bergman
ADAM'S RIB (1949) Dir; George Cukor
SHAME (1968) Dir; Ingmar Bergman
PAT AND MIKE (1952) Dir; George Cukor
Landmark Jersey Loews
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947) Dir; George Seaton
Landmark Sunshine Cinema
FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) Dir; Sean Cunningham
Nitehawk Cinema
THX-1138 (1971) Dir; George Lucas
Today's Pick? In defense of what even a godless heathen like myself still considers one of the true bright spots on the calendar, the Xmas season, and as direct excoriation of this foullest of days for workers in the service industry, perhaps worse than the collected shenanigans of St. Pat's and New Year's Eve combined, that debauched dreadnought known as SantaCon, I choose one of the truly magical works of holiday cinema, what may well be my choice for the greatest Xmas film of them all, and that's a mighty competitive field.
What makes this film truly exceptional, apart from the fine perfs from the sturdy John Payne, the criminally gorgeous Maureen O'Hara, the gleaming movie mite Natalie Wood and the Oscar-winning Edmund Gwenn, the solid, original script from director George Seaton and the indelible capturing of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade circa 1946, is its theme; why faith is of such dire import in an increasingly cynical world. Why fables, myths and legends are so crucial to understanding our modern world, why we need them. Why symbols help keep the world civilized, why they remind us constantly of the better ways we might live, the better world we might build.
Its script's conceit is brilliant, and would be borrowed some 40 years later by Terry Gilliam for his BARON MUNCHAUSEN; the legend shows himself in the flesh to argue not merely his case but his very existence, and in Santa's case no lesser an institution that the United States Gov't must decide his status as actual entity or other. Yeh, I know what you're thinkin'. Preachy bastard, ain't he? I apologize for naught. The term Movie Magic is one that gets bandied around fairly routinely and to the detriment of its meaning, but should you decide to experience first-hand what that term actually means drag yourself through the snowstorm & the sea of red-suited imposters and head to Journal Square for a taste of the real magic. God knows I've been a recovering Irish Catholic for the bulk of my adulthood, but I still believe in Santa Claus.
George Seaton's MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947) screens tonight at the Landmark Jersey Loews. What better way to kick off the 12 days of Xmas, I ask ye?
For more info on these and all NYC's classic screenings in December '13 click the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. And be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter! Back tomorrow with a new Pick, til then wear yer gloves n' galoshes and advise the other children do likewise.
-Joe Walsh
