Holiday Affair (1949)

All anybody wants is for you to live in the present and not be afraid of the future. Directed by Don Hartman and written by Isobel Lennart and John D. Weaver, Holiday Affair stars Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh and Wendell Corey. Story finds Leigh as Connie, a widower with a young son still trying to get over the death of her husband. Semi-courting the safe and reliable Carl (Corey), Connie's head is spun when she meets the more macho and up-front Steve (Mitchum). This is all she needs at Christmas time! A lovely Christmas Cracker of a movie, Holiday Affair never over eggs the eggnog with the love triangle axis beating at the core story. The spectre of grief is a prominent character here, where thankfully the writers have come up with a smart and respectful screenplay that's blessed with quality actors able to make the script have resonance. The seasonal staging is delightful, especially when involving a white coated Central Park. Comedy is also rife, none more so than during a court hearing sequence when Harry Morgan pops in to add his delightful wry skills. The wonder of toys and trees, of snow and ice, of families and love, all come together in a seasonal film that should be on every movie lovers list of Xmas films to see. 8/10

This is one of Janet Leigh's more endearing roles - sandwiched, as she is, between the rather dull but reliable attorney "Carl" (Wendell Corey) and the slightly enigmatic "Mason" (Robert Mitchum). It starts when she, "Connie", engaged as a sort of modern day secret shopper, is unmasked in a department store by salesman who instead of dobbing her in, keeps quiet and gets fired for his troubles. The pair go on a date, he meets her young son "Timmy" (Gordon Gebert) and soon she has another man in her life... The film looks at her tussle between the safe and the unknown - and also takes a little look at her own character (previously widowed and reluctant to take the plunge again!). The star of the show, for me anyway, is the young boy. A natural in front of a camera, working well with two experienced stars in a fashion that I found most engaging. His are the last few scenes that gently deliver the common sense that we have long since all to easily guessed will prevail. The ending's a bit rushed, I thought - but a good quick-fire scene from an incredulous police lieutenant Harry Morgan and some fun with a train set make this a better than average Christmas feel-good drama.