The Christmas Wish (1950)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The Christmas wish |
| Original title | The Great Rupert / A Christmas Wish |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1950 |
| length | 87 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Irving Pichel |
| script | László Vadnay |
| production | George Pal |
| music | Leith Stevens |
| camera | Lionel Lindon |
| cut | Duke Goldstone |
| occupation | |
| |
The Christmas Wish (also known as The Magical Squirrel and the original titles The Great Rupert and A Christmas Wish ) is an American family comedy directed by Irving Pichel from 1950, based on the story Willie the Squowse by Ted Allan .
action
The unsuccessful vaudeville artist Joe Mahoney is working on a show number with Rupert , a dancing squirrel. However, no producer wants to be interested in Mahoney's plans and he falls behind with his rent, so that his stingy landlord Frank Dingle throws him out. Dingle lives next door with his wife Katie and their son Peter, who himself is unsuccessfully working on a career as a composer. By investing wisely in a gold mine, Mr. Dingle receives 1,500 US dollars a week (around 15,000 US dollars in today's terms), but the curmudgeon keeps the money hidden from his family in the wall of the house. With a heavy heart, Joe Mahoney lets his squirrel Rupert run in the park.
The Amendola family of three acrobats arrives in town, and they have seen better days financially. They meet their old artist friend Mahoney, who tells them that his old apartment has just become vacant. Without money they manage to rent the dingles, also because the pretty daughter Rosalinde Amendola quickly turns Peter's head. Still, the family's financial situation remains tense and Mrs. Amendola even prays for a miracle. In fact, $ 1,500 fell from the ceiling. The reason is the squirrel Rupert, who quickly returned from the park to his old home and nestled behind Mr. Dingle's house wall, of all places. Every Thursday afternoon, when Mr. Dingle deposits his weekly incoming money there, Rupert moves the $ 1,500 from his nest through a hole in the Amendolas' household. But the artist family doesn't know anything about it, instead they consider it a miracle of heaven.
Soon the Amendolas have so much money that they can not only live carefree themselves, but also make substantial charitable donations and invest in the city's business. Meanwhile, Rosalinda tries to advance her own career and goes out with theater producer Davis, which in turn makes Peter very jealous. Peter looks for a job and tries to get into the oil business, but his stingy father doesn't want to lend him the money he needs, but the friendly Mr. Amendola does. Its sudden wealth attracts the attention of the police, FBI and tax authorities , who suspect criminal machinations behind it. Mr. Amendola is threatened with arrest because the story of money fell from the sky naturally sounds implausible.
When Rupert takes a lit match into his nest, a fire breaks out in the Amendolas and Dingles' house. A desperate Mr. Dingle thinks all his money is lost. But it is slowly dawning on everyone where the Amendolas' money came from, and those in charge of the police, FBI and tax authorities then drop the matter. Mr. Amendola has become a rich man by investing with Dingle's money and is rebuilding his house as a friendship service. But Peter's oil business is now also running successfully and one of his songs made it to the radio. To the delight of both families, Peter proposes marriage to Rosalinda. The story also ends well for the squirrel Rupert: a fireman was able to save him from the burning house and his old owner Joe takes him back after receiving an offer for Rupert from the circus. The two develop into a major attraction.
background
For film producer George Pal , who had made a name for himself with his Puppetoon short films, this was his first feature film. Later, Pal became known mainly as a producer of science fiction films and fantasy films. In the same year he also shot the science fiction film Endstation Mond with director Pichel . Irving Pichel worked as an actor before his directing career and also made a cameo as a confused passerby in The Christmas Wish .
The film was shot in 1948, but did not celebrate its cinema premiere until early 1950 under the title The Great Rupert . Although it was not originally intended to be a Christmas film , as evidenced by its post-Christmas premiere, it was later viewed and marketed as such.
Reviews
Bosley Crowther was generally benevolent in the New York Times of April 14, 1950. The film is good family entertainment, although Irving Pichel's direction is sometimes stiff and sometimes even amateurish. But The Great Rupert has an innocent aura about it that makes the film untouchable. Crowther also found praise for the entire cast, as Moore and Drake are delightful lovers. Jimmy Durante would be good even if he read a phone book, and in this film the comedian would get a lot more opportunities.
Leonard Maltin described the film as an “acceptable fantasy comedy” and gave it two and a half stars out of four. Although main actor Jimmy Durante is in top form, the story would run out of air towards the end.
Web links
- The Christmas wish in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ The Great Rupert (1950) - Articles - TCM.com. Retrieved November 1, 2017 .
- ^ The Great Rupert (1950) IMDb Release. Retrieved November 1, 2017 .
- ^ The Great Rupert (1950) IMDb Trivua. Retrieved November 1, 2017 .
- ↑ 'The Great Rupert,' With Jimmy Durante as Bright Spot, Palace's New Feature - NYTimes.com. Retrieved November 1, 2017 .
- ^ The Great Rupert (1950) - Overview - TCM.com. Retrieved November 1, 2017 .