‘Christmas in Connecticut’: THR’s 1945 Review

On July 27, 1945, Warner Bros. debuted the romantic comedy Christmas in Connecticut at the Strand Theatre in New York. The Hollywood Reporter‘s original review, titled “‘Christmas In Connecticut’ Should Jingle BO Bells – Sure-Fire Comedy Abounds in Credits,” is below: 

Broad farce played to a fare-thee-well by Barbara Stanwyck, S.Z. Sakall, Sydney Greenstreet and Reginald Gardner. Played strictly for laughs, belly type, it’s an audience winner from way back in the balcony. What can you lose?

The premise for this lightweight nonsense is that a gal who writes a homey column about her farm in Connecticut, her husband and her child, is forced to deliver same on orders from her boss to entertain a returned Marine hero over Christmas. She manages to pick up a “husband” who has a farm. She brings along the chef who has given her all her recipes and the baby, or rather babies, are provided by mothers who work in defense factories. All this is complicated by the fact that the gal falls in love with the Marine and then, it seems, he’s engaged. Well, hang on to your hats, boys, the whole thing turns out happily and in style.

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The Warners stock company is out in full force to make this a full farce. Stanwyck has herself a time romping through the part of the girl. S.Z. Sakall has himself a field day as the chef. Sydney Greenstreet bellows his way through the role of the mastermind magazine publisher. Reginald Gardiner as the would-be husband and [100] percent architect breezes along.

Dennis Morgan is a relief and attractive as the only straight man in the show. Una O’Connor does her bit as a housekeep and Dick Elliott, Joyce Compton, Robert Shayne and Charles Arnt all contribute to the laud laughter.

Peter Godfrey paces the picture at a fast clip and the writing is laden with fun stuff. Carl Guthrie’s photography is okay and the production abounds in credits for Stanley Fleischer’s art direction, Casey Roberts’ set decorations and Edith Head’s gowns. The song by Jack Scholl and M.K. Jerome give[s] Dennis Morgan a chance to sing. More than that it does not do … at least in the picture. — Staff byline, originally published on July 17, 1945.