What Is Your All Time Favorite Christmas/Holiday Movie?

[MrMiniver]

Didn't Laurence Olivies wife, Joan Plowright, say that LO and Danny Kaye were lovers?

 

There's no doubt that Danny Kaye was gay, or at least bisexual. And I'm fairly certain that his death was from AIDS-related causes but was covered up (I would have thought someone would have written that story yet but the bottom line is that Danny Kaye has faded from view and no one is interested in him or his career any more). But he and Olivier together is one of the BIGGER urban legends that gets repeated again and again.

[MrMiniver]

Most of his films are forgotten today, even "Hans Christian Anderson." Danny Kaye had a successful variety show on CBS for four-five years, and a famous TV special with Lucille Ball. His first major success was on Broadway in Kurt Weill's "Lady in the Dark" with Gertrude Lawrence.

 

But, in later years, Danny Kaye's huge ego was apparent in TV interviews especially during the time he volunteered for UNICEP.

 

Ironic that he is fanous now only because of Olivier to whom he will always take second billing.

 

Frankly, he was a nasty piece of work. And he was very unliked in Hollywood. Which is why when he finally got an Honorary Oscar (for his humanitarianism) the audience stayed in their seats and refused to give him a standing ovation. Sort of like Elaine Stritch in the Broadway community but not more so. I tried to interview him on several occasions for books I was working on and he was impossible. Wouldn't answer the questions, went off on tangents, had all sorts of conditions, it was awful.

 

Almost everyone I have met from the "Golden Age" of films have been wonderful, friendly people. He is one of 2 or 3 exceptions. It's hard to imagine another star who shone as brightly in his time who is so forgotten today. Heck, even Norma Shearer (deservedly) has more admirers today than Danny Kaye!

[MrMiniver]

I don't remember him having a huge ego. But I don't remember interviews of his that well. Didn't he conduct orchestras but couldn't read music? I think I remember an interview with some famous conductor remarking what a great conductor Kaye was and lamenting his lack of formal musical knowledge.

 

I remember seeing The Court Jester and Hans Christian Anderson probably on the late movie when I was a child . I really liked them then. I remember Danny Kaye as much as I remember any of the older generation song and dance men. I mean Bob Hope and Bing Crosby are special. But Danny Kaye, Red Buttons, Van Johnson (supposedly a closeted gay guy), Milton Berle, Red Skelton, Bud Abbot, Lew Costello, and etc are all still memorable to me although I wouldn't expect someone in their 20's to 30's to be that familiar with them unless they are old film buffs. But youngsters that age might not know Doris Day, Lucille Ball, or Carol Burnett either. They don't even know who Johnny Carson is for the most part.

 

Gman

 

I blame it on the media and on educators who don't seem to think that if it didn't happen in last 4 years it isn't worth talking about. That's why I teach film history and not film technique. We need to educate younger people on the greats of 20th century entertainment. We have more choices available now than ever before but less attention is paid to the older stuff.

 

It's all very sad but don't get me started. I know dance students in my school who've never seen a Fred Astaire movie!

[+ Gar1eth]

As a film professor, I'll beg to differ. I can't think of anyone supposedly straight (which he wasn't in real life, of course) playing so effeminate as Kaye does in that film. And it's just not in the Sisters number. He overly does it throughout the film. Even the dance numbers, he's very very effeminate compared to the other dancers of the time. But far apart from that, I find his schtick really unpleasant to watch. He has become so badly dated in a way that others of the period are not. He was "of his time" and his style of "entertainment" has not held up particularly well. I think it's why he is not as fondly remembered -- generally speaking -- as others of the period.

 

 

We will have to agree to disagree. I enjoy his performances very much.

 

Gman

[+ WilliamM]

We will have to agree to disagree. I enjoy his performances very much.

 

Superb response. No wonder you have so many 'likes' here.

[Tonyko]

Frankly, he was a nasty piece of work. And he was very unliked in Hollywood. Which is why when he finally got an Honorary Oscar (for his humanitarianism) the audience stayed in their seats and refused to give him a standing ovation. Sort of like Elaine Stritch in the Broadway community but not more so. I tried to interview him on several occasions for books I was working on and he was impossible. Wouldn't answer the questions, went off on tangents, had all sorts of conditions, it was awful.

 

Almost everyone I have met from the "Golden Age" of films have been wonderful, friendly people. He is one of 2 or 3 exceptions. It's hard to imagine another star who shone as brightly in his time who is so forgotten today. Heck, even Norma Shearer (deservedly) has more admirers today than Danny Kaye!

Well REALITY is most ppl know little and care little of the personal lives from the Golden Age and those who do MUST seperate at least "I" do or I'd never watch a Kazan directed film, vile as I found his politics can I say On The Waterfront or Streetcar were bad?? And love Ginger Rogers despite her and the Mom's conservative pro HUAC stance too, etc. Same with Mildred Pierce and Going My Way given what we know about Crawford and Crosby etc, and I'm SURE if in another life I'd worked with Miss Davis I'd have detested her too from what I've heard. (Celeste Holm was a neighbor of my Uncle's all of my life the floor above, LOVELY lady and a real lady, luv her talking about first day of A.A.Eve walking in with a cheery "Good Morning" and Bette commenting "Oh Crap. Manners". (not to me personally she said to R Osborne lol) Got to meet Van Johnson there once too when I was young, lovely man. (and he didn't lay a hand on me btw lol but he DID talk to me a lot) Bottom line I think HOW they were personally has little to do with their popularity today, it's the popularity and play their work gets that decides that I think since most who knew them personally are long gone

*I also disagree re Kaye I just was never thrown by a femme performance think it twas a gentler time and many funnymen came off that way from Skelton back to Chaplan, just like Betty Hutton (I try to turn as MANY buds as I can onto her films!) sometimes came off a tad butch lol.

* And I knew Ms. Stritch but only in way later years a relative did Night Music with her as did a dear bud who grew close to her and from what I could see ALL adored her including me lol, BUT she was over eighty and perhaps the fight was out of her and I could on occasion see "glimmers" of the lady some co-workers in the past probably took issue with she did speak her mind lol, but "I" found that funny. But I get that at FORTY it maybe wasn't so funny

[+ WilliamM]

I also disagree re Kaye I just was never thrown by a femme performance think it twas a gentler time and many funnymen came off that way from Skelton back to Chaplan..

 

Insightful post, sorry I only copied the part about Danny Kaye. I saw "White Christmas" in a theater when it was released in 1954. I was eleven years old. Kaye's performance was not much different from other comics whom I saw on TV. It was and is a family Christmas film!

[+ WilliamM]

It's all very sad but don't get me started. I know dance students in my school who've never seen a Fred Astaire movie

 

I have had more experience than you. Just because dance students have yet to see an Astaire film absolutely does not mean that some of those students will see his films in the future and like them very much.

[+ WilliamM]

But youngsters that age might not know Doris Day, Lucille Ball, or Carol Burnett either.

 

They probably would not know the name Lucille Ball, but "I Love Lucy" has become so much a part of the culture, that is something most would know. I turn to "I Love Lucy" when all else fails.

[Moondance]

Youngsters that age [in their 20s and 30s]might not know Doris Day, Lucille Ball, or Carol Burnett...

 

It's even worse than that. A few months ago I was talking with a young woman (in her early 20s) who is a trainer at my gym. I made a reference to Richard Gere (I can't remember why; I hope I wasn't talking to her about him doing push-ups in a jockstrap in Looking for Mr. Goodbar ... although I do like thinking of that) ...

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gESD1wkyrz8/SKUz1J_DbiI/AAAAAAAAB3o/Y8kDtR00u7s/s1600/Richard+Gere+push+ups.png

 

... anyway ... she had never heard of Richard Gere! (Mentioning Pretty Woman didn't help; she hadn't heard of that either.) Now I'm tempted to ask her about Doris, Lucy and Carol, but it might be awkward. Just last week she wrote an inspirational quote from Amelia Earhart on the chalkboard in the gym lobby ... which prompted a comment from me on the mystery of what became of Earhart ... which, in turn, prompted a blank stare from her.

 

[Apologies for inserting Richard Gere's ass into a thread about Christmas movies, although my best guess is that most of you won't mind, and that some of you would have gone and Googled it if I had mentioned it without a picture. ]

[+ Gar1eth]

It's even worse than that. A few months ago I was talking with a young woman (in her early 20s) who is a trainer at my gym. I made a reference to Richard Gere (I can't remember why; I hope I wasn't talking to her about him doing push-ups in a jockstrap in Looking for Mr. Goodbar ... although I do like thinking of that) ...

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gESD1wkyrz8/SKUz1J_DbiI/AAAAAAAAB3o/Y8kDtR00u7s/s1600/Richard+Gere+push+ups.png

 

... anyway ... she had never heard of Richard Gere! (Mentioning Pretty Woman didn't help; she hadn't heard of that either.) Now I'm tempted to ask her about Doris, Lucy and Carol, but it might be awkward. Just last week she wrote an inspirational quote from Amelia Earhart on the chalkboard in the gym lobby ... which prompted a comment from me on the mystery of what became of Earhart ... which, in turn, prompted a blank stare from her.

 

[Apologies for inserting Richard Gere's ass into a thread about Christmas movies, although my best guess is that most of you won't mind, and that some of you would have gone and Googled it if I had mentioned it without a picture. ]

 

 

I only saw the network TV showing of this. Was this part-or rather this part of Gere:p kept in?

 

Gman

[BigAppleJay]

Ebbie, a twist on the classic A Christmas Carol starring the ever fantastic and fabulous Ms. Susan Lucci.

[Wolfer]

The Muppet's Christmas Carol. I absolutely adore it. Makes me all warm, fuzzy and gooey inside.

[Rod Hagen]

Bad Santa. Definitely.

[MagicTony]

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Elf

Any Futurama Christmas episode

[+ WilliamM]

 

Danny Kaye is mystery guest on "What's My Line."

 

People can judge for themselves how feminine Danny is as himself, rather in film where is playing a character.

 

We also do not know what the studio and director wanted from Danny Kaye. Until now the assumption seems to be they needed him so badly to replace Astaire, people let him create the role as he pleased.

[+ friendofsheila]

.... my soon-to-be-released yet-to-be titled porn movie in which i flip fuck in front of a Christmas tree. It was filmed at my house in front of my very own Christmas tree, ......

 

For real??

[+ friendofsheila]

 

 

 

People can judge for themselves how feminine Danny is as himself, rather in film where is playing a character.

 

 

I'd say this is still a performance, since he IS on TV.

 

I'd also say to read what Farley Granger wrote about working with him: which was that Kaye struck him as not quite straight, but not quite gay either.

[+ friendofsheila]

If I don't have a movie to go to, I just like to watch some gigantic spectacle on dvd. It takes me to another land for a while.

[+ friendofsheila]

Ebbie, a twist on the classic A Christmas Carol starring the ever fantastic and fabulous Ms. Susan Lucci.

 

I remember seeing the ads for this up in LA when it came out. I can't believe anyone else remembers this.

[+ Gar1eth]

I'd say this is still a performance, since he IS on TV.

 

I'd also say to read what Farley Granger wrote about working with him: which was that Kaye struck him as not quite straight, but not quite gay either.

 

Wasn't Farley supposed to be a good Friend of Dorothy too?

 

Gman

[+ friendofsheila]

Wasn't Farley supposed to be a good Friend of Dorothy too?

 

Gman

 

FG claimed to "have loved women and loved men."

[+ Gar1eth]

 

Danny Kaye is mystery guest on "What's My Line."

 

People can judge for themselves how feminine Danny is as himself, rather in film where is playing a character.

 

We also do not know what the studio and director wanted from Danny Kaye. Until now the assumption seems to be they needed him so badly to replace Astaire, people let him create the role as he pleased.

 

I'd say this is still a performance, since he IS on TV.

 

I'd also say to read what Farley Granger wrote about working with him: which was that Kaye struck him as not quite straight, but not quite gay either.

 

My four thoughts on the clip are-

 

He doesn't seem gay to me.

 

Ok he seems as gay as Tony Randall (and boy wasn't he handsome back in the day).

 

The only thing that seems gay about him to me is that he wears a pinky ring.

 

I could easily picture Robin Williams acting in a similar fashion-if not wilder-if he had been famous back then. And as far as we know, Robin wasn't gay or bisexual although I think I have seen pictures of him with a pinky ring....hmmm:rolleyes:

 

 

Gman

[bobchitown]

I'm a big fan of "Santa came twice" which may be related to "Pornochio, its not his nose that grows". Porn is so boring these days.

[+ WilliamM]

I'd say this is still a performance, since he IS on TV.

 

And Danny Kaye was also performing in "White Christmas," a performance that MrMiniver so dislikes.