When St. Nick is looking for a happy XXXmas...

 

(Art by Peter van Straaten, Text by Steve Miller)

He's making a list...

 

(Art by Peter van Straaten, Text by Steve Miller)

Happy Christmas in July!

Carole Lombard is the official gift-bringer for this bonus Christmas celebration for those who just can't trim trees and hang stockings with care just once a year! (And if you don't mysteriously find presents somewhere in your house, it's because you didn't put up a tree or leave a Yellow Parrot cocktail and cherry tarts for her to enjoy.)

The Spirit of Christmas...

... is roaming the land, spreading light in the darkness.

We wish that all visitors to Shades of Gray have a joyous Christmas!

It's Fanny Friday!

 

Christmas is coming...

 ... and Cassie was surprised when we told her that she may have taken our conversations about celebrating Christmas with just the bare essentials the wrong way.

Musical Monday with the Pogues

Guest performer on "A Fairytale of New York" Kristy McColl has described it as " a Christmas song for those who hate Christmas songs". Others (unknown if they hate Christmas songs or love Christmas songs) stumble toward the fainting couch or wet themselves, because the lyrics are outrageous (OUTRAGEOUS!) and offensive because they include one character in the song insulting another as they fight by calling him a "faggot" (right after he calls her a "slut").

We like the song and we think it's clear that those who are pitching fits over that word need to get over themselves and haven't actually listened to the lyrics or are too stupid to understand a thing called "context". 

And we hope they never come upon a whole host of rap songs. Or even some nursery rhymes.

Hell, if someone with a brain was looking for a reason to take offense at this song, there's a MUCH more serious reason to do so, if you choose to interpert the story of the song in a particular way. But requires listening and thinking... something most people don't do these days. (Now, we still think anyone who's wailing and gnashing their teeth are behaving like idiots and haven't put enough thought into their reaction, but at least they would have put SOME thought into it.)

But take a look at this great video and listen to this fine song. Or not.

A Fairytale of New York (1987)
Starring: The Pogues, Shane MacGowan, Kristy McColl, and Matt Dillon
Director: Peter Dougherty

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Christmas is Coming...

 ... and Vera-Ellen is here to let you know that the Big Day will be here before you know it!

Christmas is Coming!

She sees you when you're sleeping. She knows when you're awake.

She knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake.

Norma Shearer is coming to town!

Musical Monday with Bing Crosby

 Straight from 1942, we have Bing and a babe looking forward to Christmas!

Christmas is coming...

... and Myrna Dell is out hunting for our Christmas tree!

Are YOU getting ready?

Musical Monday with Matt Wheeler

Matt Wheeler is a Pennsylvania-based musician and singer who amuses himself (and entertains us) by posting videos of him performing aucoustic cover songs. He's here to help get the Christmas Season off to a good start with a medley of Christmas songs which includes one of my favorites, "We Three Kings".

A PSA from Flapper Fanny...

 

Christmas with Jesus & Mo

A VERY JESUS & MO CHRISTMAS

 

If Santa didn't make it to your house this Christmas Eve...

 ... blame Yvonne Craig.

While it's true that Santa did not bring her the gifts she wanted, there's no excuse for her decapitating him.

May You Have a Mysteriously Merry Christmas!

 

Christmas is here!

We hope you're ready for all the merriment and that you have cookies selected to leave out for Santa!

'A Trap for Santa Claus' is a cute little drama

A Trap for Santa Claus (1909)
Starring: Marion Leonard, Gladys Egan, Henry B. Walthall, John Tansey, William J. Butler, and Mack Sennett
Director: D.W. Griffith
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

After a deadbeat husband and father (Wathall) abandons his wife (Leonard) and children (Egan and Tansey), the woman inherits a mansion and a fortune from her aunt. They are all unexpectedly reunited on Christmas Eve when the man tries to burglarize the home that, unbeknownst to him, his family is now living in.

"A Trap for Santa Claus" is a fast-moving short film from a filmmaker who helped create the visual language of cinema. Although less innovative than works that would follow later, this cute little Christmas film is full of scenes that are framed and performed by actors who are more effectively blocked and directed for film than was typical in films of this vintage. 

As should be expected, there are aspects that have not aged well. Among these are some pantomiming by adult stars Marion Leonard and Henry B. Wathall, as they successfully convey plot points and emotions with gestures. This aspect of their performances will not seem as annoying as it might in some films, because it's balanced out by the effective blocking and more natural gestures and subdued character interactions than was common during this period. The two child actors featured also give performances that feel less overblown than one might expect -- and they even server as effective comic relief as the story moves into its climactic sequence. (John Tansey even does a pratfall with a style that one wouldn't think an 8-year-old would possess!)

I was torn between assigning this film a Six or Seven Star rating. I eventually decided to go with the lower of the two, because, although I appreciate the quick pacing of the film and the universally good performances by the entire cast, the pat happy ending that arises from a Christmas Miracle of coincidences was just a bit much for me. I know this is a Christmas story, so I expected there to be redemption and forgiveness for the deadbeat dad before the film was over, but it felt unearned and too easy. The ending isn't terrible, but I think the century that's passed since this film was released, and the many Christmas movies that have followed, have upped expectations from fare like this. (Of course, with its running time of 15 minutes, there also wasn't a whole lot of time to fit in a proper redemption arc.)

In the final analysis, though, this is a film that's still worth watching, and we've embedded it below for your convenience. Pour yourself a glass of eggnog, sit back, and enjoy!

Christmas is coming...

 ... and Dorothy Lee is getting annoyed at the daily reminders floating around the Shades of Gray offices.

Meanwhile, Loretta Young is getting ready to help delivering gifts to all the good boys and girls as this year's Santa's Helper!

Christmas is coming...

 ... and for one young lady, it won't just be the weather that's frightful. Because she's spending Christmas in... the Twilight Zone.