Love these old films especially in black and white. ‘Since You Went Away’ with Claudette Colbert,Shirley Temple and Jennifer Jones is about a single mum with two girls who takes in a surprising boarder into the house to make ends meet.  It’s war time and her husband is away on duty.  A real family film with alot of heart.

 

The Shop Around The Corner with James Stewart and Maureen O’sullavan is so good it was remade three times.  With Judy Garland in the 50s ‘Good Old Summertime’ and Meg Ryan in the 90s ‘You’ve Got Mail’.The film is about two loneley hearts who work in the same department store but actually can’t stand each other.  Each has a pen pal that they write letters to.  Romance blossoms in these letters.  They do not realise that they are really writing the love letters to each other.  One night a blind date is arranged at the cafe in the shop around the corner.  Hence the title.

 

‘The Gaye Sisters’ with Barbara Stanwyck has her trying desperately to prevent the family home which she shares with her two sisters from being sold to developers after her parents die.  She is a divorcee with a son that her ex husband doesn’t know about yet it is to the ex that she must turn for help in saving the estate.  He’s a brilliant lawyer and charming to boot.  Played by the delectable George Brent.

‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ stars Ginger Rogers as state prisoner released on a good behaviour bond to her sister and brother in law for the Christmas period.  She meets a soldier on leave played by Joseph Cotton and naturally is afraid to tell him the truth.  These two are quite an intense pairing but the film works.

 

This one is not black and white but is totally worthy of being called a classic Christmas movie.  ‘All This and Heaven Too’ starring Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman.  A real weepie and terribly romantic.  It’s about a widow living in a lovely big house all alone in the lead up to Christmas who hires a gardener.  The gardener is tall , dark and handsome Rock Hudson.  Gradually they begin to fall for each other which worries her neighbours and friends.  He’s not quite in their league.  Even her grown up children try to sabotage the relationship.

 

‘By The Light Of The Silvery Moon’ Doris Day and Gordon MaCRae. A real boy meets girl,boy loses girl ,boy get’s girl movie.  Great for the whole family and also in full technicolour.  Doris plays a tomboy girl who loves climbing trees and fixing cars.  Her boyfriend finds her a little embarrassing. They have a fight and she flirts with someone else to make him jealous.  The plan is not fool proof, however, and their relationship becomes quite an obstacle course.

These are just a few but there are many many more not on this list. I’m adding some other classic movie stills here for you to look up over the holiday period.  Happy viewing to one and all.