Preston Sturges: Hollywood's Everyman

Submitted by Chris on July 11, 2011 - 3:51pm
in
Preston Sturges: Hollywood's Everyman
Director Preston Sturges, ca. 1940

Baby, It's Not Cold Outside. But we need a little Christmas anyway.

The term Christmas in July can be traced to Southern hemisphere celebrations -- for countries that celebrate Christmas but where the winter months fall around July. In the U.S., sponsoring a Christmas in July celebration became popular at summer camps for children in the 1920s and 30s. But it took a Hollywood film directed by Preston Sturges to turn the phrase into a part of the vernacular of the common people. Which is appropriate since Sturges prided himself on being a member of the hoi polloi.

Christmas in July tells the story of a regular guy who, through a prank at work, spends himself into serious debt because he believes he's become wealthy overnight. It's a gem of a film from a director who made only a handful of films -- each one revered by academics and cinephiles. Our Tuesday night KnitFlix this month (July 12) will present Christmas in July. Bring some knitting or other favored handwork (or just bring your fave beverage or snack) and enjoy the company of other film fans.

Join us for a little Christmas in July. Details.

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