Christmas in July (1940)

Synopsis: Hilarity ensues when world’s most gullible captain of industry rewards cocksure-but-untalented hack for developing possibly the worst slogan in the history of marketing. 

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “This madcap 1940 Preston Sturges masterpiece stars Dick Powell as a go-getter clerk in a coffee company who’s fooled into thinking he’s won a $25,000 prize for inventing a sales slogan.” 

What Did I Learn?: If you can’t sleep, it isn’t the coffee. It’s the bunk. [That’s the prize-winning sales slogan, by the way. Jimmy asserts there’s no scientific basis for thinking that coffee prevents one from getting a good night’s sleep, but didn’t the scientific community discover caffeine in the early 19th century? Wouldn’t most ordinary Americans know about the presence of caffeine in coffee in 1940?]

You Might Like This Movie If: The title appeals to you. 

Really?: 1) See: “What Did I Learn?” Holy shit, if I have to hear that terrible contest entry one more time, I’m going to snap. Why do different characters repeat it 20 or 30 times? Come to think of it, what’s the deal with all of the unnecessary and grating “hello”s, “goodbye”s and “goodnight”s? Didn’t anyone edit this script before it went into production? 2) Wait, Jimmy works for a rival coffee company when he enters the Maxford House Coffee contest, he announces his success, and there aren’t any repercussions? I’m pretty sure Coca-Cola doesn’t allow its employees to gulp down cans of Pepsi in the lunchroom. 3) I had a bit of trouble believing: a) the Maxford House Coffee company would decide to choose and then announce its new slogan just minutes before the news is scheduled to be broadcast nation-wide, and b) Dr. Maxford would hand over a cheque for $25,000 to Jimmy based solely on a telegram anyone could have sent and Jimmy’s self-confidence. 4) So, Jimmy and Betty receive the cheque and immediately go on a spending spree? Wouldn’t it make more sense to take the cheque to his bank, first? 

Rating: Christmas in July is a contrived, but cute little film (literally - it’s only an hour and seven minutes long!) that’s probably best enjoyed as a time capsule from a bygone era. The film delivers a few laughs, and it’s difficult to dislike Jimmy even though he’s rather full of himself, but I have to deduct a few stars for a very abrupt and not terribly satisfying ending. 6/10 stars. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032338/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1