Christmas in July (film)

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Christmas in July
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Preston Sturges
Produced by	Paul Jones
Written by	Preston Sturges
Starring	Dick Powell Ellen Drew Raymond Walburn
Cinematography	Victor Milner
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	18 October 1940
Running time	67 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
IMDb profile

Christmas in July is a 1940 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. It was the second film which Sturges directed, preceded by The Great McGinty and followed by The Lady Eve.

[edit] Plot

Jimmy MacDonald, played by Dick Powell, dreams of winning the 'Maxford House Coffee Slogan' contest and its $25,000 first prize, and becoming rich enough to take care of his mother and to marry his girlfriend Betty Casey, played by Ellen Drew.

Three of his co-workers devise a prank, meant as a joke, and place a fake telegram on Jimmy's desk informing him that he has won the contest. Due to the incompetence of Dr. Maxford, played by Raymond Walburn, the owner of Maxford House Coffee, Jimmy is given the winners cheque of $25,000, despite the fact that the judging committee is still deliberating.

Jimmy is now seen as a hidden advertising talent at work, and is given a major promotion and the afternoon off. He and Betty embark on a shopping spree. Purely on the basis of the cheque, Jimmy is given credit to buy an engagement ring for Betty, a luxury sofa-bed for his mother, and presents for many of the low-income families that live on his street.

Soon the truth emerges and the shop manager descends on Jimmy's street where a carnival atmosphere of celebration is taking place. Dr. Maxford follows soon after.

With the truth out Betty pleads with Jimmy's boss to let him keep his promotion. Meanwhile the judging committee at Maxford house have finally reached a decision. Unknown to them, the winning slogan is in fact Jimmy's, and a telegram is dispatched to the winner.

[edit] Notes and trivia

Although Preston Sturges only worked with Dick Powell and Ellen Drew once, Christmas in July is still populated by many Sturges regulars (he had a kind of unofficial repertoire company of actors) such as: William Demarest, Raymond Walburn, Harry Rosenthal, Franklin Pangborn, Harry Hayden, Georgia Caine, Torben Meyer, Julius Tannen, Al Bridge, and Victor Potel, all of whom appeared in several of Sturges's movies.

Christmas in July was based on a play that Preston Sturges had written in 1931 called A Cup of Coffee as a result, A Cup of Coffee, was the working title of Christmas in July.