Loretta Young & Celeste Holm Shine in 'Come to the Stable' 1949

 

Celeste Holm & Loretta Young are nuns on a mission in 1949's "Come to the Stable."

2oth Century Fox's feel-good comedy-drama Come to the Stable makes a perfect companion piece to star Loretta Young's 1947 Oscar-winning vehicle, The Farmer's Daughter. Young as an indomitable nun pairs well with Loretta's plucky Swedish maid. Both films are pure fairy tales, but smartly and sweetly done. Both movies mix humor, sentiment, and light drama expertly. And Young’s characters achieve great goals, against all odds. 

Celeste Holm & Loretta Young both have plenty of warmth and charm to portray
the nuns who ingratiate others to their cause, in 1949's "Come to the Stable."

In 1949’s Come to the Stable, Loretta Young and Celeste Holm play nuns, Sisters Margaret and Scholastica, respectively. They have arrived from post-war France, where they worked in a hospital. Young's sister is originally from Chicago and Holm's nun is French. Their dream is to build a hospital in a small New England town of Bethlehem. They believe divine providence has brought them, due to seeing the work of a local religious painter, Miss Potts (Elsa Lanchester). Upon arrival, they share their plan and ask for shelter. She agrees and so begins the sisters' journey in seeking land and money to build a local hospital. Along their fundraising adventure, they meet and win over many colorful characters.

Elsa Lanchester plays Miss Potts, the local artist who joins the visiting nuns on their
arduous journey to build a hospital, in 1949's "Come to the Stable."

What puts Come to the Stable over is a well-told story, adapted from Claire Luce Boothe’s tale. Famed for her acerbic play The Women, Boothe was a recent convert to Catholicism when she wrote Come to the Stable, inspired by the true story of two nuns who built an abbey in Bethlehem, Connecticut. The smooth screenplay was written by Oscar Millard and Sally Benson. Henry Koster, one of Fox's long-time studio directors, guides what could have been a cutesy or overly sentimental tale, with a sure touch. The sisters' story is filled with their leaps of faith and clearing the hurdles every time. Even with occasional setbacks, God has got their backs! While the coincidences and characters' change of hearts is pure Hollywood fairy tale, it is done with genuine intelligence and heart. You either suspend disbelief or avoid such movies. If this type of film is done with smarts and heart, I have no problem in going along for the movie ride!

Dooley Wilson as Anthony finds that the nuns portrayed by Celeste Holm & Loretta
 Young have many talents, in 1949's "Come to the Stable."

Along with the imaginative storytelling, the stellar cast is the other major component that causes Come to the Stable to resonate with viewers. Loretta Young and Celeste Holm were both Oscar-nominated for their whole-hearted performances. While you might eye roll at two nuns in makeup, it's pretty subtle for a '40s movie. Young's unyielding strength as the lead nun comes through—Loretta wasn't nicknamed "The Iron Butterfly" for nothing. As one of Hollywood's most devout Catholics, this role was tailor-made for Young. Loretta plays with sincerity and subtle humor. Sister Margaret makes the most of each possible opportunity in her goal toward getting a hospital built, and Young conveys that effortlessly. She handles the serious moments naturally, to great effect. And Loretta has to be one of the most beautiful women ever to be depicted as a nun. Wearing a habit throughout, with only light makeup, and beautifully photographed, Young's face, with her huge expressive eyes, big smile, and bone structure, is a miracle in itself.

Loretta Young as Sister Margaret in 1949's "Come to the Stable." Aside from Young's
 warmth and natural charm, I could stare at Loretta's natural beauty all day!

Celeste Holm as the French nun has droll humor in her line delivery as the ever-chipper Scholastica. One of her best bits is when she gives St. Jude coins to the bookies that she and Margaret visit in their mission in securing the perfect parcel of land. Later, when Scholastica displays a hidden talent for tennis, it’s one of the light-hearted highlights of the film. When she loses, despite her prowess, in trying to win funds, Holm's simple declaration of "I lost" to Young is so touching. 

Celeste Holm's line reading as Sister Scholastica, declaring that she lost the tennis
 game is so sweet. I noticed that Holm & Young went light on the makeup, except
in their big closeups! "Come to the Stable," 1949.

Hugh Marlowe plays a songwriter who lives across from the nuns’ dream location for their hospital. Marlowe, whose voice was perfect for radio, never became a top movie leading man. I first watched Hugh as ‘70s teen, playing patriarch Jim Matthews on the NBC soap, Another World. In his tenure at Fox, Marlowe did appear in some great movies, such as playwright Lloyd Richards in 1950’s All About Eve, where Holm played his supportive wife, Karen. Here, as Bob Masen, Marlowe's songwriter is basically a good guy. But he's tested when Masen finds out the hospital is to be built across the way from his dream pad. And until he sees the light, Bob is put out and peevish, with an entitled "not in my back yard" attitude. This is handled in a surprisingly realistic way. Dooley Wilson, of Casablanca fame, has a scene-stealing role as Bob's Man Friday, Anthony. Wilson also has the best line in the movie. When his boss comes back from Hollywood, he asks about a new nun milling about. Anthony replies, “Don’t know, boss. All the nuns look alike to me!”

Hugh Marlowe as the songwriter who's at odds with nuns Celeste Holm & Loretta Young in 1949's "Come to the Stable." Hugh & Celeste later played husband & wife
in 1950's classic, "All About Eve."

Thomas Gomez as the bookie Luigi Rossi, a comic tough guy who carries a heavy heartache, is marvelous to watch. Regis Toomey as the patient Monsignor is well-written and played, and not condescending to the nun characters. Elsa Lanchester gets a chance to shine in a more fully dimensional version of her quirky screen persona, as the painter who becomes a champion in the nuns' crusade. As often the case with a cast of classic Hollywood contract players, everyone stands out right down to the bit players. Louis Heydt is Jim’s amused musician pal ‘Al Newman,’ an in-joke to this film’s music composer!

Thomas Gomez as bookie big dog Luigi Rossi is a standout in a great cast,
in 1949's "Come to the Stable."

The sets and photography of this wintery New England town are stunning, and the music by Alfred Newman and Mack Gordon are really lovely—all receiving Oscar nominations in their categories. The spiritual music that permeates much of the movie is beautiful presented, as well.

Hugh Marlowe as songwriter Bob Masen sees the light that the nuns' mission
for a hospital is more important than his "not in my backyard" entitlement,
in 1949's "Come to the Stable."

Come to the Stable is a top-notch spiritual tale or fairy tale, take it as you like! The premise that faith—whatever kind you believe in—can help you achieve your dreams is a worthy premise for a movie.

The nuns find shelter in Elsa Lanchester's stable turned artist's studio home.
I love quaint abodes in old movies like 1949's "Come to the Stable."

Loretta Young is
"The Farmer's Daughter."

Here’s my look at The Farmer's Daughter, a Swedish Cinderella story. A surprisingly forward-thinking story as Young goes from farm girl to maid to political candidate. My take on this delightful "Daughter":

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2023/01/loretta-young-just-fine-as-farmers.html

Enduring Charm of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ are its Characters 1947

Charming Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) meets tough but cute customer Susan
 (Natalie Wood) in 1947's classic comedy/drama "Miracle on 34th Street."

I only have dim memories of 1947’s Miracle on 34th Street from childhood. Apparently of the three channels we got back in the '70s, the station that showed afternoon movies on TV favored It's a Wonderful Life, at least twice a year!

While not miraculous, there were a number of pleasant surprises watching 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street completely for the first time. First, it's not told strictly as a Christmas story, but as a character-driven story. This makes Miracle more grounded in reality and universal, and sets it apart from most Christmas-themed movies. That’s also how 20^th Century Fox studio head Darryl F. Zanuck wanted it released, feeling that it would be otherwise pigeon-holed as a genre movie. So, Miracle on 34^th Street was released in May, 1947. The film was a big box-office hit for the rest of the year, and a perennial classic ever after.

The post-war realism touches by director-screenwriter George Seaton are forward-
thinking, in "Miracle on 34th Street." Maureen O'Hara's a divorced working mother
 & John Payne is a lawyer who likes kids & isn't afraid to help in the kitchen!

There are two interwoven stories in Miracle on 34^th Street. One is about a little girl who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus. The other is about a man who believes that he is indeed Kris Kringle. As the two stories become interwoven, the little girl comes to believe in Kris and Mr. Kringle eventually prevails, in court no less, that he is indeed Santa Claus.

One of the most touching moments of 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street" is when the
little Dutch war orphan (Marlene Lyden) wants to talk to Santa. 

Filming began in late 1946 for Miracle on 34^th Street, by director George Seaton, and post-WWII sensibilities infuse this movie, thanks to the writers. Seaton won best screenplay writing Oscar for his take on the story; Valentine Davies won an Oscar for his best original story. First off, Maureen O' Hara plays divorced mother Doris Walker, which raised censors’ eyebrows. It would have been much easier to make Doris a war widow, right? While there were more marriages and a baby boom, there were more divorces after WWII, too. Doris’ little girl, Susan, isn’t a sugary sweet cinema tyke, but a bit of a tough little cookie. O’Hara’s maid is played straight and with no stereotyped humor. When Kris Kringle befriends a shy, chubby teen named Alfred, who finds joy in becoming Santa, I got a distinct gay vibe from this gentle loner. While Miracle could have ignored referencing the recent war, there’s a war orphan who insists on visiting Santa at Macy’s, and it’s one of the film’s most touching scenes. The characters feel more like real people and not movie stereotypes.

Alvin Greenman as Alfred, the shy janitor who gets great joy out of playing
Santa Claus, in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street."

Adding to the realism was a generous amount of location shooting for the era. Miracle on 34^th Street opens with Edmund Gwenn’s Kris Kringle walking down Madison Avenue. Macy’s famous Thanksgiving Parade was extensively shot, with Gwenn’s Santa looking right at home! There are several scenes at the real Macy’s flagship store. Best of all, Susan’s dream home was real, and still stands in Port Washington, Long Island.

Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle in Macy's actual 1946 Thanksgiving Parade
for 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street."

Edmund Gwenn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Kris Kringle, after his cousin Cecil Kellaway turned it down. I’m glad, because Cecil could be very cutesy in lovable roles—see Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? Gwenn plays with good cheer, real warmth, but also with matter of fact common sensibility. His Kris Kringle is probably my favorite film Santa!

Edmund Gwenn, perfectly cast as Kris Kringle, in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street."

Maureen O’Hara is lovely, intelligent, and spirited as always, so this leading lady role fits her like a glove. She’s a working woman here, and a modern mother, too. Yet, O’Hara softens at the prospect of saving Gwenn’s Santa by the last act. O’Hara always holds her own in a man’s world—in this case, Macy’s!—but she never loses her womanliness. By the end of the movie, you’re rooting for her Macy’s promoter to merge with lawyer Payne.

Maureen O'Hara made a no-nonsense leading lady and looked great doing so!
As Macy's events coordinator Doris Walker, in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street."

John Payne is lawyer/neighbor Fred Gailey, who is attracted to Macy's event coordinator/ PR person, Doris Walker, played by O'Hara. He gets through her little girl Susan to get to her. These days that might seem dicey, but they were more innocent times. He's taken by the young daughter, who has been taught to be realistic. I prefer John Payne when he was in his young, good-natured leading man era, rather than his later worn-out tough guy. Payne has a good rapport with young Natalie Wood and John had played well opposite O’Hara in another crowd pleaser, Sentimental Journey. Seaton writes a fun post-war leading man role that’s free of posturing. A guy who’s comfortable with kids, Santa, and even puts on an apron and helps in the kitchen! 

Maureen O'Hara's divorced mom is wise to being set up by neighbor John Payne
and her own daughter, in 1947's "Miracle on the 34th Street."

Although I adore Natalie Wood, I never sought out her Miracle on 34^th Street. I guess I preferred her as a sensitive and sultry adult! Much like Elizabeth Taylor, whose star-making turn, National Velvet, I’ve only seen once. I’ve not seen much of Wood’s work as a child actress, but as the pragmatic kid who longs for a home of her own, Nat is a standout here. Her reaction to the war orphan talking to Santa in Dutch is so intensely expressive. Wood works well with the three adult stars and she more than holds her own—in fact, she’s quite the scene-stealer!

Natalie Wood is memorable as Susan Walker, the modern girl who doesn't believe
in Santa Claus, in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street."

The great supporting cast includes: Phillip Tonge as Julian Shellhammer, head of Macy’s toy department; Porter Hall makes a great comic villain as Macy’s personal man who fancies himself a psychiatrist; Gene Lockhart (June’s dad!) is an amusing wishy-washy judge; William Frawley comes on in the last act as a political con man; and Jerome Cowan’s funny as the frustrated district attorney.

With just one uncredited scene in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street," Thelma Ritter
 scored with audiences & 20th Century Fox, and became a star character actress.

Enjoy some familiar faces amid the many uncredited players in Miracle on 34^th Street. The most famous is Thelma Ritter. As the harried mother looking for the right gift for her boy, she's astounded when Santa sends her to Gimbels. That distinctive face and voice in that one scene led her to a contract at 20^th Century Fox, where she went on to become a beloved character actress, winning six Oscar supporting actress nominations. 

Young Jack Albertson, right, as the postal worker who has a win-win idea, in 1947's
 "Miracle on 34th Street." Jack later starred in "Chico and the Man."

That guy in the postal mail room who gets the wise idea to send all the letters to Santa to the court room at the climactic scene is Jack Albertson, later famed for Chico and the Man. Character actor and acting coach Jeff Corey is one of the reporters. Future sitcom and Disney fixture Percy Helton is Macy’s drunk Santa. The entire cast is aces, right down to Robert Gist, as the store window dresser who gets pestered by Kris Kringle about his arrangement of toy reindeer!

Natalie Wood's Susan doesn't believe Edmund Gwenn's Kris Kringle or his beard
is real, in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street."

There have been a slew of remakes of Miracle on 34^th Street, mostly for television. Nearly all demonstrate in their lacking of what the original did so well. All the plastic mugging by those actresses playing little Susan are the common flaw, showing why Natalie Wood's serious yet wryly skeptical performance was so remarkable. The Fox TV '55 remake stars Thomas Mitchell, beloved character actor—Scarlett's Pa! George Bailey's Uncle Billy! Here, as Kris Kringle, Mitchell is on autopilot. MacDonald Carey is all voice, as usual, Teresa Wright is solid but lacking O’Hara’s spark, and pinch-faced little Sandy Descher mugs as usual.

There was a more elaborate TV version in '59, with Ed Wynn mugging insufferably as Kris Kringle. In the '70s, there was Sebastian Cabot—Family Affair's Mr. French—playing Kris Kringle as truly crazy. Cabot is stuck with stiffs like David Hartman and Jane Alexander, who look and act like refugees from an aspirin commercial. Suzanne Davidson is completely false as Susan. A great 70’s supporting cast plays cartoonishly, and this version has that drab early ‘70’s look.

Santa Claus wins! Stick with the original and best version of "Miracle on 34th Street."

There was one big screen 1994 version of Miracle on 34^th Street, produced by John Hughes that was unmemorable, as well. Stick to the more realistic and truly magical 1947 version of Miracle.

Little Susan Walker has a common post-WWII dream, to have a home of her own,
in 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street." This home still stands today!

My take on "Sitting Pretty!"

Here’s another fine Fox comedy with Maureen O’Hara, Sitting Pretty. Maureen contends with Mr. Belvedere here, not Kris Kringle! My look:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2025/03/clifton-webbs-mr-belvedere-still.html

 

2 Icons Plus 18 Kids Equals Family Fun in ‘Yours, Mine and Ours” 1968

 

Henry Fonda & Lucille Ball make a very attractive couple as widowed military folk
 who marry and blend their already big families, in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

I'm a sucker for family comedies like Cheaper by the Dozen, and grew up on The Brady Bunch. I saw 1968's Yours, Mine and Ours once or twice on TV as a ‘70s kid. I liked it a lot, but never revisited the blended Beardsley family as an adult, because I thought it wouldn't live up to my childhood memories. Well, I was pleasantly surprised, while re-watching for this review. Despite some typical dated conventions, Yours, Mine and Ours is still warm and funny, and not too sappy.

I was amused that '68's "With Six You Get Eggroll"
used the same coloring crayon opening credits as "Yours, Mine and Ours."

For comparison, I tried watching the similar With Six You Get Eggroll. This too came out in ‘68 and starred America's other veteran sweetheart, Doris Day. It was painfully unfunny, despite Doris and a fun cast. It's plastic plot and humor was more akin to The Brady Bunch, which aired the year after. Yours, Mine and Ours is definitely not The Beardsley Bunch! The troubles and tribulations of blending two families run through the entire movie, though by the end, they are happier and settled. I appreciated that the kids looked like real kids, not Brady Bunch dolls, though a couple of the teen actors were hired for their attractiveness, no doubt.

Lucille Ball as Helen North and her gang of kids, in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

The humor in Yours, Mine and Ours comes from the reality of the fusing families and ensuing confusion, with 18 kids total, and two more together! Though this big screen sitcom is mostly fiction, the situation is based on real life. Widow/military dispensary nurse Helen North meets widower/ Navy officer Frank Beardsley. She has 8 children, he has 10. Despite the overwhelming prospect of raising these kids as one family, with objections from both sides of the siblings, Helen and Frank fall in love and marry.

Henry Fonda as Frank Beardsley & his crew, in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

Melville Shavelson directed Yours, Mine and Ours, who had a way with kids and family on film, in a commercial yet smart way. Houseboat with Cary Grant and Sophia Loren is a great example. He also directed one of Bob Hope’s best vehicles, which involved kids, The Seven Little Foys, not to mention Danny Kaye’s The Five Pennies. Shavelson had some serious kids cred! Despite the fact Lucy found this property and had her TV writers Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis work on the story, Shavelson didn’t let this film turn into The Lucy Show on the big screen.

Lucille Ball & Henry Fonda's rapport lights up 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

While Lucy has a number of funny moments, Ball also gets to play a warm, sensible woman. Helen North Beardsley is easily Lucille Ball’s best latter day role. The scene where Lucy’s Helen deals with her problem child, who she thinks is just throwing a tantrum, but turns out to be afraid that he'll die young like his father. This early moment made me realize that Yours, Mine and Ours wasn’t just going to be a chuckle fest and Lucy's naturalistic reactions in the storytelling are wonderful.

Lucy's Helen North gets a jolt of reality when she finds out the cause of her
 young son's tantrum, in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

When Frank invites Helen to dinner, the Beardsley boys spike her “light” screwdriver, and it’s both hilarious and touching. Helen knows she’s making a disastrous first impression, but can’t control herself, alternately laughing and crying. Ball plays the comedy and pathos brilliantly.

Henry Fonda, whose natural acting and quiet strength were his hallmark, brings both dramatic believability and dry humor to the Navy guy trying to raise 10 kids after being gone on duty. Fonda has many warm moments as the dad doing the best he can, but when Henry’s Frank calls attention to his unruly crew, it reminded me that off-screen Fonda wasn’t always warm and cuddly.

Henry Fonda was 62 when he filmed "Yours, Mine and Ours."
I think Hank & Cary Grant were Hollywood's golden era actors who aged best.

Much has been made of how old Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball were as younger middle-aged parents. Lucy got the brunt of the criticism, since her character has a baby near the end of the film. There's no denying that they were indeed over-aged. The real Helen North was in her early 30s at the time, and Frank Beardsley in his mid-40s. Yours, Mine and Ours was filmed a year before its release, the spring/summer of '67. So, Lucy was 56 and Henry Fonda 62 at the time. I think audiences were more accepting, because in real life, Lucy was a late life mother with Lucie and Desi Jr., who were teens at the time.

By the end of "Yours, Mine and Ours," the Beardsleys have their first child together.

I'll say this much: Mature they may have been, but Hank and Lucy were a most attractive on-screen couple with a warm, believable rapport. I always thought Henry Fonda aged handsomely and naturally. And while Lucy had been receiving the star beauty treatment since her sitcom went color, Ball was a beautiful woman, and still looked quite stylish and slim. I find their natural faces much more pleasant to look at than many of today's mature stars, like Tom Cruise or Nicole Kidman, who are currently the ages that Fonda and Ball were in the making of this film. Actually, Nicole, who later played Lucy on film, was born the summer Yours, Mine and Ours was filmed!

Henry Fonda looks handsome in uniform & Lucille Ball is still lovely here,
in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

Some familiar TV child actor faces that some of you may remember: Eric Shea, delightful as Helen North’s younger boy and Mitch Vogel as her middle son. Tim Matheson plays Fonda’s oldest son, back when he was a charming teen star. Suzanne Cupito, who later became Morgan Brittany, and Tracey Nelson, daughter of Ricky, both play Beardsley’s daughters. Gary Goetzman, who later became a successful producer, played the freckled teen Beardsley boy. In 2021, some of Goetzman’s anecdotes about Yours, Mine and Ours made it to the big screen in director pal Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza. Unfortunately, Anderson’s caricature of Lucille Ball as Lucy Doolittle was crude and not particularly funny.

Teen heart throb Tim Matheson on tan display, in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."

Also interesting is that for a frothy comedy, some of the topics that Yours, Mine and Ours lightly touches on were adult: Helen’s oldest girl getting pressured by boyfriend Ben Murphy for sex or the oldest Beardsley boy (Matheson) getting drafted for the Vietnam war.

Shopping for groceries--an old-fashioned word!--with the Beardsleys, in 1968's
"Yours, Mine and Ours."

The narration by the stars and the occasional asides to the audience by Henry Fonda and sarcastic military pal Van Johnson are unexpected and funny. Tom Bosley is amusing in an early role as the overwhelmed family doctor. There’s some location shooting in San Francisco and Alameda depicting the couple’s courtship and the Navy base, so that you don't feel trapped in a TV sitcom.

Lucy's old MGM pal Van Johnson plays the sarcastic matchmaker in 1968's
"Yours, Mine and Ours."

Yours, Mine and Ours still has plenty of laughs, plus a warm family story, that will both entertain and touch audiences even today.

"How about a chorus of 'We Need a Little Christmas?'" No, thanks, Lucy!
Lucille Ball as Helen North Beardsley in 1968's "Yours, Mine and Ours."
 

Lucy & Fonda in '42's
"The Big Street."

Here’s Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda a quarter of a century earlier, teamed for the first time in the Damon Runyon comedy-drama, The Big Street. My take: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/04/lucille-ball-istic-in-big-street-1942.html

My look back as a Lucy fan.

Here’s my clear-eyed memories as a Lucy fan as a ‘70s kid: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2021/12/id-rather-love-real-lucy.html