12 Days of Cinematic Christmas Epiphany Bonus: O. Henry's Full House (1952)
Directed by Henry Hathaway, Howard Hawks, Henry King, Henry Koster, Jean Negulesco. Written by O Henry. Narrated by John Steinbeck. Starring Charles Laughton, Anne Baxter, Jeanne Crain, Farley Granger
If you’ve never read the short stories of O. Henry, you’re missing out on one of the most humorous, beautiful, and profound American writers of all time. Writing at the turn of the twentieth century, O. Henry had a knack for capturing episodes in the life of everyday Americans in a way which exposed the beauty and mystery present in every human life. Although sadly only a handful of his stories have been retained in the cultural memory today, throughout the early and mid-twentieth century they were wildly popular, and it was only a matter of time until a cinematic adaptation of some of them came along.
There’s only one problem: O. Henry’s stories are stubbornly uncinematic. The stories are not grand, sweeping narratives full of set pieces, long character development, and great dramatic gestures; rather they are simple episodes in people’s lives, episodes which reveal the dignity of ordinariness and the presence of God in every person, place, and moment. Indeed, O. Henry is perhaps the one author in English who best captures the Epiphany of the Lord in each and every human life. (You didn’t think I picked this film just because one of its segments is Gift of the Magi, did you?)
The only way to adapt O. Henry for film is to make an anthology, selecting several stories which are thematically linked and presenting us with a series of short films, quick vignettes which capture the essence of O. Henry’s magical world. O. Henry’s Full House brings together five great directors of the 40s and 50s, giving each of them one of O. Henry’s stories to bring to life in their own way, and they got the acclaimed American author John Steinbeck to introduce and narrate the collection to boot. Anthology films can be difficult to pull off, but this one really nails it (for the most part; 4 out of 5 ain’t bad), choosing well-paired stories to distill the essence of O. Henry into a delightful two-hour cinematic experience that leaves the reader thirsty to dive into more of his wonderful stories.
It’s hard to describe each of these stories and their profound epiphanies without spoiling them, but I shall try. First we have Henry Koster’s The Cop and the Anthem, starring the magnificent Charles Laughton as Soapy, a vagrant trying to get himself arrested so he can spend the winter in a warm jail cell instead of on the streets. As the police keep ignoring his petty crimes, he gets increasingly desperate until a visit to church causes a shift in his mindset - if the law will allow him to carry through with it.
Next is Henry Hathaway’s The Clarion Call, a noir-inspired piece about an honest cop who can’t bring himself to arrest an old friend because of a favor he owes him from years before.
Jean Negulesco’s The Last Leaf shows a young woman with pneumonia who has lost the will to live, and has resigned herself to give up the ghost when the last leaf falls off of the dying vine outside her window. A vulgar but friendly artist upstairs determines to risk his life to ensure that last leaf never falls.
Howard Hawks’ The Ransom of Red Chief relates the hapless bumblings of two small-time con men who get more than they bargained for when they kidnap the son of an Alabama landowner, looking for ransom. This is the weakest of the five stories, as it doesn’t match the others in tone, theme, or setting (all the others take place in New York), and I have seen reports that it was cut from the film either in its overseas release or perhaps even on first release in America. Despite its mismatch with the rest of the films, it is still quite funny and enjoyable.
Finally, Henry King’s The Gift of the Magi describes a loving but poor married couple desperate on Christmas Eve to find the perfect gift for each other, even if it means sacrificing the material possession they each hold most dear. This is, perhaps, O. Henry’s most famous story and with good reason; its title captures well the Epiphany of divine love and self-sacrifice contained within these spouses’ love and devotion to one another. Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger’s performances perfectly encapsulate the sweetness and simple beauty of this magnificent story.
Each of these stories (with the possible exception of The Ransom of Red Chief) contain moments where the presence of God shines through in ordinary life, whether it be through a remarkable act of providence allowing our hero to do the right thing, or exemplary self-sacrifice in service of others, or the simple love shown by the various people for each other. I can’t say more without spoiling the stories; hopefully you will check this one out for yourselves and discover these glories Epiphanies as originally conceived and executed!
This concludes our 12 Days of Cinematic Christmas as the Christmas season winds down today. We at 100 Movies Every Catholic Should See hope it has been an enjoyable and edifying journey through some truly great Christmas classics, and that you have discovered some new gems to add to your annual holiday film cycle (I know I have!). Like Ebenezer Scrooge, let us resolve to keep the Christmas spirit in our hearts throughout the year, for today a virgin giveth birth to the Transcendent One, our sin and sorrow are banished away, and we have nothing more to fear. Merry Christmas, happy Epiphany, and may God bless you throughout this new year!