This is a movie that just makes me happy. We discovered it just last year and watched it over and over. It's a movie that has been neglected for far too long, lost among the heavy hitters among Christmas movies like Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life" and "White Christmas".
Released in 1947, "It Happened on 5th Avenue received a Best Screenplay nomination even thought it doesn't have the star power in either cast or leadership as the more well-known movies of that era. What it does have is an ensemble that gels wonderfully and a screenplay that is humorous and poignant.
Set amid the overlooked and forgotten housing and employment shortages at the end of WW II, the story is about redemption and relationships born and reborn as people from very different walks of life find themselves living in a fabulous New York mansion left empty every winter when the owner heads off to warmer climes. A homeless man, Aloysious McKeever (Mac), routinely appropriates housing for himself and his adorable dog by breaking into unoccupied mansions, living out of their pantries and closets until it's time to move on.
This winter, Mac ends up hosting several other people, from unemployed veterans with their young families to the owners themselves pretending to be down on their luck for various reasons, some laudable and some nefarious. Mac keeps his "household" in order by dispensing wisdom on the virtues of hard work (as he supervises), respect for others' property (while lounging in a smoking jacket with a nice cigar), and relationships (although he is a bachelor and a loner). Mac, played by Victor Moore, is the most irresistibly endearing character I've run across in a long, long, time.
"It Happened on 5th Avenue" treads gently and humorously on some of my favorite topics like "how much is too much", what responsibility do the wealthy have for helping the less fortunate, and the importance of not judging others. Enjoy!
Set amid the overlooked and forgotten housing and employment shortages at the end of WW II, the story is about redemption and relationships born and reborn as people from very different walks of life find themselves living in a fabulous New York mansion left empty every winter when the owner heads off to warmer climes. A homeless man, Aloysious McKeever (Mac), routinely appropriates housing for himself and his adorable dog by breaking into unoccupied mansions, living out of their pantries and closets until it's time to move on.
This winter, Mac ends up hosting several other people, from unemployed veterans with their young families to the owners themselves pretending to be down on their luck for various reasons, some laudable and some nefarious. Mac keeps his "household" in order by dispensing wisdom on the virtues of hard work (as he supervises), respect for others' property (while lounging in a smoking jacket with a nice cigar), and relationships (although he is a bachelor and a loner). Mac, played by Victor Moore, is the most irresistibly endearing character I've run across in a long, long, time.
"It Happened on 5th Avenue" treads gently and humorously on some of my favorite topics like "how much is too much", what responsibility do the wealthy have for helping the less fortunate, and the importance of not judging others. Enjoy!
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