The Holly and the Ivy

For a while there, in Canada - in the eighties and nineties, when the television landscape was forever expanding - I could be guaranteed of seeing this movie; there was always some new station looking for filler, particularly during the Christmas season. What a treat!

This movie is not just a great film about the real meaning of Christmas, it is also a relic of a period that is not so long ago in terms of years, but is eons away in terms of social convention, manners, etc.

Even better, although the film was made in a gentler, more genteel time, serious issues (illegitimacy, alcoholism, reckless self-sacrifice) are explored with depth. If this had been a lesser movie, it would have come off as something to be shown in a religion class, but the extremely talented cast runs with the story and helps create a film that is magical and meaningful.

I have a tape of this somewhere, and am always on the lookout for a DVD version. I only hope The Holly and the Ivy makes it to digital transfer soon, and is rediscovered as the Christmas classic that it is.

This movie is a little gem for the most part. And a welcome change from the usual Christmas fare. The only fault is with the ending which appears rushed and we are left to grieve the characters a little. Rather like a dessert that gets whisked away before one is quite finished. Unsatisfied. It tells the story of a widowed parson and the family members who come home for the holidays to a quaint old village. Father, played wonderfully by Ralph Richardson, has always been shielded from the facts of life by his three - now adult - children. For the era in which it was made (1952)the secrets one of the three carries is quite a shocker. A flaw is that Celia Johnson, an actress I enjoy, is far too old in this to play a thirty one year old. Margaret Leighton's brittle charm is never more appealing than here. However, the two aunts steal every scene in which they appear, two wonderful stage actresses, Margaret Halstan and Maureen Delaney. A great script, a little stagey, and ending far too swiftly, I gave it a 7 out of 10.

Beware, this film may creep up on you, it can be so easily dismissed but any viewer infused with the passion of humanity and what makes us tick will be enthralled.

Some reviewers missed the point (or simply didn't want to see it!) The insightful will relish the final outcome. Writer Wynyard Brown brings to mind the intensity of Eugene O'Neal, but somehow makes it easier to take.

Brown's collaboration with Producer/Writer Anatold De Grunwald offers the discerning viewer a true gem. Pity writers and Producers of this quality were given over to the bleak grittiness of the 'kitchen sink' movement (who managed to leave us a somewhat limited legacy)

Performances are quite remarkable, especially the principal characters (Richadson is a standout) The stories search for faith in life over self pity is solid.

Sure, it was written as a play (as was O'Neill) but unlike some others, I felt the coupling of an astute Director, and Cinematographer, has fashioned many subtle, but smart cinematic moments.

D.O.P Ted (Edward) Scaife an amazing all rounder, often associated with outdoor action spectaculars (Outcast of the Islands, Dirty Dozen, Tazan's Greatest Adventure/The Magnificent, Night of the Demon, to name just a few) gives this mostly indoor film a unique look and feel, allowing the personalities of the characters to speak directly to us.

If you enjoy a film to think about and feel, this could be for you. Malcolm Arnolds well arranged Music score adds greatly. I would like to buy it on DVD but don't know if the original 83min vers has been transfered or only the inferior 74min (sadly the one usually run on TV) is all thats on offer. The full running time is moderate anyway, but in this case, the longer is the better. Its rare, so find either and enjoy....

"The Holly and the Ivy" is a very good film...filled with some exceptional acting. However, before you watch it, you need to consider what content is in the movie. Sure, it's a Christmas film...but also one that easily could trigger your depression if you've been struggling with it. It also brings up things that are NOT fun and Christmassy....such as dead lovers and children. So think about seeing it before you do!!

The story is about Christmas and a group of people who are all returning to a small British town for the holiday and to spend it with the Parson (Ralph Richardson). Most of the people coming have secrets...things they SHOULD talk about with family but haven't for inexplicable reasons. In most cases, they don't bring it up with the Parson because they perceive that he'll be judgmental and a parson first...not a father. How all this plays out is marvelous...with some brilliant acting. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that the problems are all worked out so quickly and easily...perhaps a bit too much so. Adding a few minutes to show this process would have made the film even better. Still, the acting is magnificent and the story filled with a gritty realism otherwise. Well worth seeing.

This is a delightful movie--truly one of the best Christmas movies. And it is now available in video in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, "The Holly and the Ivy" is still not available to those of us who live in the United States.