Two (2) Cary Grant Movies to Watch During the Christmas Holiday

At one time, Cary Grant (1904 - 1986) was one of Hollywood's main leading men. He was certainly one of my favorite actors. He has been acting since the 1930s but most of the movies I remember watching when I was growing up were released in the late 1940s and the 1950s. 

Watching old movies is one of my favorite things, especially during the holiday season. Christmas is not until December but I hope no qualms about starting the celebrations as soon as the autumn season is officially declared. The last week of September is usually the first week of the fall season. Here are my 2 picks for Cary Grant movies to watch for the Christmas season.  It's best to watch in December.

Image credit:  Amazon.com

Movie #1:  The Bishop's Wife (1947), leading lady, Loretta Young Cary Grant is an angel from heaven named Dudley. He came down to earth in response to the Bishop's prayer for guidance and in the process of performing his ministerial angel duties, ends up spending most of his time with the bishop's unhappy wife. The answer to the bishop's prayer lies in him realizing that in the performance of his duties as bishop and a husband, he had somehow misplaced his priorities. All he needed was to put back on the right path. It's a warm and fuzzy feel-good kind of movie that is best watched during the Christmas holiday season. 

The Hollywood Collection: Cary Grant: The Leading Man

Movie #2:  An Affair to Remember (1957), leading lady, Deborah Kerr What happens when two (2) lovers make an arrangement to meet at a certain place, on a certain date, at a certain time, with the intention to get married and living happily ever after … only one of the lovers does not show up at that certain place and time, as per the arrangement? Another love story and a real tear-jerker! My favorite part of the movie was where Deborah Kerr started crying but she took her handkerchief and started wiping the tears from Cary Grant's face. He gently took the handkerchief away from her and started wiping her years. She was the one crying. Not him! It was a love affair to remember. I remembered it and have rewatched the movie more than once. It wasn't a Christmas movie but that touching love scene happened during a Christmas holiday.


vintage christmas pictures

Christmas in the #Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season (Turner #ClassicMovies) https://t.co/qiIMfTq2Bf via @amazon #holiday #fun #SeasonsGreetings #secretsanta #giftexchange #HappyHolidays

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) December 11, 2023

In remembrance of Cary Grant, who passed #otd November 29, 1986 pic.twitter.com/jiAzvLUR6u

— 𝙉𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙜𝙞𝙖. (@Dear_Lonely1) November 29, 2022

Four Favorite Movies and Nine Favorite Movie Stars

Favorite movie stars very likely starred in your favorite movies. Did you grow up watching television or going to the movies on Saturday afternoon? In this article, I am remembering the movie stars from my childhood who are no longer with us. They made quite an impression on my young mind – in a good way – and I don’t care what the official biographies or the movie critics say! To me, these actors and actresses were larger than life and the films they starred in helped build character. I will speak briefly about each. Very briefly. Even though these movies are old, it is possible you may not have watched them. I would not want to spoil the ending.

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● 1st MOVIE:  Bogart and Bergman in “Casablanca”

• Humphrey DeForest Bogart (Dec 25, 1899 – Jan 14, 1957)
• Ingrid Bergman (Aug 29, 1915 – Aug 29, 1982)

Casablanca (1942): This movie was a love story; and if you don’t remember anything else about this film you will remember these two lines: “Play it again, Sam.” and “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

● 2nd MOVIE:  Marvin, Bronson, and Savalas in “The Dirty Dozen”

• Lee Marvin (Feb 19, 1924 – Aug 29, 1987)
• Charles Bronson (Nov 3, 1921 – Aug 30, 2003)
• Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas (Jan 21, 1922 – Jan 22, 1994)

The Dirty Dozen (1967): This is a movie about redemption. A dozen men, twelve convicts, are given an opportunity by the United States Army to serve their country, just as any law-abiding patriotic soldier would do. All they have to do is carry out a mission behind enemy lines and come back alive! The records of their crimes will be wiped clean and they will be free men. Think they succeeded?

● 3rd MOVIE:  Frank Sinatra in “Von Ryan’s Express”

• Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra (Dec 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998)

Von Ryan’s Express (1965): This was a war movie. But it was Frank Sinatra like I had never seen him before. He wasn’t singing and dancing and this was no lighthearted film. He was a prisoner of war with a group of other prisoners who planned a daring escape from German-occupied Italy on a freight train. Frank Sinatra was Colonel Ryan.

● 4th MOVIE:  Peck, Quinn, and Niven in “The Guns of Navarone”

• Eldred Gregory Peck (Apr 5, 1916 – Jun 12, 2003)
• Anthony Quinn (Apr 21, 1915 – Jun 3, 2001)
• James David Graham Niven (Mar 1, 1910 – July 29, 1983)

The Guns of Navarone (1961): As this is a British-American film, it was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom. If I were to prepare a Top 5 List of Movies To Watch Over and Over Again, this movie would be on that list. A group of men, a commando unit, handpicked by the military because of their special skills were sent on a mission to destroy a German fortress located on Navarone Island.

The Captain of the team was persuasively played by Gregory Peck. Anthony Quinn was a Colonel who served in the Greek Army. The best way to describe his character is by plucking a line from the movie that he said about himself. He said, “I’m not so easy to kill.” If you’re going on a dangerous mission you want a guy like that on your team. David Niven is the demolitions expert. Though he was reluctant, he had to come along. Without his expertise in the field of explosives, there was no point in even attempting to carry out the mission. Everything about this movie was memorable. The actors, the soundtrack, the scenery! It was spectacular!

Remembering today the late 🇬🇧British actor #DavidNiven #BOTD in 1910 in #London, seen here with co-stars #AnthonyQuinn #StanleyBaker & #GregoryPeck in the 🇺🇸American epic war adventure "THE GUNS OF NAVARONE" (1961) dir. J. Lee Thompson pic.twitter.com/gD66mmzhCk

— Neville F Chamberlain (@NevilleFChambe1) March 1, 2021

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Who are your favorite movie stars who starred in your favorite movies?

Spotlight on South Korean Actress: Shin Se-Kyung

Shin Se-kyung is a popular South Korean actress who started her career in the entertainment industry as a child. However, my first introduction to her was in the award-winning television series Six Flying Dragons (2015–2016). She was the woman the king loved but he could never possess. Her performance was impressive. After watching that series, I earnestly searched for her in other Korean dramas.

Shin Se-kyung began as a child actress. Her acting career spans close to two decades with her filmography listing several films and TV series. From a combined total of 25 movies and TV series, fans can surely choose her “best five Korean dramas”. Even though Shin Se-kyung has accepted roles in various different genres, in my opinion, she shines brightest in fantasy or historical period Korean dramas. For this reason, my recommendations for the best five (5) K-dramas to watch are:

1. Six Flying Dragons (2015–2016)

2. Tree With Deep Roots (aka Deep Rooted Tree ~2011)

3. Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (2019)

4. The Bride of Habaek (aka Bride of the Water God ~ 2017)

5. Queen Seondeok (2009)

For the year 2023, Shin Se-kyung was chosen to play the female lead in two highly anticipated TV series:

• Tan-ya in Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramoon (Season 2) (fantasy); and

• Kang Hee Soo in Sejak (aka Spy) (historical period).

You should add these two 2023 series to your watch list as well.

♦  Read more on PopGeeks.com

Favorite Asian Actors: Chow Yun-Fat

I can't remember the first movie I saw starring Chow Yun-Fat but I have been a huge fan for a really long time. He is a notable Hong Kong celebrity … I mean … Super Star! While his portrayal as the king of Siam (now Thailand) in “Anna and the King” (1999) was a very touching love story, I am more a fan of his kick-butt action films like “Hard Boiled” (1992) and “Replacement Killers” (1998). 

His acting career has not been without controversy.

For example, several years ago (2014), he was banned from making films in mainland China because he took roles in “films like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Bulletproof Monk, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ...”

Read more: Why Chinese Legend Chow-Yun Fat Is Banned From Making Movies In China - CINEMABLEND

That was a reason that was given. However, some believed that his real crime is being pro-democracy.

What do the Chinese government expect? He was born in Hong Kong when it was not a part of China and under the British; and he has enjoyed democracy and freedom all of his life. His name used to be Donald Chow.

The last three Chow Yun-Fat movies that I watched were: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2006); “Curse of the Golden Flower” (2006); and “Cold War 2” (2016).

Even though I am a fan, I have not kept up with his filmography because the last report that I heard about him was that he was in poor health.

Get details: Chow Yun-fat takes a break to focus on health, Entertainment News – The Straits Times (Report dated July 18, 2016)

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Interesting Related Links ~ 2020 Articles About Chow Yun-Fat:

Global Star Profiles : Chow Yun Fat | Golden Globes

What makes Hong Kong’s Chow Yun-fat ‘the coolest actor in the world’? At 65, the Pirates of the Caribbean star is still up for action – and romance | South China Morning Post

The 10 Best Chow Yun Fat Movies – Taste of Cinema – Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists

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Are you a fan of Chow Yun-Fat?

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