Christmas in July (Preston Sturges, 1940)

Christmas in July (Preston Sturges, 1940)
Rating: 8.8

Sturge's concise comedy about a man who is duped into believing that he has struck it rich in a coffee slogan contest is just as entertaining as it is intelligent. It captures the essence of the American Dream and man's struggle to confirm their own self worth. Christmas in July bears a striking resemblance to some of Capra's optimistic films as Sturges shows the fickle nature of big business and their inability to think for themselves which ties in the the motif of common beliefs and stereotypes (degrading portrayals of African Americans aside) not holding true such as black cats being unlucky and coffee keeping people awake. Some of the shot selections in this film are among some of the more sophisticated I've seen from Sturges (specifically when the camera climbs several stories, and the shot of the couple entering the car as their gifts are piled in after them). I especially enjoyed the montage of eager radio listeners from all races, genders, and classes awaiting announcement of the contest winner as well as the montage later in the film of the children playing with their newly acquire toys in the streets. I also laud Sturges for the smooth usage of Hitler and Mussolini as comedic insults.