MovieChat Forums > It Happened One Christmas (1977) Discussion > It Happened One Christmas - way back in ...

It Happened One Christmas - way back in 1977....

posted 15 years ago by schoduck
9 replies | jump to latest

I remember watching the premier of "It Happened One Christmas" way back on Christmas Eve, 1977. We even skipped church that night (this being a whole 6 years before my first VCR). Then a few days after Christmas, by some strange coincidence "It's A Wonderful Life" came on on a, if I remember correctly, a PBS station. And I said to my mother, Hey, this is just like that Marlo Thomas movie we saw just before Christmas. (My mother LOL). Yes myself and I'll bet many saw "It Happened One Christmas" BEFORE they saw "It's A Wonderful Life". And the rest is history:)

Anybody else out there see the Marlo Thomas version first? Just curious:)

"There are 10 kinds of people, some understand binary and some don't!"

[–] Ricpru 15 years ago

I saw the Marlo Thomas version first as well. I didn't see "It's a Wonderful Life" until the 80's when it started airing on cable. For people who deride this remake, it's a bit of revisionist history... Many people who grew up in the 60s and 70s saw this version first. Ms. Thomas actually brought the story new life, and perhaps opened the doors to the original being shown. I like both versions, but this one certainly doesn't deserve some of the abuse it has taken.
I can't understand why it hasn't rated a DVD issue.

[–] Troy202 14 years ago

LOL! Yes, I saw this version first and I still haven't seen It's A Wonderful Life.

When a woman can love a man right down to her fingertip, she can hate him the same way!--Jean Harlow

[–] SoapWatch 13 years ago

Yea, I saw "It Happened One Christmas" first back when "It's A Wonderful Life" was lost in the archives. I think at the time b&w movies were being remade. This was one movie to do justice to the original. I never could get into the classic version as many times as I've tries simply because I saw "It Happened One Christmas" first and liked the female in the lead role better.

When I finally see the movie again, I may think differently of it. We shall see.

[–] max von meyerling 13 years ago

Of course one of the big differences between the Capra version and the Marlo Thomas one is that at least Capra's is nominally integrated and 30 years later the TV version is strictly all white.

[–] SoapWatch 13 years ago

Not to mention the classic was made for the theater and the remake for television.

The classic being before movies were even thought of playing on television.

[–] max von meyerling 13 years ago

Actually by 46/47 they were thinking of movies playing on TV, some people at least.

[–] kp22kc 11 years ago

I'm one who also saw this before I saw the original. Didn't see the original until years later and didn't realize for awhile it was the same story. Love both version.

[–] rlamybarlow 10 years ago

I had pretty much the same experience as you. Saw this on TV and loved it, and THEN saw the original. I doubt this would hold up to Capra, but I would like to see it again.

Ah, to be a kid in the 70's again....!

"Express yourself; don't repress yourself." - Madonna

[–] rjmgreen 9 years ago

I saw Marlo's version first as well. I had no idea, until 1987, when I was discussing this movie with a friend that it was a remake.