O Henry
A modern O Henry story. It's so nice to be able to see clean, uplifting movies. Thank you!
shareI don't really agree that this was "clean". The fact that Jim immediately suspected his innocent bride of infidelity, just a short time after they were married and then separated from her precipitously without giving her the benefit of the doubt showed his impure, mistrustful mind, and made him very unlikeable.
The writers unfortunately injected something seamy and unpleasant into a sweet classic story in an effort to be "modern", although it seemed more like the 19th century that it could immediately be seen as improper for a woman to be seen walking into a hotel, even though the man with her was older and unattractive. I would think the writers could have filled out the plot in some other way. The Magi of the title were never mentioned.
Although he was unduly suspicions, I think that the intent was to show how insecure and lacking in self-confidence Jim is, rather than how dirty-minded he is. They did not really dwell on this enough.
and just how expensive was that zoom lens? He had to sell the car to buy it ?
Maybe if he had sold the steering column...
I love the story, but I've never seen a TV or movie version of it that can do it justice.
I saw a stage play of it a few years ago, and the director got the idea to make Jim and Della elderly, using actors who were in their late 70s or older. It was so bad it was funny. When she was mourning about not having enough money, I was tempted to yell, "Hit up the grandkids!"
Then "Jim" forgot that he had the watch in his pocket and took it out and showed it to Della, forgetting that he was supposed to have sold it. At that point, the audience was howling.
It's a story that needs to be read, because all the little things that O. Henry says, especially the last paragraph, make it beautiful.
"The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi."
actually no she wasnt innocent, she lied to him several times, about working over time, taking kick boxing lessons, and then he sees her with another man as he ushers her into a hotel with his hand on her. Sorry, but these things could easily be construed as messing around. She lied to him repeatedly. so dont give me that "innocent" crap. Yes they both should have been truthful with each other, but she was the one that stormed out right away, not he.
"Malt does more than Milton can in justifying God's ways to man."
I wondered who the Magi were. I watched when it's given the more appropriately titled 'Gifts For Christmas.'
share