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Christmas in July (1940)

APPROVED 67 min  -  Comedy | Romance  -   18 October 1940 (USA)
7.6
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Ratings: 7.6/10 from 1,426 users  
Reviews: 24 user | 15 critic

An office clerk loves entering contests in the hopes of someday winning a fortune and marrying the girl he loves... See full summary »

Director:

Preston Sturges
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dick Powell ...
Jimmy MacDonald
Ellen Drew ...
Betty Casey
Raymond Walburn Raymond Walburn ...
Dr. Maxford
Alexander Carr Alexander Carr ...
Mr. Schindel
William Demarest William Demarest ...
Mr. Bildocker
Ernest Truex Ernest Truex ...
Mr. J.B. Baxter
Franklin Pangborn Franklin Pangborn ...
Radio Announcer
Harry Hayden Harry Hayden ...
Mr. Waterbury
Rod Cameron Rod Cameron ...
Dick
Adrian Morris Adrian Morris ...
Tom (as Michael Morris)
Harry Rosenthal Harry Rosenthal ...
Harry
Georgia Caine Georgia Caine ...
Mrs. MacDonald
Ferike Boros Ferike Boros ...
Mrs. Schwartz
Torben Meyer Torben Meyer ...
Mr. Schmidt
Julius Tannen Julius Tannen ...
Mr. Zimmerman
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Storyline

An office clerk loves entering contests in the hopes of someday winning a fortune and marrying the girl he loves. His latest attempt is the Maxford House Coffee Slogan Contest. As a joke, some of his co-workers put together a fake telegram which says that he won the $25,000 grand prize. As a result, he gets a promotion, buys presents for all of his family and friends, and proposes to his girl. When the truth comes out, he's not prepared for the consequences. Written by Daniel Bubbeo <dbubbeo@cmp.com>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Contest | Coffee | Slogan | Office | Telegram  | See more »

Taglines:

If you can't sleep at night, it isn't the coffee - it's the bunk!

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Das große Los See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

USA:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was based on a play called "A Cup of Coffee" which Preston Sturges wrote in the summer of 1931. The play also features a character named Jimmy MacDonald who works for a coffee company and enters a contest for a rival company with the slogan "If you can't sleep at night it isn't the coffee, it's the bunk." Much of the play's plot and supporting characters were changed for the film, but the dialogue between Jimmy and his girlfriend about his slogan is repeated almost verbatim. "A Cup of Coffee" was never produced in Sturges' lifetime, but it was eventually staged by the New York theater company Soho Rep in a production that opened in March of 1988, fifty-seven years after the play was written and twenty-nine years after Sturges' death. See more »

Quotes

Betty Casey: Why?
Mr. J.B. Baxter: I'm no genius. I didn't hang on to my father's money by backing my own judgment, you know. I make mistakes every day. Sometimes, several times a day. I have a whole warehouse *full* of mistakes. I should say it *would* make a difference. You see, I think your ideas are good, because they sound good to me. But I know your ideas are good, because you won this contest over millions of aspirants.
Jimmy MacDonald: Yes, but you see, Mr. Baxter...
Mr. J.B. Baxter: It's what you might call commercial insurance. As when a horse wins the Derby, you back him for the Preakness.
Jimmy MacDonald: [defeated] Well, I didn't win it.
Mr. J.B. Baxter: The Preakness?
Jimmy MacDonald: The contest. It didn't win anything. It was a joke.
Mr. J.B. Baxter: [shouts] A joke?
Jimmy MacDonald: That's what they meant it to be, anyway.
Mr. J.B. Baxter: [shouts] Who did?
[...]
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Connections

Referenced in Radio Days (1987) See more »