Moments of Movie Wisdom: Christmas Generosity in ‘Holiday Affair’ (1949)

A publicity still for the 1949 film “Holiday Affair.” MovieStillsDB

Commentary

Christmas is about the joy of giving, we hear again and again. The most obvious secular symbol of this is Santa Claus, the mysterious stranger who is responsible for childhood joy. In real life, however, many people don’t understand the simple human pleasure of doing kind things for others, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense. That shouldn’t stop us from giving, though, especially at Christmas, because one gift or act of kindness can make all the difference in a person’s life.

Today’s moment of movie wisdom is from “Holiday Affair” (1949). This scene takes place 47 minutes into the 87-minute movie. This is the story of a man who decides to brighten a little boy’s Christmas, even though there’s no real reason why he should. Although this man doesn’t have a job or much money at all, he decides to buy an expensive present for a fatherless boy whose mother has given up on surprises. He tells her that, although you can’t always expect to get what you want, you must have a Christmas miracle every once in a while so you never stop believing that dreams can come true.

Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) is a beautiful young war widow who works as a comparison shopper for a New York department store. She has an 8-year-old son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert), whom she adores. Connie has been going steady with Carl Davis (Wendell Corey), a responsible lawyer, for two years, but she is reluctant to accept his marriage proposal because she feels like she would be unfaithful to her late husband.

Connie buys an elaborate toy train on assignment for her store, and her son is overjoyed because he thinks it’s for him; he is devastated upon realizing the truth. When Connie tries to return the train the next day, the salesman, Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum), pegs her as a comparison shopper but lets her go without turning her in after he hears her story. However, he gets fired for not doing his duty, so Connie goes to lunch with him in Central Park out of gratitude. While feeding the seals at the zoo, they discuss their ideas and feel a strong attraction to each other. Steve ends up coming over to the family’s apartment, and he and Timmy instantly become buddies. Steve decides to make Timmy’s Christmas wish come true after he tells him what happened with the train set, but both Connie and Carl are uncomfortable about receiving such an expensive gift from the impetuous stranger.

A publicity still for the 1949 film “Holiday Affair.” MovieStillsDB

The Scene

The scene in question takes place on Christmas morning in Central Park. After the train set arrives at the Ennis family’s door first thing on Christmas Day, Connie is unsure about what to do, since Timmy thinks that she bought the trains for him. She calls Carl to tell him about it, and he advises her to give Steve the money for the trains. She learns that he has moved out of his apartment that very morning, but the receptionist gives her a hint about where he is. Following a hunch, she finds him in Central Park, having breakfast with the seals at the zoo.

Connie asks Steve why he bought the trains for Timmy, and he replies, “Because I wanted to.” She tries to give him the money for it, but he refuses to accept it, saying, “The train is strictly a personal matter between my friend and me.” The concerned mother protests, “But he shouldn’t feel that he’ll always get everything he wants,” and Steve replies, “Well, not always, no, but every now and then, so that he’ll know that these things can happen. Besides, a train seemed just right. It’s exciting; it takes you to new places. For a kid that’s been sold on the idea of no surprises at all, it seemed like a great idea.”

Its Significance

Throughout the film, Steve and Connie can’t seem to avoid each other. After he gets fired, they keep being thrown together by random accidents. They obviously are very attracted to each other, but he drives her crazy. Every time they meet, he assesses her inability to let go of her late husband, her reluctance to live in the present, and her fear of change with disturbing accuracy. She always argues that he’s wrong about her, but she frequently grows angry with him because she doesn’t want to hear the truth about herself. Part of the reason why he bothers her so much, however, is that she cares deeply about him and what he thinks of her, but she doesn’t want to admit it.

This scene is one of the more amicable interactions between Steve and Connie. Perhaps it’s the Christmas spirit, or maybe it’s because she is touched that this stranger cared enough about her son to make his wish come true. Carl assumes that the train is a move to earn points with Connie, and her parents-in-law think it’s odd for him to buy such an expensive gift, hardly knowing them. However, this moment between them also helps Connie understand Steve’s character.

Generosity Without Shame

Steve is a free spirit who follows his heart and enjoys helping others, even if it seems strange to some people. In the park, he feeds an orphan squirrel, saying he’s all it has in the world. After Connie gives him a necktie for Christmas, he takes off his own tie and gives it to a hobo, brightening his day, too. Part of the reason he is so impetuous is that he discovered that the mainstream plan for life didn’t work for him. After World War II, he followed the sensible advice to get ahead in the business world, but he realized he wasn’t having any fun. Instead, he decided to work odd jobs, save his money, and buy into a boat-building business in Balboa, California. He wants Timmy to realize he can follow his dreams without having to go through so many misadventures first, as he did.

Christmas is the perfect time to practice generosity and enjoy the joy of giving, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense. As we learn from this wonderful holiday movie, the smallest of objects, like a toy train, can change someone’s life.