Warner Brothers Classic Holiday Collection, Vol. 2 (All Mine to Give / Holiday Affair / It Happened on 5th Avenue / Blossoms in the Dust)

Amazon.com

There is no It’s a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street to be found among the four titles that comprise this Warner Brothers Classic Holiday Collection, Vol. 2, but there’s still plenty here to placate most everyone’s inner Grinch. Although the actual holiday season for the most part plays only a passing role, certain elements recur: for instance, two encompass post-World War II hardships, two are fact-based, and two are shameless heartstring-tuggers dealing with the plight of orphans. In chronological order, they are: Blossoms in the Dust (1941): A radiant Greer Garson stars in the exaggerated but real-life tale of Edna Gladney, “a great woman” who did “great work… for humanity.” Born spoiled and rich, Gladney married happily (husband Sam is played by Walter Pidgeon) but suffered a skein of hardships–the suicide of her adopted sister, the death of her son (leaving Gladney barren) and husband, bankruptcy–before becoming a tireless advocate for home (more…)