The Hunting of the Snark - Lewis Carroll

"He was thoughtful and grave—but the orders he gave
Were enough to bewilder a crew.
When he cried "Steer to starboard, but keep her head larboard!"
What on earth was the helmsman to do?

Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes:
A thing, as the Bellman remarked,
That frequently happens in tropical climes,
When a vessel is, so to speak, 'snarked.'"

I received this book as part of the Early Reviewer program at LibraryThing.

"The Hunting of the Snark" tells the tale of a group of intrepid adventurers who set off to find a Snark, a strange creature that can be threatened with railroad shares or charmed with soap. The group is composed of several odd characters, led by the Bellman. Together this odd assortment of men which include a Beaver, a Butcher, a Bonnet Maker, a Barrister, a Broker, a Billiard-Maker, a Banker and a Baker must hunt for one of the most elusive creatures known to man. Random nonsense is spread throughout and encourages the reader to stretch their imagination to accommodate Caroll's expanse of wordplay and whimsy.

I loved "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" for all their silly settings and descriptions and this book is a great addition to Caroll's bibliography. This poem follows the same formula as his previous work, with strange characters and an even stranger plot. The only issue is that as a poem there are fewer words with which the reader can work to discover what exactly is going on. As Caroll wasn't really one for explaining his works, any symbolism or meaning in this poem is up for debate, which can cause frustration for the reader. I'm not sure that there's meant to be a second layer to the poem. I just enjoyed it for what it was, a fun little bit of nonsense.

The book is divided up much like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales with many of the characters having their own section labeled after their profession such as "The Butcher's Tale". As well the book is peppered with portmanteau such a "frumious" a combination of "fuming" and "furious". These little tidbits lent an air of otherworldliness to the story and fit in with the rest of Carroll's made up diction such as "Boojum" and "Jubjub".

As well, I must say that that illustrator Oleg Lipchenko did an amazing job! The illustrations were awesome and had a very Graeme Base feel to them. They were very detailed and entertaining, adding to the enjoyment of the story and giving the reader something to hold onto when Caroll's descriptions defied the rules of physics and logic. Scenes which may otherwise have been difficult to imagine on one's own were brought to life, complimenting the story and making the book one to keep.

If you're a fan of Lewis Carroll be sure to check out this book and pay close attention to the illustrations!

Reading Stats for 2012

It's that time of year again when people do year-end lists and wrap up the old year to begin the new afresh. I've never done one of these before but I thought it was time.

Number of books read:

A paltry, measly 11. Here's hoping next year will be far more productive in the reading department.

Fiction/Non-fiction

Fiction — 7
Non-fiction — 4

Male/Female writers

Male — 9
Female — 2

I hope to remedy this unbalanced section with my Reader's Resolution post. There are a ton of amazing female authors that I've never read.

Genres read

Classics — 5
Fantasy and Sci-fi — 0
Plays — 2
Children’s books — 1
Short story collections — 0
Historical Fiction - 1
Science and Nature - 2

Again, a poor performance but things can only go up from here in 2013.

Books re-read:

I only reread one book this year and it was "Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper - Case Closed" by Patricia Cornwall. I reread this after discovering that the show "Whitechapel" had two more seasons I hadn't seen. Of course, me being me I had to start from the beginning and I thought the book would be the perfect way to reintroduce me to Jack the Ripper. I have yet to post a review about this book so it's on my list of things to do in the new year.

Other formats

Audio books — 0
E-books — 0

I'm not very big on audio or e-books. I suppose they're good for traveling but I like a real book far too much to give them up. I like writing notes to myself, I like the smell of books, I like turning the pages, feeling the paper between my fingers.

I think perhaps I will try listening to audio books when I go on walks and see how that goes. I'll let you know if it works out.

Most books read by an author this year

This answer is easily Bill Shakespeare. Of the measly 11 books I read this year, two were written by him. I'm still working on my Reading Shakespeare project, despite the project being abandoned and the website shut down by the creator so that number should go up for next year.

Pages Read

Many years ago when I first began cataloging the books I read every year I also decided to write down how many pages long the books were. I can only attribute this to my somewhat ocd personality.

3338(ish) pages consumed.

The Best and the Worst

Best book(s) read

I heartily enjoyed "Macbeth" and of what little I've read of Shakespeare it is my favourite.

Most disappointing book(s) read

After having read "The Inimitable Jeeves" I imagined that "Thank you Jeeves" would be an amazing followup. Instead of being several short stories it was one long story which was one of the many problems I found with the book. Written later in his career, I found this book to be lacking that sparkle and whimsy I had come to love about his writing. There was no fresh slang or modern-feeling dialogue. Instead I was left with a lackluster and frankly boring story with several racist scenes thrown in to further diminish anything I might have liked about the book.

Most surprising (in a good way) books

I expected "The Trial and Death of Socrates" to be a fairly dry and boring book. It was on my list of classics to read, was on my bookshelf and not a chunkster. I imagined I was going to power through it and have the book done in an afternoon. Separated into four parts I found myself getting immersed in the dialogues and alternately hating and pitying Socrates. It took time to wrap my brain around some of his philosophical arguments but I finished the book with a new appreciation for both Greek philosophers and literature.

Favourite new writers discovered

The title is a bit of a misnomer as I've discovered I love Shakespeare, despite the fact that he's been dead for almost 400 years. I had to read several of his plays in high school and had no appreciation for his diction, his wordplay or his sense of humour.

Best book that was out of my comfort zone

I didn't go very far out of my comfort zone this year. The book that was most out of my comfort zone was "Liftoff" and it was most because of all the technical aspects of the book. Those parts were dry and meant nothing to me but they made the book a bit of a slog in the middle and I believe I mention this in my review.

Most thrilling, unputdownable book

"Lost Moon" was pretty exciting. My problems came when they were right in the middle of the action and the next chapter would jump back in time to one of the Mercury missions of the beginning of NASA. It was so frustrating and pulled me out of the story.

Book I most anticipated reading

I had big expectations for "Thank you Jeeves". In the end though I was disappointed and perhaps in the future when I pick up a Wodehouse I'll make sure it's one of his earlier works before I crack it open.

Favourite cover of a book read

The version of Macbeth that I read didn't have this particular cover but of everything I've read, this would be my favourite.

Most memorable character

I thought Fuschia Groan from "Titus Groan" was a very sad character. She just wanted to be loved but no one ever gave her a second glance because she was a woman and therefore not the heir of Gormenghast.

I also thought Oberon from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was a total jerk. He messes in the lives of mortals to 'teach his wife a lesson'. What a maroon.

Most poetic writing in book read

This would be "macbeth" as well.

Book that had the greatest impact on you

I'll put this down for "The Trial and Death of Socrates". This book made me think long after I'd finished it.

Favourite passage/quote from a book read

"Macbeth" had the best language of any book I've read this year, "Titus Groan" was close but there were too many scenes without any noteworthy diction.

"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,
Till thou applaud the deed - Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day,
And with thy bloody and invisible hand
Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond
Which keeps me pale. Light thickens,
And the crow makes wing to th' rooky wood;
Good things of day begin to droop and drowse,
Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse.
- Thou marvell'st at my words; but hold thee still,
Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill -
So prithee go with me."

Book read this year that I am most likely to re-read next year

Ultimate I would like to reread "Macbeth". I feel I understand the story now and get the gist of how Shakespeare works. I don't forsee myself rereading the book however as I don't think I'll have time.

Book that had a scene that had you reeling and dying to talk about it

There weren't really any scenes that had me dying to talk about them.

Books I have read this year because of another blogger

I read both of my Shakespeare plays thanks to Breadcrumb Reads holding a Reading Shakespeare challenge. It was meant to be a year long challenge with a play a month. Unfortunately after the first month the challenge collapsed from the inside. I soldiered on into February and March but other commitments managed to get in the way. I do plan on finishing all of the plays voted on but in my own time.

Books I started but did not finish (but plan to in the new year)

I am in the midst of several books that I have started but have not yet finished. I'm usually a big stickler for finishing books I began, even if they stink. At the moment I've just run out of time to finish these books this year.

"Emma" by Jane Austen

"Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo

"The Invasion of Canada: 1812-1813" by Pierre Berton

"The Guns of August" by Barbara Tuchman

"The Passage" by Justin Cronin

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Blogging in Review

Did I complete any reading challenges or goals that I set for myself at the beginning of the year?

I was in the Reading Shakespeare challenge which I began but have not yet finished. This puts me on par for not having finished a single reading challenge I've set myself. I do have a list of all of the books that I am supposed to have completed and I do have plans to one day read everything off of those lists. Until then, it's sort of a badge of honour that I haven't finished one of those darn things.

>Favorite review(s) I wrote?

I'm rather proud of my review of "M" though that's a movie review rather than a book review. I recently went back to read it and couldn't quite believe what I'd written. I actually wrote that? Okay, if I say so, I guess.

My biggest shortcomings as a book blogger?

I don't read much modern Fiction, books written by women or books that aren't Euro-centric. A huge part of my focus has been on Classics, Non Fiction and Fantasy/Sci-fi. I'd like to branch out and read a wider variety of books. My problem is I need suggestions because I don't have time to waste on bad books.

I also don't seem to have the discipline to finish a reading challenge.

Blog posts I am most likely to read by other bloggers?

I usually read reviews by blogger if they're works I've also read and/or seen. If it's an interesting post or say a list, I usually like to add my two cents. Pictures are good and I always like to read posts about people's progression through a challenge of their own or a list or something they were looking to accomplish. Travel posts also get my attention.

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Looking Ahead

One book I didn’t get to read that will be a priority next year?

I am going to make sure to read Bill's "Henry V" as well as watch and review the Branagh and now Hiddleston version.

Book(s) I’m most anticipating

Right now I'm anticipating "The Winds of Winter" by George RR Martin but I have doubts about seeing that book anytime before five years from now. Until then I'll pine and obsessively check his blog that is not a blog for updates on his writing.

Five things I hope to accomplish or do in reading/blogging

1. To go back through all my posts, make sure they're formatted properly for my new template as well as labeling everything.

2. Post reviews right after watching a movie or reading a book.

3. Post more consistently about series I'm working on (Bonanza; Twin Peaks)

4. Read a wider variety of books and watch a wider variety of movies.

5. Post about more than just books and movies. (Music, gadgets, science, etc)

Thanking Fellow Bloggers

I would like to thank several bloggers for their comments on my blog and for the posts I've enjoyed reading on their blogs.

27th Street

For all the comments as well as the stellar variety of music posted on their blog.

The Indextrious Reader

For the plethora of book posts that inspire me to read more and to check out books I wouldn't normally read as well as the focus on CanCon literature.

A Mythical Monkey Writes about the Movies

For the excellent posts about various stars and movies, for responding to comments and the Silent Oscar List which I am slowly making my way through.

100 Books in 100 Weeks

For making me get off my butt and get reading, for the great reviews and responding to comments.


Book blogs I have visited regularly this year or kept close tabs on

I'm a very small part of the book blogging community but I love to look in on those whose main focus is books. Here are some of the blogs that I frequent quite regularly.

The Indextrious Reader

Book Snob

Delaisse

100 Books in 100 Weeks

Vintage Reads

Well that's it for me. I'll be posting my Reader's Resolution for the new year in a few days. Until, I hope everyone's enjoying the last few days of the year!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)

”A man cannot destroy the savage in him by denying its impulses. They only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”

Dr. Jekyll (John Barrymore) is a scientist with a heart of gold yet something dark and malicious lurks in his nature, ultimately bringing ruination upon him when he goes looking for it. He begins as a fairly mild character, helping the poor and unfortunate and finding love with a kind young woman. Troubles arises when her father takes him to a dance hall in the seedier part of town and Jekyll finds himself attracted to a dancer (Nita Naldi), awakening within him a hunger that makes him fear for his soul. He is tempted though and in order to secure his immortal salvation as well as indulge these stirred passions, he endeavours to separate man’s two halves.

Let me admit up front that I did not enjoy this movie. I thought it would be fun to watch a silent version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as I’d watched several other versions and wanted to see how this one measured up. Click here to see what I thought of the 1932 Rouben Mamoulian version with Fredrich March. As for this film, I was left feeling disappointed. John Barrymore plays Jekyll and Hyde and is really the only stand out part about the movie. Everything else from the other actors, to the sets to the lighting and cinematography is sub-par and felt like background noise. I did like that this version has Jekyll as a greyer character than a complete goody-goody. Other versions I’ve watched were either all about the science aspect of the experiment or about expunging man of his evils. This version has Dr. Jekyll wanting to experience his base desires without endangering his soul, essentially exploiting a loophole to get what he wants. This creates a more complex character and makes his actions and dialogue more interesting to watch.

Barrymore is another story entirely. He is THE ham in this film. While I understand that silent movies don’t allow for subtlety or nuances like tone of voice and volume, his performance was over the top. When transforming into Hyde, Barrymore practically falls over while pin-wheeling his arms, teetering on the melodramatic. I actually laughed during these parts, a reaction that I’m sure was not intended. To be fair though, I thought Hyde looked fantastically creepy with those sharp teeth and that elongated skull. In several shot he stalks up to the camera like a manic beast, looking directly at the audience, which made me uncomfortable and I loved it! As Jekyll he’s rather bland and is either scowling and/or wide-eyed with a crazy look on his face. Hyde is definitely the more fun part to play but it’s taken to its extreme, leaving the audience with an overdone performance. This is especially true when you take into consideration how many profile shots he has in this film. It adds nothing to the story and I would much rather have seen more about Jekyll's struggle to resist giving in to his desires before making the potion. We only really get that one scene where Nita Naldi's character is draped over him and you can see how close he is to giving in. My main disappointment with the film is that I’ve seen Barrymore in ”Grand Hotel” where he was absolutely marvelous. Here he’s a garish clown and I know he’s capable of much more. The one saving grace is that this film was early in his career and with his experience as a stage actor, he would, I imagine, be more used to dramatic gestures that would communicate to every audience member, even those in the back.

The plot was a little difficult to follow. I loved the title cards, what few there were because most had pictures on them, making them more dynamic than one would usually expect to find. The problem came when I got further into the movie and there are fewer and fewer title cards. In some parts I had to guess what was going on. For example, the scene where Hyde stops off at a bar and paws at several women was great but I have no idea what he was saying to them or what the scene with the mirror was about. It can be fun to try and interpret what's going in a film but the risk is that you will lose the audience. There were some great scenes though. One involved a child that I thought was very bold for 1920. Also, I enjoyed the confrontation scene between Jekyll and his girlfriend’s father. There’s a somewhat similar scene in ”The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”. Then there’s the scene with the spider. A double exposure shot shows this ghostly gigantic spider creeping up onto Jekyll’s bed as he sleeps, supposedly a nightmare and possibly a manifestation of the evil that has taken hold of him.

What suffered the most in this movie was the score, which was atrocious and ruined several parts of the film. Consisting entirely of organ music it contained neither nuance nor subtlety. In several places that called for sad and meaningful music there was a gregarious, cheerful tune that couldn’t have been more out of place. I wasn’t able to find any information about whether the score was original to the movie or a later addition but let me just say that it was entirely inappropriate. I can only hope that one day some composer will re-score this film with far more care and attention to the subject matter.

Overall I would only recommend this film to die-hard Barrymore fans. As a Jekyll and Hyde adaptation, it's not worth watching.

The End of Autumn

Autumn is one of my favourite times of year. Leaves change colour, the harvest comes in and the air has a crispness not felt since spring. Now that it's almost over I want to remember how great it was.


Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.

- George Eliot


Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

- Albert Camus


My sorrow, when she's here with me, thinks these dark days of autumn rain are beautiful as days can be; she loves the bare, the withered tree; she walks the sodden pasture lane.

- Robert Frost


Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay.

- Robert Browning


There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!

- Percy Bysshe Shelley


Summer ends, and Autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night.

- Hal Borland


I know the lands are lit, with all the autumn blaze of Goldenrod.

- Helen Hunt Jackson


You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason.

― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast


I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables


At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.

― Rainer Maria Rilke


Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!

― Humbert Wolfe


To-day I think
Only with scents, - scents dead leaves yield,
And bracken, and wild carrot's seed,
And the square mustard field;

Odours that rise
When the spade wounds the root of tree,
Rose, currant, raspberry, or goutweed,
Rhubarb or celery;

The smoke's smell, too,
Flowing from where a bonfire burns
The dead, the waste, the dangerous,
And all to sweetness turns.

It is enough
To smell, to crumble the dark earth,
While the robin sings over again
Sad songs of Autumn mirth."

― Edward Thomas


It was one of those days you sometimes get latish in the autumn when the sun beams, the birds toot, and there is a bracing tang in the air that sends the blood beetling briskly through the veins.

― P.G. Wodehouse

"House of Cards" (1990)

"You might well think that. I couldn't possibly comment."

In "House of Cards", Francis Urquhart, performed by Ian Richardson, plays one of the most deliciously evil characters I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Urquhart plays Conservative Chief Whip in the British Parliament and by his own admittance "puts a bit of stick about" to keep his fellow MPs in line. We begin in medias res after the polls have closed on the most recent election to determine whether the Conservative party will stay in power. Urquhart has helped to secure the PM position for his colleague Henry Collingridge with the understanding that a Cabinet position will be in his future. The Conservatives are re-elected but when the PM apologizes that he won't be able to follow through on his end of the bargain, Urquhart's bitter pettiness and ambition gets the better of him and he decides to destroy Collingridge and take the PM position for his own.

Made in the 90s by the BBC, this miniseries looks dated. From the clothes to the hair to the cars to the grainy cinematography, it hasn't aged well. If you can put that aside though you won't care if someone's wearing a scrunchy or if their pants look like it's Hammer Time. Instead, you will bask in the glorious crackling dialogue that shimmers throughout the miniseries. Most of the best lines are uttered by Urquhart who rattles off clever and contemptuous quips as easily as breathing.

Ian Richardson is perfection in this role. Rather than playing a normal 'snake in the grass' bad guy, Urquhart is far more of a vulture, circling from above, waiting for his machinations to pay off or for his colleagues to implode and then swooping in to straighten things up. He is smart, well-spoken and knows his limits, a dangerous combination. He has a calm demeanor and a cold-blooded personality with a will of steel, showing little to no emotion other than glee at the misfortune of others, of which he's been the cause. Altogether he creates a magnificent villain that despite his villainy, you end up rooting for in the end. The wreckage left in his wake means nothing to him or the audience. You won't want to see him caught or brought to justice, I know I didn't, even if he's committed terrible crimes and ruined people's lives, tarnishing the reputation of politicians who were once his colleagues. Richardson is that good and his peers seemed to think so as well, awarding him a BAFTA (a British Oscar) for his part.

Mattie Storen is the (un)lucky reporter personally chosen by Urquhart as an unwitting accomplice. He leaks clues about decisions made behind closed doors and possibly scandalous information and lets her put two and two together. The result being stories in a national newspaper that paint Collingridge in a bad light. Storen is a complex character. After losing her father at a young age she's developed an Electra complex, leading to her infatuation with Urquhart. She insists on calling him "Daddy" and admits to being in love with him. If this wasn't disturbing enough, Urquhart's wife fully endorses the idea of taking down the PM and gives permission for Urquhart to seduce Storen to bind her more closely to him and to possibly discredit her if she goes rogue. The series has a very Macbeth feel to it but don't be fooled; Urquhart is far more clever than the Thane of Cawdor.

Knowing very little about how British politics works I was somewhat lost when they were talking about the election process and how a party leader is nominated. For the most part though I glossed over what I didn't understand and it didn't detract from the story.

One of my favourite parts was when Urquhart had these little fourth wall asides with the audience as if he was explaining the situation to a friend or possibly his conscience. These give us insights into his character that wouldn't normally come to light in dialogue or exposition.

I would highly recommend this if you're looking for a good story. The acting is great and Richardson makes for one great bad guy, definitely in my top ten.

It's also important to note that the British do television very well. So well in fact that Americans keep copying them. Those Yanks do this backwards though because instead of just buying the rights to these shows and exposing Americans to great tv from across the pond they decide to do their own version and "Americanize" it. For example, the US is putting on their own version of this miniseries. It's going to star Kevin Spacey, a great choice and will involve American politics. We'll see how much it's sensationalized.

"Star Trek: Into Darkness" Trailer

I watched this several hours after it was posted, hungry for any footage of the new film. I have high hopes for this film so fingers crossed everyone!

I love Benedict Cumberbatch and he's one of the main reasons that I will watch this movie. I'm glad that he's getting his due but it also means he's super busy and that previous commitments get pushed back (Sherlock Season 3!) to accommodate his ever-expanding schedule. I hope that he's a well-written villain and that this film makes more sense.

The trailer looks cool but trailers can be deceiving. My initial thoughts are mixed. I thought the 2009 reboot was an injection of fresh blood into the old series and it was exciting to watch. At the same time though there were some severe problems with that movie. Let's list them shall we?

- Lens flare(s)

- An ineffective villain who wasn't scary but just looked silly and so did his ship

- Time travel plot holes big enough to drive a semi convoy

- Furthermore, if everyone knows what happens to Romulus why not just plan to stop it, therefore, cancelling the villain's reason for traveling back in time, keeping Pike from leaving and Kirk from assuming the captain's chair and Spock's mother dying and the ENTIRE PLOT FOR THIS MOVIE! *gargleblargleflargle*

- Dumping Kirk conveniently on the same planet as Old Spock oh and Scotty's there too

- What is the Enterprise doing on Earth? What happened to the Mars shipyards?

- Does Sulu carry that sword everywhere or just on away missions?

- If one drop of Red Matter is enough to implode planets why have that giant possibly catastrophe-causing ball? Why not bring back one drop?

- Continuity/physics issues

- Did the changes made thanks to time travel completely destroy the old timeline of TOS, TNG, DSN, STV and Enterprise?

- Spock & Uhura?! What?

- Let's forget about everything I've just written and say that it feels as if JJ Abrams didn't know enough about Star Trek or his scriptwriters didn't or no one cared if this movie fit with series canon. It was a new Star Trek for a new generation so let's just forget about most of what's come before and cannibalize what we want. Argh! My issue is that this is the same guy associated with "Lost", a convoluted, confusing mish-mash of terribly plotting (because they were making it up as they went) and random macguffins and deus ex machinas.

Christmas Entertainment

It's that time of year when everyone goes a little mad. Whether it's fighting over the last discount turkey at the grocery store or deciding to hang outdoor lights in -20 weather, we are all victims of the 'Christmas Crazies'.

In order to stave off this unwanted neurosis I've come up with a foolproof plan. A list of movies that will distract you from your everyday life and lull you into a false sense of security.

Check this list that I made a few years ago for another giant list of suggestions.

I've decided to do another list to give some variety to the holidays and to give some movies their due.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas"

This is essentially a Halloween movie obsessed with Christmas. A great stop-motion film from Tim Burton.



"Mixed Nuts"

I love Madeleine Kahn so while I've never seen this movie I would give a chance because of her.



"The Bishop's Wife"

This is a heartbreaking movie with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven.



"Die Hard"

This film isn't all warm and fuzzy like some of the other selections but it does take place at Christmas and darn it I will shoe-horn this movie in anywhere I darn-well like.



"Holiday Affair"

This stars the swoon-worthy Robert Mitchum working in a children's toy department of all places.



"We're No Angels"

This Christmas comedy stars Humphrey Bogart of all people playing a criminal on the lam.



"Holiday Inn"

This film famously led to the creation of the film "White Christmas". Starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, a great pairing. Now this film has a variety of holidays in it but it does have several Christmas scenes.



"Babes in Toyland"

Last but not least is a Laurel and Hardy movie. I'm going to have to check this out myself as I've never seen any of their films.