Happy holidays, everybody! It's time for our annual holiday episode here on The Next Reel. This year, we — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — are talking about a film that doesn't actually take place at Christmas time. In fact, it's a movie that doesn't even really have anything to do with the holiday except that the name's in the title. It's Preston Sturges' 1940 forgotten gem, "Christmas in July."

Okay, so it's full of the spirit of giving — therefore it still fits in our books as a holiday film. But it's also full of some of the best and zingiest dialogue that we've heard in ages. There's nothing like the crackling dialogue that Sturges writes, and he gets the right actors to deliver it. Join us this week as we talk about this wonderful (and brief) movie! We chat about the nature of satire in films of the time and how it came to be used, as well as who's writing the same biting satire today. We look at Preston Sturges and his wild up-and-down life. We discuss the themes of the film, from dealing with the poverty of the depression to the nature of belief in one's talent. And we enjoy laughing about the great and hilarious performances by the very talented cast. It's a simple, funny, earnest and joyous film that celebrates giving and believing in one self. We love it and know you will too. Listen in!

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