SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

Seraherrera The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Mischa Redfern I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

mike48128 A shame that hardly anyone except Turner shows (or preserves) black and white movies anymore. I tripped across this one during the Christmas Holidays. It's right up there with "It's a Wonderful Life" and "The Bishop's Wife". It was nominated for an Oscar in 1947 (for best Screenplay). "Miracle on 34th St." won that year. A great cast including Charles Ruggles, Ann Harding, Gale Storm, Don Defore and Alan Hale Jr. Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore) "squats" in the mansion of Michael O'Connor (Charles Ruggles) during the wintertime and holidays. He's a vagrant with principles and charm and acts like he owns the place. In all, eleven people and a dog end up "squatting", mostly down-on-their-luck unemployed WWII vets, their wives and children. Don Defoe and Gale Storm (Jim and Trudy) fall in love at first sight. She is beautiful at age 25 and plays an 18-year old spoiled brat AWOL from finishing school. She and her mom and dad act like squatters too, but actually own the house. A mild Scrooge-like plot, as O'Connor is a lonely old real estate magnate and the 2nd richest man in the world who, at first, seems to only love money and success. He has been divorced for four years. The predictable and satisfying ending has everyone falling in love and the ex-GI's get to build their dream project of converting an old Army barracks into apartments, as O'Connor buys and transfers the property over to them. Wonderful to watch, with many funny scenes involving babies, mistaken identities, a "fruiting", and an ethnic used clothes merchant, that hates wool clothes because they attract "all the moths and their friends". Lots of cute little continuity errors: "Jim" calls "Trudy" "Margie" and a "silent" vacuum cleaner! Still available on WB-DVD as part of a collection or a single title. Almost filmed by Frank Capra, but he made "It's a Wonderful Life" instead. Worth your time and very charming. Just like "It's a Wonderful Life", no man is poor who has friends. How true!

grantss Charming, sweet and funny movie.A homeless man moves into the house of a very wealthy man, while the owner is away for the summer, as he does every year. This year, however, he manages to accumulate a mixed band of fellow house sitters, some of whom aren't what they seem...A quite farcical, yet sweet and funny, movie. The dialogue is sharp and there's a wonderful innocence and warmth about it that keeps it going.Decent performances all round, with the vivacious and gorgeous Gale Storm to the fore.Ideally watched around Christmas (though any time is good)...

PamelaShort A lovely holiday tale about a hobo, Victor Moore, who uses a millionaire's mansion on Fifth Avenue during the winter months. He knows when the millionaire leaves for his winter home and respectfully lives like a king in the mansion, only this year he meets down and out, homeless Don DeFore and invites him to stay. Soon the mansion is refuge to a couple of DeFore's friends and their wives, the millionaire's runaway daughter, and even the millionaire and his ex-wife, who all learn a valuable life lesson from the wise and kindly tolerant hobo. This film is full of fun and perfectly performed by fine actors and actresses of the day and so very well directed to deliver a humanitarian message of compassion, kindheartedness, charity and love. This brilliant and enjoyable sentimental story set during the Christmas season, will certainly enrich all who watch.

moonspinner55 Genial homeless man in New York illegally moves into a millionaire's mansion while the rich businessman is away for the winter, eventually inviting other unfortunates to join him; naturally, the owner returns home unexpectedly--and is forced to play along under the guise of a destitute codger after his teenage daughter falls in love with one of the unemployed "idea men" now residing in the estate. Fanciful story from Herbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani, given a tightly-adjusted script from Everett Freeman (who manages not to be too treacly within this unlikely scenario). There are lots of funny visual jokes, and a nice turn from Charles Ruggles as the second wealthiest man in the world, yet the idea of strangers breaking into someone's house and making themselves to home is probably less 'adorable' now than it was in 1947. Still, director Roy Del Ruth keeps it light-hearted and whimsical, and the supporting cast is cheerful. **1/2 from ****