Released: October 1940

Directed by: Preston Sturges

Cast: Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond Walburn, Alexander Carr, William Demarest, Ernest Truex, and Franklin Pangborn as Radio Announcer.

We don’t really have slogan writing contests anymore. For the winner they can be life changing. About a million years ago Wilma Flintstone and Betty Ruble won a trip for two to Hollyrock for their winning slogan ‘Mamma Leone’s Meatballs Don’t Bounce.’ (and they don’t) for Mamma Leone’s Meatballs. Their win put a strain on both ladies’ marriages. Ultimately Wilma won a part in the live TV production of The Frogmouth. Fred, Wilma’s husband, is eventually cast in the title role. Leading to Charlie the Juggler getting his big break into show business. Jump ahead to 1940, and little has changed. Christmas in July tells the cautionary tale of slogan writing contests. Beginning with the slogan: ‘If you can’t sleep at night, it isn’t the coffee, it’s the bunk.’ 

Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell) is a serial slogan contest entrant, and he’s sure his entry into the Maxford House Coffee slogan contest is a winner. Unfortunately, with $25,000 at stake, the Maxford House jury finds itself deadlocked. The deadline for the big winning announcement has passed. And Jimmy is on pins and needles.

All Jimmy wants to do is give the people who are most important to him some nice things, so their lives can be a bit better. Especially his mother (Georgia Caine) and his fiancé Betty (Ellen Drew). An office worker for the Baxter Coffee Company, Jimmy dreams of winning. To such a degree it distracts him from his work. As a gag, a trio of Jimmy’s co-workers put together a phony telegram informing Jimmy he’s won the contest. Things quickly spiral out of control.

Mr. J.B. Baxter (Ernest Truex), ignoring the conflict-of-interest issue between coffee companies, seizes the opportunity to exploit Jimmy’s slogan writing talent, promoting him on the spot to the ad department. And Jimmy proceeds to dazzle the boss and his new co-workers with a slogan for Baxter Coffee, ‘It’s Bred in the Bean.’

Meanwhile, Dr. Maxford (Raymond Walburn) is in a rage about the failure of his jury to come up with a winner. Suddenly, as if sent from heaven, Maxford is informed there’s a winner. And the winner is on his way over to pick up his cheque. Maxford is thrilled. His nightmare is over, and happily hands the $25,000 prize to Jimmy.

The first thing Jimmy does is buy Betty an engagement ring from Shindel’s Department Store. Upon learning that Jimmy is the $25,000 prize winner, Mr. Shindel (Alexander Carr) rolls out the red carpet. Encouraging Jimmy and Betty into a buying spree.

Christmas in July is the Preston Sturges film that is often overlooked in favor of Sturges’ other films made during this period, Sullivan’s Travels and The Lady Eve. Both films are clever satires of high society and media. Christmas in July is no less clever, just as sharp, and very funny.

The corporate heads of the rival coffee companies could not be more opposite. Mr. Baxter being a stickler for efficiency, organization, and productivity. Dr. Maxford is an emotional mess, who seems oblivious to everything that is going on in his own company. Both men’s leadership styles contribute equally to the fiasco that is taking place.

It doesn’t take long for the corporate heads to discover they’ve been hoodwinked. They all want a piece of Jimmy, as well as each other. This all plays out in brilliant Preston Sturges chaos. However, there is an eerie ring of truth to the situation, and Jimmy’s fate.

In this whole mess, there is one person who is innocent: Jimmy. Honestly believing his slogan was the winning entry, he goes along with Baxter, Maxford and Shindel’s encouragement. Baxter by promoting Jimmy for his gifted talent. Maxford just wants him out of his hair. Shindel wants him to spend the money as quickly as possible. All of them are guilty of being hasty and their own selfish needs.

The truth comes out, and the three corporate leaders act just as hasty, and blame Jimmy. The only guy with integrity, the selfless little guy, the dreamer, now the fall guy. Ain’t that the way.

Maxford and Shindel’s reactions are what you’d expect. They want their money and merchandise back, along with Jimmy’s head. But Baxter’s reaction is most telling, and interesting.

After proving himself as a natural wiz at slogan writing, Baxter now sees Jimmy as a fraud, undeserving of promotion, let alone a good slogan writer. He wants to demote Jimmy, because he’s not the winner of the contest, therefore his talent never existed. ‘It’s Bred in the Been’ means nothing.

It’s kind of like when a group of criminals pull a heist, and the one innocent guy who’s been threatened into helping the gang is the only one who gets jail time. For leaving a door unlocked. Jimmy is Mister Everyman. The victim of a practical joke, who’s acted in good faith, and the easiest to blame. Without hearing any of the facts.

Without giving too much away, Betty and Mr. Bildocker (William Demarest) save the day.

Christmas in July is a gem. A masterful 67 minutes of frantic satire that has a lot to say about the corporate world vs. the employee. I really wish some coffee company would use Jimmy’s slogan, ‘If you can’t sleep at night, it isn’t the coffee, it’s the bunk.’  That would be awesome.

Christmas in July is available on DVD and Blu Ray from Universal Home Video and Kino Lorber Studio Classics.