Oct 091945
 
two reels

Inn keeper Nick Catapoli (J. Carrol Naish) has lost his faith in humanity and has little use for Christmas.  As he repairs his giant, electric, star-shaped sign, and his customers continue their relentless unpleasantness, a pregnant woman and her husband, a mysterious hitchhiker, and three cowboys converge on his inn, and they will change everyone’s way of thinking.  22 min.

The nativity story as written by Charles Dickens (if Dickens had been a ’40s-era American), Star in the Night is the kind of pleasant hokum that you can only get away with during Christmastime.  It is sweet and innocent and so obvious that having any working brain cells will get in the way.  There are three cowboys who happen to be laden with presents for a child, a star glowing in the East, a filled inn that has a nice shed, and a woman about to give birth.  Gee, I wonder what it all means?

Made by Warner Bros while the studio system was strong, Star in the Night has a cast of charming character actors who all have strong personas.  J. Carrol Naish, who more often could be spotted in weak horror flicks (The Monster Maker, House of Frankenstein), but also found his way into classics (Captain Blood, Beau Geste), is properly cuddly as the ethnic stereotype who learns the true meaning of Christmas.  He’s supported by several actresses whose names you’ve never heard, but if you watch ’30s & ’40s films, you’ll recognize, as well as the always joyful puffball of a man, Dick Elliott (Judge Crothers in 1945’s Christmas in Connecticut).

It’s nice, gentle, family entertainment, although it’s hard to imagine that it deserved its Academy Award for best Two-Reel Short.  But really, how many Academy Award winning films are actually the best in their year?  Look at the list sometime.

Star in the Night is available on the Christmas in Connecticut DVD.  It may not be worth searching out on its own, but it makes a nice opening act for that Christmas favorite.