Christmas Movie Releases of 1969

It's that time of year again to take another fun look back at the movies that were released over the Christmas season in the past. I always do from the 1960's to the mid 80's and in increments of 5 subtracted from the current year. This first article will cover the movies released at Christmas in 1969. I find it fun to research and those who read my work seem to enjoy reading about what their parents or them might have gone to see whilst Christmas shopping in a particular year. It's also fun to point out the subtle changes as we come forward in time.

This list comes from 1969 and there were only ten movies released over the holiday for movie fans. Movie palaces were still in the forefront though twin screens were popping up all over suburbs. The palaces still had a hold on the movie business as they would play the movies in exclusive runs and then hand off to the suburbs in a second run. The number of Christmas releases is still low because the Christmas movies at the twin screens were the movies the palaces had played just before the big releases.

Also remember this was a time when young and up and coming directors were starting to edge their way on to the movie scene. You will notice a few of the films are edgier and more adult than the last list and that's because the mogul producers were on their way out and the young kids were on the way in.

Here are the ten movies that opened around Christmas, 1969. Five of the ten would receive some sort of Academy Award nomination and one was for Best Picture. As is always the case there were big hits and big flops and critical hits and critical flops, though they may not necessarily tie in to one another. These films were likely seen by your parents or grandparents in first run. I hope you enjoy looking back as much as I enjoy writing about them.

THE ARRANGEMENT (Warner Bros; Director - Elia Kazan) One of the big flops of the Christmas season was this soap opera of a film with Kirk Douglas as a rich man who begins reconsidering his whole life after a car crash. His wife begins plotting to take his fortune while the man begins seeing his onetime mistress, (Faye Dunaway). Director Kazan was accused of scraping the bottom of the barrel for any dramatic tension but he adapted the script from his own book. Critics ripped the film apart and while the first weekend brought hope for success, audiences stayed away in droves.

A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN (National General Pictures; Director - Bill Melendez) The famous cartoon character was proving so popular on television that it was decided to give the Peanuts characters a film of their own and the gamble paid off as A Boy Named Charlie Brown was a solid G-rated hit. This was amazing at that time since Walt Disney had all but cornered the market on G-rated films but kids eagerly lined up to see this story of their lonesome loser of a friend become a spelling bee champion with the aid of his fellow Peanuts characters. The film was not warmly received by critics as most G-rated films weren't, but the film grossed over $6 million at the box office and would be nominated for an Academy Award for its Song Score.

BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE (Columbia; Director - Paul Mazursky) The sleeper hit of the Christmas movies was this sexy, adult comedy about the lives of a married couple (Robert Culp, Natalie Wood) working on a film documentary who soon discover their desires to open up their marriage to more passion and excitement despite the callous chastising comments of their closest friends (Elliot Gould, Dyan Cannon). Infidelities both past and present creep into the story and soon it becomes obvious there is a definite sexual tension between the couples. This was a most impressive directing debut for Mazursky, whose other films would include Alex in Wonderland; Harry and Tonto; An Unmarried Woman; Enemies: A Love Story. The film was a critical hit and a box office smash, earning $14.6 million. The film also garnered four Academy Award nominations (Supporting Actor - Gould; Supporting Actress - Cannon; Original Screenplay and Cinematography) but did not win any awards.

CACTUS FLOWER (Columbia; Director - Gene Saks) Walter Matthau stars in this farcical comedy about a dentist who pretends to be married with children so he doesn't have to commit fully to a relationship. Things become complicated when he falls for his latest girl (Goldie Hawn, in her Oscar winning role) and she insists on meeting his wife. Matthau enlists the aid of his receptionist (Ingrid Bergman) to pull off the charade. Critics mostly enjoyed the film but it was a big hit earning almost $12 million.

JOHN AND MARY (20^th Century Fox; Director - Peter Yates) An odd dramatic comedy about a young couple (Dustin Hoffman, Mia Farrow) who meet, sleep together and then spend the rest of the movie trying to figure one another out to decide if they are meant to be together. The film's script takes an interesting and original set-up and follows two top performers through the piece to its conclusion. The film was released limitedly but became a hit thanks to the at the moment "hot" status of its two leading actors (Hoffman was coming off Midnight Cowboy while Farrow was coming off Rosemary's Baby). Critics were divided but the film was a solid hit.

DOWNHILL RACER (Paramount; Director - Michael Ritchie) Robert Redford stars as a selfish, controlling, mean skier who takes advantage of a teammate's injury to make it onto the Olympic team where he finds a relationship and the meaning of teamwork. Redford has an oddly villainous role for the first half but becomes himself later. Gene Hackman co-stars in the film that featured director Ritchie's directorial debut. It would be a successful career. The film received several strong reviews and was a success as Redford had just come off of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

GENERATION (Avco Embassy Pictures; Director - George Schaefer) This farcical comedy, which plays more like a sitcom than film comedy (not surprising considering the director is the creator of the tv hit Laugh-In) stars David Janssen, never a big box office attraction despite his hugely successful run on television (his other theatrical films include the duds Once Is Not Enough; Two Minute Warning and The Swiss Conspiracy) as a father who discovers his daughter is pregnant and goes to see her only to find they have gotten married. The rest of the film centers on preparing for the child. It's very broad and, in the right mood, it might amuse you. Critics were not amused in the least and audiences chose to stay away.

ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (United Artists; Director - Peter Hunt) The first 007 adventure without star Sean Connery brings George Lazenby into the role for his only time in this action packed adventure that sends James Bond all over the world looking for Ernst Blofeld and finally falling in love with the right Bond girl (Diana Rigg). Former editor and first time director Hunt brings an exceptional eye to the action scenes and creates some of the best work in the entire series. The film was roundly dismissed by critics when it opened and the film only had a domestic gross of $9.1 million which would be good for many films but was a shocking loss in the 007 series considering its $7 million budget. Worldwide the film was much more successful and in the end it would gross over $32 million. Lazenby was asked to reprise the 007 role for Diamonds Are Forever but foolishly turned it down and was barely heard from again. Interestingly, today the film is recognized by many hard core 007 fans of being one of the very best, if not the best film of the series.

THE REIVERS (National General Pictures; Director - Mark Rydell) Based on the last novel of William Faulkner, The Reivers tells the story (in flashback) of three young men who hit the road to discover life. Steve McQueen stars as Lucius who hits the road with the son of the plantation boss and the African American handyman (Oscar nominee Rupert Crosse) who stows away. The film was both a critical and box office hit as it earned more than $8 million thanks to the enormous popularity of star McQueen. In a sad side note, actor Rupert Crosse, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for this film and who was close friends with Jack Nicholson, could not enjoy his newfound success. Shortly after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and determined as he was to beat the disease (he continued working), the cancer finally got the best of him. He had been cast as Nicholson's partner in the Shore Patrol in The Last Detail but became too ill to work and died at the age of 45 before its release.

Z (Valoria Films; Director - Costa-Gavras) One of the most popular political thrillers ever made is this thriller from Greece about the overthrow of Greece's government coupled by a murder and the attempt by the police to cover it up when an outside investigator is brought on to the case. Gavras' taut thriller was way ahead of its time and playing in limited release with just a few theaters at one time, the film grossed over $7 million. The long gone Cinema Theater in Chicago hosted the Midwest premiere of the film and wound up playing it for over one year. Z also became the first film to be nominated for Best Picture and Best Foreign Film in the same year. In fact Z would capture 5 Academy Award nominations (also for Director, Adapted Screenplay and Editing) and would take home the prize twice, for Foreign Film and Editing.