Christmas Movie Releases of 1974

This article will cover the movies released at Christmas in 1974 which was a very good year. 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.

In 1974 there were thirteen movies released over the holiday for movie fans. Movie palaces were still in the forefront though twin screens and triples were all over the 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. That particular Christmas some suburban theaters played both Airport 1975 and The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 as those were second runs that opened in December. Another big hit that misses this list is Earthquake because it opened in mid-November and while that would count today it certainly wasn't expected to be the hit that it was and it played right through the holidays well into 1975 at the original theaters it opened in.

As I wrote 1974 was a very good year for Christmas movie releases. Oh, sure you had a few duds but you also had a few blockbusters and let's mention that three of the five eventual Best Picture nominees would come out of this list as well as a few other films that garnered some major nominations as well.

Here are the thirteen movies that opened around Christmas, 1974. Perhaps, like me, you saw some of these in their original release. I hope you enjoy looking back as much as I enjoy writing about them.

ABBY (American International Pictures; Director - William Girdler) From the man who may have been the Ed Wood of the 1970's (please see my previous article devoted to William Girder) comes this blaxploitation rip-off of The Exorcist. A woman is unwittingly possessed by a demon unleashed by her father in-law and husband while doing an exorcism in Africa. Why does the demon enter her? Don't ask. The film then spends the next 80 minutes borrowing every scene from the 1973 classic, so much so that Warner Bros unsuccessfully sued to have the release of Abby either delayed or cancelled. Unfortunately that would have only helped the movie going public who otherwise went into the film unsuspecting of the trash (and un-original at that) about to be spooled before them. As expected the critics destroyed the film but the film was a mild hit due to its low budget.

FREEBIE AND THE BEAN (Warner Bros; Director - Richard Rush) Long before the "buddy cop film" came into light and then became passé, this action comedy was one of the first and starred Alan Arkin and James Caan in the title roles as cops who caused as much havoc and mischief as the bad guys they chased. The film centers on their love lives (not very successful) and their lives on the street where their sole goal is to bring down a local mobster. The film is filled with shoot outs and outrageous chases but there is little of substance to go with the crashing and exploding glass. Critics savaged the film but audiences made it an unexpected success.

THE FRONT PAGE (Universal; Director - Billy Wilder) Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon teamed for the third time in this remake of the classic film about the fast and hectic life of reporters. Lemmon stars as Hildy Johnson, a top reporter in Chicago (though it was obviously shot in San Francisco) who has tired of the job and decides to quit so he can marry a movie theater organist (Susan Sarandon). Hildy's scheming editor is Walter Burns (Matthau) who does everything he can to keep Hildy on the job to write a story on a killer who is scheduled to be executed in hours. Director Wilder (along with longtime writing partner I.A.L. Diamond) keeps the script moving at the frantic pace necessary (as was in their classic One, Two Three) but the story seems to be a bit thin in this version. A good supporting cast is headed by Carol Burnett but Wilder infuses a load of bad language in the film which is shocking and unnecessary and perilously close to making the film R-rated. Still if you are a fan of the two leads (as I am) it's worth checking out but no classic. Critics generally didn't favor the film and its gross was a mild $7.2 million.

THE GODFATHER: PART II (Paramount; Director - Francis Ford Coppola) This was the film they said couldn't be done. A sequel to the most popular film of all time and one of the most loved films. Yet director Coppola, along with scenarist Mario Puzo, created an epic sequel that, in many ways, surpasses the original film as the saga of the Corleone family continues. Coppola takes two story threads - young Vito (Robert DeNiro) in 1910's New York as he becomes established as the Don and now Don Michael (Al Pacino) as he attempts to build his empire in Vegas and avoid prosecution at hearings against him and the family. This three hour, twenty minute film is a masterpiece though some people (myself included) felt the constant disruption of one story for the other, thus losing the mood of that moment, interrupted the flow of the film. Still this is about as good as it gets. Critics raved and the gross was just over $30 million. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won six: Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, S. Actor (DeNiro), Score, Art Direction/Set Decoration and was nominated for five other awards: Best Supporting Actor (Lee Strasberg and Michael V Gazzo), Actor (Pacino), Supporting Actress (Talia Shire) and Costume Design.

THE ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD (Walt Disney; Director - Robert Stevenson) The Disney movie for the holidays was this adventure film about a man who arranges an expedition to find his missing son only to discover an island with a previously thought lost species of Vikings who have been cut off from the rest of the world for centuries. The film, which was released with the short Winnie The Pooh and Tigger, Too) was not well received by critics and audiences surprisingly did not flock to the lone Disney movie of the Christmas season. Because if its disappointing $10 million gross, a planned sequel and new rides at the theme park based on the film were both cancelled. The film did receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration but lost.

LENNY (United Artists; Director - Bob Fosse) Director Fosse takes a biographical look at the rough and tumultuous life of comedian Lenny Bruce as told through an interview style of filmmaking with flashbacks to show the audience what we are being told. The film shows Bruce's oddball marriage to stripper Honey Bruce (Valerie Perrine), his troubles with the law for being obscene, his concerts and his eventual downfall with drugs. Dustin Hoffman gives a gutsy performance in the title role but Perrine steals every scene she is in. It's a typical Hollywood biography film told in an unusual style (for its time). The film received mixed reviews but was a mild hit, aided by its six Academy Award nominations - Best Picture; Director; Actor; Supporting Actress; Adapted Screenplay; Cinematography. The film did not win any of its nominations.

THE LITTLE PRINCE (Paramount; Director - Stanley Donen) A child's fable about a pilot that meets the title character, who is from another planet, after a crash landing in the Sahara and soon learns of his adventures and then turns around and helps to teach the Prince about importance of life. This musical fable included small roles by director Bob Fosse and actor Gene Wilder and contains memorable songs and a nice musical score. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Song; Song Score) but did not win a trophy. The film received mixed reviews but in a crowded field of films to choose this one got lost in the shuffle and was the biggest flop of the Christmas, 1974 season.

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (United Artists; Director - Guy Hamilton) Roger Moore stepped into the shoes of 007 for the second time in what is regarded by many to be one of the worst films of the series. Christopher Lee plays the title character whose main characteristic other than his deadly accuracy in firing his weapon is a third nipple(!). Lee's Scaramanga is rarely frightening and occasionally threatening when he is not laughable, with a sidekick who is four feet tall (Herve Villachaize, who later found fame as Tattoo on TV's Fantasy Island). Britt Ekland and Maud Adams play the Bond girls. The film is littered with silly scenes and chases and takes 007 to a new level of ridiculous. Critics hated the movie and audiences made it only a mild hit with $9.4 million but overseas the film was a smash hit earning an additional $34 million.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (Paramount; Director - Sidney Lumet) Released earlier than planned to qualify for the Academy Awards, this is a lavish adaptation of the mystery by Agatha Christie, the most read author in history. Set on the title train, an egotistical millionaire is murdered while the train is snowbound and each person on the train (save for world famous detective Hercule Poirot, played brilliantly by Albert Finney) has a motive and is a suspect. Director Lumet wisely fills his cast with familiar faces including Sean Connery, Martin Balsam, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Richard Widmark, Jacqueline Bisset, Michael York and John Gielgud among others. The plot is hard to figure and the final reveal is a surprise and it was this crisp story telling that helped turn the film into a $19 million hit. The film was also a hit with critics and was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Actor (Finney), Best Supporting Actress (Bergman - who won), Cinematography, Costume Design, Adapted Screenplay and Score (one of the prettiest title themes of the decade).

THE PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (20^th Century Fox; Director - Brian DePalma) This was a modern rock opera version of the classic Phantom of the Opera about a record producer who steals the work of a novice. After becoming disfigured the composer takes over the Paradise Theater, owned by the producer, and plans to exact his revenge. Director DePalma deviates from his normal suspense films for this sometimes clever musical/comedy that was ravaged by critics but audiences made it a mild hit. Years later the film is now a cult hit and often plays midnight shows around the country. The film was nominated for (and lost) one Academy Award, for Best Song Score.

SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (Cinema 5 Distributing; Director - Ingmar Bergman) One of the few "art house" releases was Ingmar Bergman's powerful drama following the relationship of two people through marriage, separation, extramarital affairs, reconciliation and divorce, before heading off to another possible reconciliation. Film buffs were truly enamored with this drama that is talky but worth every second of your attention. As expected this was a darling with critics and audiences ventured out to the few theaters that played this and turned it into a hit.

THE TOWERING INFERNO (20^th Century Fox and Warner Bros; Directors - John Guillerman and Irwin Allen) Following on the huge successes of Airport and The Poseidon Adventure, producer Irwin Allen created the biggest spectacle of them all about a burning skyscraper and the people trapped inside. Allen wisely cast his film with big names with the two leads going to no less than Steve McQueen and Paul Newman! Also heading the cast are William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Robert Wagner, Richard Chamberlain, Susan Blakely, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn, Jennifer Jones and Fred Astaire. The nearly three hour epic enthralled audiences who turned it into a blockbuster as it grossed almost $50 million despite mixed reviews. The film was nominated for a shocking (shocking for this type of film) eight Academy Awards: Best Picture; Supporting Actor (Astaire); Editing, Song, Cinematography, Art Direction/Set Decoration; Score and Sound. The film took home three awards for Cinematography, Editing and Song.

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (20^th Century Fox; Director - Mel Brooks) Mel Brooks had his greatest professional year in 74. That spring his Blazing Saddles opened and became a smash hit. It was followed by this film that Christmas that became an even bigger hit. An affectionate homage to the classic horror films of the 30's, Gene Wilder (who came up with the story and co-wrote the script with Brooks) stars as the frustrated scientist who wants to avoid (at ALL costs) any association with the Frankenstein name, even if it means pronouncing it another way (Frahn-kin-steen). Soon enough he is in Transylvania continuing the work of his grandfather. The classic comedy co-stars Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman and Kenneth Mars (with an unforgettable, scene stealing cameo by Gene Hackman) and was shot in glorious black and white which further evokes the mood of the film. Critics and audiences alike ate the film up and it grossed $39 million and was nominated for Best Screenplay and Sound, but lost both.