It Happened on 5th Avenue

"Well, I believe that people who require money should work for it.  As for myself, I gave up working years ago.  I never could make enough to satisfy my lavish tastes.  So, I let other people work for it, and I enjoy it."

Aloysius T. McKeever (Moore), who goes by Mack, is a hobo who lives in empty mansions when the owners are away.  He and his faithful dog Sam enter the boarded-up homes, enjoy the luxuries of the owners, and leave undetected.  Their favorite home is the mansion of the Mike O'Connor (Ruggles), the second wealthiest man in the world, on 5th Avenue.  O'Connor winters in his home in Virginia, allowing Mack and Sam to spend an extended vacation in the mansion.

O'Connor's latest deal closes down a local apartment home to erect a new high rise.  One of the tenants, Jim Bullock (DeFore), makes the front page when he refuses to leave the building.  A few hours later, he meets Mack and Sam, who invite him to be their guest at O'Connor's home.  O'Connor's daughter, Trudy (Storm) arrives home to pack her things and start a new life.  She is charmed by Mack and Jim, and hides her true identity so she can remain at the home with them.  They also invite Jim's old army buddies, Whitey (Hale Jr.) and Hank (Ryan), and their families to the home.

Jim and his friends have a plan to find permanent housing for themselves and other veterans.  As they dream big, O'Connor reluctantly agrees to act as a homeless man to get to know his daughter's new friends.  His ex-wife, Mary (Harding), also moves in.  With Christmas drawing near, can everyone find happiness?

This film is a holiday classic, that fell into obscurity for several decades.

The Good:

The story has moments of comedy and heart... and the ending packs an emotional punch.  The cast is good... but most were unknowns when the film was made.  Victor Moore is great as Mack, with a mixture of humor and insight.  He is best when paired with Charles Ruggles' Mike.

The Bad:

The story drags in places, and it is hard to tell the wives apart: Dorothea Kent as Whitey's wife Margie and Cathy Carter as Hank's wife Alice.

Other Comments:

-The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay

-The film was originally supposed to be directed by Frank Capra, who chose to make It's a Wonderful Life instead.

-I discovered this film by accident, and hope to add it to my annual Christmas watch list.

It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) 116 minutes

Director: Roy Del Ruth

Starring: Don DeFore as Jim Bullock

Gale Storm as Trudy O'Connor

Victor Moore as Aloysius T. McKeever

Charles Ruggles as Mike O'Connor

Ann Harding as Mary O'Connor

Grant Mitchell as Farrow

Alan Hale Jr. as Whitey Temple

Dorothea Kent as Margie Temple

Edward Ryan as Hank

Cathy Carter as Alice