The Worst Film Ever

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The Holly and the Ivy is directed by George More O'Ferrall, has a screenplay by Anatole de Grunwald, is based on the play by Wynyard Browne and stars Celia Johnson, Ralph Richardson, Margaret Leighton, Denholm Elliot, Maureen Delany, Margaret Halstan, John Gregson and William Hartnell.Every year the Gregory family gather together for Christmas. This year when they do painful family secrets are revealed.Jenny Gregory (Celia Johnson)has devoted herself to caring for her ailing father, Rev. Martin Gregory(Ralph Richardson). In caring for her father any possibility of her own personal happiness is pushed to one side. Jenny is in love with David Paterson(John Gregson), the pair want to get married but Jenny won't allow someone else to look after her father.Jenny's sister Margaret(Margaret Leighton)is a glamorous woman and lives in London. David thinks her selfish and insists that she should take a turn looking after the sisters father. Margaret has three painful secrets that she has kept from everyone except her brother. Michael Gregory(Denholm Elliot)is a soldier and gets leave to attend his families Christmas party, he's carefree and a great deal of fun. Also invited to the party are two aunts, Lydia(Margaret Halstan) and Bridget(Maureen Delany)these two provide the films comic relief.The entire cast are very good and the film is one to warm your heart, at Christmas or at any other time of the year. As much as I liked the film, I thought that the reveal of the secrets came much too easily than they probably would in real life. Also I would have liked to have seen more discussion about them and seen a bit more focus on the impact they have on the family. The film ends on Christmas morning and I wish the film lasted longer so we could spend more time with the family and have the ending that we get a bit later, as is stands the ending is a bit too perfect and to easily arrived at in my opinion.Ralph Richardson in particular is excellent as the absent minded vicar who couldn't see his own children's pain when it was staring him in the face. Richardson is also very good considering he was quite young compared to his character and he plays a much older man very convincingly. Celia Johnson portrays Jenny's quiet dignity and self sacrifice well. Margaret Leighton is heartbreaking as the woman who acts tough but in reality is anything but.There's a small but memorable role for the first Doctor Who himself William Hartnell, he plays a terrifying Sergeant Major who causes trouble for Michael.This is a delightful film and is one that should be better known.

"The Holly and the Ivy" is the only realistic Christmas movie of the 1950's. It tells the story of an English minister, Ralph Richardson, and his three conflicted adult children: Margaret Leighton, Celia, Johnson, and Denholm Elliott. Everybody in the cast does a great acting job. This is Mr. Richardson's last great role as a leading man in a movie. The story is like riding a roller coaster. Christmas should be a calm time for families, but it is not for this English family. This movie is a forgotten gem.

This movie is a little gem for the most part. And a welcome change from the usual Christmas fare. The only fault is with the ending which appears rushed and we are left to grieve the characters a little. Rather like a dessert that gets whisked away before one is quite finished. Unsatisfied. It tells the story of a widowed parson and the family members who come home for the holidays to a quaint old village. Father, played wonderfully by Ralph Richardson, has always been shielded from the facts of life by his three - now adult - children. For the era in which it was made (1952)the secrets one of the three carries is quite a shocker. A flaw is that Celia Johnson, an actress I enjoy, is far too old in this to play a thirty one year old. Margaret Leighton's brittle charm is never more appealing than here. However, the two aunts steal every scene in which they appear, two wonderful stage actresses, Margaret Halstan and Maureen Delaney. A great script, a little stagey, and ending far too swiftly, I gave it a 7 out of 10.

I think I have only seen this film about 3 times in my life. But the impact it had on me each time I saw it was great. A tremendous British cast, in a tremendous British film. It just simply is not shown often enough, and on top of all that it is not available on Video/DVD.A story of a family brought together for Christmas, and their lives during the war years clearly showing through.Please let us have a change from the usual Christmas line up. Either give us a treat and show it over the coming Christmas or release it on Video/DVD. After all, how many variations of a Christmas Carol can somebody take over the festive period year after year.