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How The Grinch Stole Christmas
I’m not a great Jim Carrey fan but I do like this film. It’s not everyone’s favourite, in fact it gets a lot of negative reviews online, but there are things about the film I like:
- the witty Carrey comments, much of it ad lib;
- the children's movie also having adult humour on another level, like a Christmas pantomime (watch for the Who women putting their keys in the glass bowl at the get together, as for a swingers’ party)
- it’s fun
Some facts and trivia:
Released in 2000.
It is based on Dr. Seuss's 1957 book of the same name and is the first Dr. Seuss book to be adapted into a full-length feature film.
The film is narrated by Anthony Hopkins and stars Jim Carrey as The Grinch.
The film earned mixed reviews from critics, who praised Jim Carrey's performance, but criticized its dark theme and somewhat scary moments.
It spent four weeks as the #1 film in the United States, grossed $345 million worldwide and was the sixth-highest grossing film of 2000.
Before his death in 1991, Dr. Seuss had refused offers to sell the film rights to his books. After his death, however, his widow Audrey Geisel agreed to several merchandising deals, including clothing lines, accessories and CDs. In July 1998, Geisel's agents announced via letter she would auction the film rights of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. In order to pitch their ideas to Geisel, the suitors ultimately had to be willing to pay $5 million for the material and hand over 4 percent of the box-office gross, 50 percent of the merchandising revenue and music-related material, and 70 percent of the income from book tie-ins. The letter also stated that "any actor submitted for the Grinch must be of comparable stature to Jack Nicholson, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman." Additionally, it was stipulated that the estate would not consider a director or writer who had not earned at least $1 million on a previous picture.
The scene where the Grinch is directing his dog, Max (Kelley), before stealing Christmas, is Jim Carrey making fun of producer and director Ron Howard, imitating his style of directing. Howard found the scene hilarious, and decided to include it in this movie.
The original Grinch was not green. Like everything else in the book, he was black and white with some red and pink splotches, but producer and director Ron Howard wanted this movie to also be an adaptation of the 1966 TV special.
The Grinch (Jim Carrey) is the only character who breaks the fourth wall in this movie. He actively tries to avoid speaking in rhyme and even interacts with the narrator (Sir Anthony Hopkins).
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O. Henry's Full House
O. Henry's Full House is a 1952 American anthology film made by 20th Century Fox, consisting of five films, each based on a story by O. Henry. The film was directed by five directors from five screenplays with different authors and is narrated by author John Steinbeck, who made his only on-camera appearance to introduce each story.
It is included in my Top Ten + 2 for one reason only: it includes the film version of O’Henry’s story of "The Gift of the Magi", starring Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger.
I’m am not going to tell you of that story, I have posted the whole O’Henry’s story previously and it is well worth a read or re-read. Go to:
Those who wish to watch The Gift of the Magi segment of O’Henry’s Full House, can do so by clicking on:
Other reasons to watch O’Henry’s Full House:
5 good stories, I also really like The Last Leaf
A stellar cast
An appearance by Marilyn Monroe early in her career
You will not be disappointed.
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