Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Mjeteconer Just perfect...

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

mark.waltz Up in Central Park, the millionaire businessmen abandon their century old mansions for equally old mansions in Virginia. Powerful businessman Charlie Ruggles isn't quite Ebenezer Scrooge, but if he doesn't change his ways, he'll be haunting Manhattan a la Jacob Marley. Tearing down cheap $40 a month apartments in the poor section of town, his management company kicks war veteran Don DeFore out, and after an encounter with foppish Victor Moore, he accepts an invitation to move into a Fifth Avenue mansion, owner by Ruggles but boarded up for the winter. In the meantime, Ruggles discovers that his 18 year old daughter (Gale Storm) has run away from boarding school. Guess where Ms. Storm shows up, creating more chaos, especially when Ruggles finally locates her.A touching comedy that has absolutely no reality, but ends up working simply because it is presented so sweetly. The real star is the adorable Victor Moore, seen at the very beginning sneaking into the house via a manhole. He's sort of the den mother, a rather pickled old darling who could charm the ticker symbol off of a stock report. Charlie Ruggles is cast against type but an absolute delight. Early '30s leading lady Ann Harding is still a stunner and gets some nice lighthearted moments as his estranged wife who becomes a last minute addition thanks to the scheming machinations of daughter Storm. The future "My Little Margie" makes a perky young heroine, smoothly paired with the handsome DeFore.A nice roster of character actors ably support the leads, with a very young Alan Hale Jr. instantly recognizable as one of the many interlopers. DeFore and Hale take on child hating landlord Charles Lane in a surprisingly violent but amusing manner. Grant Mitchell, Edward Brophy and Vera Lewis are just a few of the familiar faces who pop up in bits. There's a few songs thrown in for good measure. When stage veteran Moore throws on a Santa suit for a Christmas celebration, you might find all of your cynicism's disappearing. It's just a tiny bit overlong, but why should that matter when it makes you feel so good?

jldeangelis This is one movie I often watch throughout the year. A movie when the weather is hot, you miss family, friends, you encounter strangers by chance, remembering fellow Veterans. Odd combination? Not so."It Happened on Fifth Avenue" has simple creativity and thought. It pulls together the Christmas spirit of family, friends, strangers, and Veterans along their journey. The bonus for the time it was filmed, in old-school black and white. This classic starts off with a simple poke and brings you home.The actors are real and genuine.It's a good old-fashion Christmas movie to watch year round.

wes-connors Slightly tipsy hobo Victor Moore (as Aloysius T. McKeever) arrives with his dog "Sam" at a swanky New York City brownstone. This is where he spends the winter, while owner and "second richest man in the world" Charles Ruggles (as Michael "Mike" O'Connor) is in Virginia at his "Bubbling Springs" mansion. Meanwhile, World War II veteran Don DeFore (as Jim Bullock) is down on his luck and in his underwear. Thrown out of a tenement, Mr. DeFore is sleeping on a city bench when Mr. Moore happens by, his ragged clothes replaced by Mr. Ruggles' classy duds. Moore invites DeFore over to his adopted mansion...Houseguest DeFore's homeless buddies move in because their prospective apartment won't allow children. Young father Edward Ryan Jr. (as Hank) begs him to reconsider, but landlord Charles Lane asserts, "We don't take children!" Dripping with sarcasm, Alan Hale Jr. (as Whitey) offers to drown the kids while DeFore asks, "If he lets your kids in, everybody'd start having children - then what would happen to the human race?" Meanwhile, nubile young heiress Gale Storm (as Trudy O'Connor) runs away from school, intending to hide out in New York while her father's away. Hoping to stay incognito, Ms. Storm decides to pose as a vagrant in her own mansion. Naturally, father Ruggles hires a detective, and divorced mother Ann Harding (as Mary O'Connor) is also concerned...The whimsical fun continues with Moore and Ruggles reversing their rich man, poor man roles. The older gentlemen are in fine form. Minor bits with tailor Abe Reynolds and waiter Pat Goldin's wobbly table add to the fun, smoothly guided by producer/director Roy Del Ruth. The thoroughly charming script, by Herbert Clyde Lewis and Frederick Stephani, won a much-deserved "Academy Award" nomination. Other than that, "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" seems to have fallen through the cracks. If you're looking for "lost gems" among old movies, you'll find one here.********* It Happened on Fifth Avenue (4/19/47) Roy Del Ruth ~ Victor Moore, Charles Ruggles, Don DeFore, Ann Harding

bkoganbing Sad to say but sweet and whimsical films like It Happened On Fifth Avenue just aren't being made today. Of course you have to have players like Victor Moore and Charles Winninger who can carry off whimsy. And whimsy isn't in with today's audiences.In fact the notion of a millionaire who leaves his Fifth Avenue townhouse for the winter from Election Day to St. Patrick's Day and has it occupied by a gentleman hobo during most of that time is a bit much to swallow. But Victor Moore as the occupier brings it off. No one could ever believe harm would befall anyone in Moore's path.But Moore's life gets a bit complicated when Don DeFore a recently discharged serviceman decides to move in on what he thinks is a boarded up mansion. Then Gale Storm who actually is the daughter of Charles Winninger and is rebellious and estranged shows up and pretends to go along with the gag. She kind of likes what she sees in DeFore. Before you know it a small community springs up in the drafty old house.Eventually that community includes Storm's parents Charles Winninger and Ann Harding who are similarly estranged. But its the Yuletide season coming on and people are just a bit nicer to each other at that time of the year.Of course it all comes to an end and hardly the end you would think in real life. Still It Happened On Fifth Avenue is possessing a certain magic to it. You can't help but like these people.Part of the reason is that for those years between World War II and Korea, returning servicemen of the Greatest Generation are treated like the family jewels. It's not questioned by the theater audience of the time that you extend yourself to them. It Happened On Fifth Avenue could never be remade today for that reason as well.It Happened On Fifth Avenue is a bit sugary, but a warmly sentimental film a favorite of the Yuletide season.