Down on his luck New York office worker Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell) dreams of making a success of himself so that he can build a better life and marry his sweetheart Betty (Ellen Drew). He’s been pinning his hopes on winning a long running radio contest to create a new slogan for Maxford House Coffee, and when three mischievous colleagues trick him into thinking he’s won, it sets off a hilarious train of events that none of them could have anticipated.
Preston Sturges adapted his own play A Cup of Coffee for the screen in Christmas in July, and its story of Jimmy’s rise, fall and redemption is one of the great unheralded screwball comedies. With brilliant turns from Powell, Drew, and Sturges regulars Raymond Walburn and Alexander Carr, this truly is a delight, with the film’s connection to Christmas remaining a surprise until nearly the very end…