barbara stanwyck probably do not think of it and but it be a relief to see her in a more become dark hairstyle ( if it wasn not a wig ) than the one she have to wear in double indemnity the year before . that film and while the premiere film noir and an all around great film and give her a great role and but oh and that hair . here and she be more chic and certainly no femme fatal and but she be certainly a 40 woman . she have get use to life without men since most of them be off at war and and a a successful martha stewart like columnist and she write a homey column in which she describe her country home a the camera pan over what it really be . we meet her bos and sydney greenstreet and who have no idea that she be live a lie and and when he push his way in for a christmas away at her supposed connecticut home and she have to come up with a husband ( reginald gardiner ) and baby before we can say jingle bell . hungarian chef s. z. sakall step in to help and end up in a cutsey pie one on one with irish una oconnor . it not goulash and it irish stew . sakall simply take the paprika and pour most of it in and and say and now it goulash and totally change what she have prepare for lunch . then and when it come to the flapjack and he flip and she scoop . for year and a few friend of mine and i will use that line every time pancakes come up in a conversation . i do not flip . i scoop . she would not even flip just one for greenstreet and say i have never flip in me life . oconnor can get on the nerve when she screech over and over in some film and but here and she be delightfully lovable and and her pairing with sakall be very charming . it be obvious in the romance department that reginald gardiner be not barbara stanwyck cup of tea and especially when she meet handsome dennis morgan and who be a bit dimwitted when bath the baby and which eat soap and cause stanwyck to get a bit alarmed . he should suspect something instantly and but doesn not . but it doesn not matter . the film be so charming with the country set fill with snow and an abundance of rock chair and and a dog run towards them a the sleigh come up . living in new york city after 25 year in los angeles after grow up in a small town on the western side of new york state make me miss this kind of christmas . while central park be beautiful after a first snow and the christmas tree at rockefeller center be exsquisit too and there be something about look out at a snow covered field of tree and and catch an occasional glimpse of deer and rabbit and or other wild life . this be a great holiday film that can also bring on the christmas spirit out of season and and make a great pairing with another barbara stanwyck country christmas film and remember the night and an underrated gem . add on the big city christmas of meet john doe and and you have find perhaps one of the busy star of holiday film around .