Christmas in July (film) Christmas in July (film) Christmas in July is a 1940 comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges based on his 1931 play "A Cup of Coffee". It was Sturges' second film as writer-director, after "The Great McGinty", and stars Dick Powell and Ellen Drew. Dr. Maxford (Raymond Walburn) is thoroughly exasperated. He is supposed to announce on national radio the winners of a slogan contest for his Maxford House Coffee; the first prize is $25,000. Maxford's jury is deadlocked by the stubborn Mr. Bildocker (William Demarest). As a result, the program ends without an announcement. One of millions of
John Sturges John Sturges John Eliot Sturges (; January 3, 1910 – August 18, 1992) was an American film director. His movies include "Bad Day at Black Rock" (1955), "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957), "The Magnificent Seven" (1960), "The Great Escape" (1963), and "Ice Station Zebra" (1968). In 2013, "The Magnificent Seven" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". He was not related to director Preston Sturges. He started his career in Hollywood as an editor in 1932. During World War II, he directed documentaries