BONUS - Silver Bells, Silver Screen 2024

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

A district attorney bails out a shoplifter at Christmas and takes her home to Indiana in this 1940 radio adaptation.

The episode is a bonus holiday showcase, departing from the usual suspense format to present a classic Hollywood romantic comedy adapted for radio. Host introduces the annual Silver Bells Silver Screen Showcase, highlighting lesser-known holiday films like 'Remember the Night.' The Lux Radio Theater adaptation from March 25, 1940, stars Barbara Stanwyck as Lee Leander, a shoplifter, and Fred McMurray as Jack Sargent, the prosecutor assigned to her case. After Jack gets the trial postponed until after Christmas, he bails Lee out and discovers they both hail from Indiana. He takes her home for the holidays, where she is welcomed by his mother, aunt, and hired hand. Lee's own mother rejects her in a painful scene, contrasting with the warmth of Jack's family. The story unfolds as a romantic comedy, with Lee and Jack falling in love despite her legal troubles. Jack's mother subtly warns Lee about his hard-earned career, adding tension. The episode includes period commercials for Lux Toilet Soap, featuring endorsements from stars like Jane Wyman. In the third act, Lee pleads guilty to protect Jack's career, but he vows to wait for her. The episode concludes with a curtain call where Stanwyck and McMurray banter about saxophone solos and promote Lux soap. Cecil B. DeMille hosts and produces, with supporting cast including Beulah Bondi, Sterling Holloway, and Elizabeth Patterson.

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