Watch O Henry's Full House
- Approved
- 1952
- 1 hr 57 min
-
7.2 (3,109)
O Henry's Full House is a 1952 movie, based on the short stories of O. Henry, a master of the surprise ending. The movie involves five different stories, each with its characters and plot. The first story is called "The Cop and the Anthem," featuring vagrant Soapy (played by Charles Laughton), who wanders the streets of New York City in search of a warm bed for the winter. Soapy comes up with different schemes to get himself arrested so that he can spend time in jail, but each plan falls through. Despite the humor of the situation, the story has a poignant and bittersweet ending.
The second story, called "The Clarion Call," features Anne Baxter as Sue, a young woman who dreams of becoming a writer but has had no success. She gets a job at a newspaper as a typist and, in an act of desperation, writes a fake story about a murder that has not happened yet. The story is so convincing that when the murder actually takes place, the police come to the newspaper to ask questions. Sue is faced with a moral dilemma and must choose between her dreams and her conscience.
The third story is called "The Last Leaf," and it tells the heartwarming tale of two young women, Johnsy (played by Jean Peters), who is gravely ill, and her roommate, Sue. Johnsy becomes convinced that she will die when the last leaf on a nearby tree falls, but her determined friend does everything in her power to keep the leaf from falling. The story is a touching testament to the power of friendship and the strength of the human spirit.
The fourth story is called "The Ransom of Red Chief," and it tells the story of two crooks, Sam and Bill, who kidnap a young boy for ransom. However, the boy turns out to be a handful, and they end up begging the boy's father to come and take him back. The story is filled with hilarious situations, and the boy's antics will have you laughing out loud.
The final story is called "The Gift of the Magi," which is probably O. Henry's most famous story. The story tells the tale of young couple Jim (played by Farley Granger) and Della (played by Jeanne Crain), who are desperately in love despite being poor. On Christmas Eve, Jim sells his only valuable possession, a watch, to buy Della a set of combs for her hair. Meanwhile, Della has cut off her hair to sell it to a wig maker to buy Jim a chain for his watch. The story is a touching reminder of the true meaning of love and sacrifice.
The movie is a collection of poignant, funny, and heartwarming tales that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled. The performances of the actors, including Fred Allen, are outstanding, and the creative direction and cinematography help bring the stories to life. O Henry's Full House is a must-see for fans of good storytelling, and it will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired.
O Henry's Full House is a 1952 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2.