"Gift of the Magi" departs from the usual holiday film fare in a couple of ways. First, it's not about boy meets girl, but mainly about a young couple who just got married and are very much in love. They both work - she in customer service for a cleaning products company, and he as a bartender. Della and Jim have a mutual male friend and female friend whom they would like to get together. The guy has a seven-year-old son, and these three provide some light humor in the story.
As others have noted, this is a version of the 1905 O. Henry story, "The Gift of the Magi." And the sacrifices by the young couple make the best aspect of this story. Della and Jim each go out of their way to get a special gift this Christmas. It's something their spouse really wants more than anything - but would not expect to receive as a gift. In the process, some things get fouled up for a while, but their unselfishness brings about a happy reconciliation.
Marla Sokoloff carries the film with her bubbly, yet common sense personality as Della. This is just a different enough story that most people should enjoy it as a movie for the holidays. More than a dozen adaptations of the O. Henry story have been put on film. This modern version has some extra twists.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Della Young, "And Ian - he's fantastic. He would treat you so well." Jessie, "There's that too. He's too nice." Della, "Oh, Don't be that, girl." Jessie, "No, but he is. He, he's so helpful, so nice that there's no, there's no mystery. There's no excitement." Della, "Okay. Well, you know you could just continue dating those immature jerks who have bad hygiene and even worse manners."
Mitch, "Look, you get any sweeter on that wife of yours, you're gonna get cavities."
Jim Young, "You know you're not going to get them together just by putting them in the same room together." Della Young, "Well, I'm not gonna get them together unless they're in the same room together."
Jessie, "It's like accusing Mother Teresa of stealing your wallet."
As others have noted, this is a version of the 1905 O. Henry story, "The Gift of the Magi." And the sacrifices by the young couple make the best aspect of this story. Della and Jim each go out of their way to get a special gift this Christmas. It's something their spouse really wants more than anything - but would not expect to receive as a gift. In the process, some things get fouled up for a while, but their unselfishness brings about a happy reconciliation.
Marla Sokoloff carries the film with her bubbly, yet common sense personality as Della. This is just a different enough story that most people should enjoy it as a movie for the holidays. More than a dozen adaptations of the O. Henry story have been put on film. This modern version has some extra twists.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Della Young, "And Ian - he's fantastic. He would treat you so well." Jessie, "There's that too. He's too nice." Della, "Oh, Don't be that, girl." Jessie, "No, but he is. He, he's so helpful, so nice that there's no, there's no mystery. There's no excitement." Della, "Okay. Well, you know you could just continue dating those immature jerks who have bad hygiene and even worse manners."
Mitch, "Look, you get any sweeter on that wife of yours, you're gonna get cavities."
Jim Young, "You know you're not going to get them together just by putting them in the same room together." Della Young, "Well, I'm not gonna get them together unless they're in the same room together."
Jessie, "It's like accusing Mother Teresa of stealing your wallet."