The Holly and the Ivy

George More O'Ferrall's 1952 film follows a family gathering at their father's house for Christmas. The father is a clergyman; the care he shows his parish he has not shown his own children, and that neglect surfaces across a visit of a few days. The film is adapted from Wynyard Browne's play and its theatrical origin is clear; the narrative proceeds almost entirely in one house and through conversation. That constraint does not hurt it, because the subject is what goes unsaid. Each of the children carries a secret and none can tell their father, because his being a clergyman has created a moral distance. Celia Johnson and Margaret Leighton play the sisters and Ralph Richardson the father. Denholm Elliott appears in an early role. Who it's for: those who like British stage adaptations and family drama. Who it's not for: viewers wanting visually rich cinema; the film makes no attempt to hide its stage origins.