Daily Dirt: Your belly’s full, and you’ve had enough football for the day, so how about a good holiday movie?

Daily Dirt for Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023

I challenge you to find three better holiday films than the ones listed below, especially the first two … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 788 of The Daily Dirt.

1. At some point Thursday, most of us will be uncomfortably full and resting quietly upon either a recliner or sofa.

We won’t another bite to eat until Friday, and even the staunchest of football fans will need a break from the NFL and college games. May I suggest the following medal-worthy movies to put a perfect cap on the holiday?

Gold medal: “Miracle on 34th Street (1947)”: Yes, you’re right. This movie is technically a Christmas film, but I’m asking you accept a bit of a stretch since the little girl who is featured, Susan (played by Natalie Wood), is shown watching the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City out her window. This longtime film favorite provides an excellent segue into the full-on holiday season.

Silver medal: “Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)”: Stranded travelers Steve Martin and the late John Candy are forced to use all sorts of transportation to get home for Thanksgiving. “The frequent one-liner bits are gut-bustingly funny, and the chemistry between Martin and Candy here is unparalleled,” writes film critic Gwen Ihnat. This is the perfect film for late Thursday evening.

Bronze medal: “Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)”: This one’s kind of a sleeper. Although it’s one of Woody Allen’s finest efforts and takes place during the holidays, I think it’s been lost in the holiday shuffle over the past few decades. The movie rests on three key scenes across three different Thanksgivings. Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest and Barbara Hershey are all memorable.

2. This week’s celebrity birthdays include five famous individuals who were born on Thanksgiving:

• “Family Feud” host Steve Harvey, who turns 67 on Thursday. Best game-show host ever?
• Horror movie superstar Boris Karloff, who would have been 136 on Thanksgiving. He died in 1969 at age 81. We need more kids to be named Boris these days.
• Arguably the most famous Wild West outlaw of them all, William “Billy The Kid” Bonney, who would have turned 164 on Thursday. The Kid died at age 21 in 1881.
• Singer Miley Cyrus will be 31 on Thursday. The older she gets, the more she looks like her dad, Billy Ray.
• Former ESPN anchor and current ABC news anchor Robin Roberts will be 63 on Turkey Day. She was one of the best ever at ESPN.

3. The current NFL season is far from over, but there has already been a record number (10) of rookie quarterbacks start a game, thanks in large part to injuries. For those keeping score, here’s the list:

• 1. C.J. Stroud, Texans
• 2. Bryce Young, Panthers
• 3. Anthony Richardson, Colts.
• 4. Will Levis, Titans
• 5. Aidan O’Connell, Raiders
• 6. Clayton Tune, Cardinals
• 7. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Browns
• 8. Jaren Hall, Vikings
• 9. Tyson Bagent, Bears
• 10. Tommy DeVito, Giants

“That so many (rookie) quarterbacks have started is a combination of supply — 14 quarterbacks were taken in this year’s draft, including a record 12 in the first five rounds — and opportunity,” writes Joseph Person of The Athletic. “Seven of the 10 rookies got their chance to start because of an injury at the position.”

Stroud is the clear-cut best of the crop and is even being mentioned as potential league MVP. He leads the NFL with 291.8 passing yards per game. He has led the Texans to five victories (which surpasses the team’s 2022 total for the entire season).

Steve Thought O’ The Day
My favorite Boris Karloff film is any/all of them with “Frankenstein” in the title.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Before any of those movies gets watched on Thanksgiving, wanna bet there’s a mid-afternoon nap in preparation for the viewing?