There's always a lot to do on New Year's Eve, but, if you can find two hours to stop, sit and relax, try and watch (or rewatch) George Stevens' Penny Serenade.
This romantic and melancholic drama tells the story of young couple, Julie (Irene Dunne) and Roger (Cary Grant), on the brink of separation. When the film opens Julie is getting ready to leave and Applejack (Edgar Buchanan), a good friend of the couple, advises her to ponder about her decision to break up her marriage.
Applejack leaves her with a scrapbook of records entitled "The Story of a Happy Marriage" and Julie starts playing various tracks.
Through the songs – from Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed's "You Were Meant for Me" to "Just a Memory", "The Missouri Waltz", "I'm Tickled Pink with a Blue-Eyed Baby", and "The Moon Was Yellow" among the others – the audience is transported back to Julie and Roger's love story.
Roger had first spotted Julie working in a record shop and, after a brief romance, they quickly got married on New Year's Eve, a few hours before Roger is sent to Japan on assignment for the newspaper he has been working for as a journalist.
They have a romantic night on the train and, in the next flashback taking place three months later, they are reunited in Japan where Julie announces she is pregnant.
Julie learns that Roger has been lavishly spending advances on his salary in Japan and is worried about her husband's financial irresponsibility.
Soon after they have a quarrel, an earthquake strikes and she loses their baby when the house collapses on her.
Rushed back to the States for treatment, Julie is devastated by the news she will not be able to have children.
The couple move to the countryside to start a new life: Roger launches a small newspaper, but Julie feels often sad.
Applejack encourages them to adopt a child and eventually they do so. Little Trina brings a lot of love to their lives, but things don't got as planned and tragedy strikes again. A twist at the very end of the story will allow the couple to find new strength to get on with their lives.
Fans of dramas will discover in the film a lot of moving moments, the best one being the section when Roger begs the judge not to take Trina away from them because they are having financial difficulties.
Fashionistas will instead rejoice at seeing Julie's elegant New Year's Eve gown, her impeccable suits matched with lovely sculptural hats, her lavish Japanese kimono and Roger's coats characterised by ample sleeves.
Why is this the perfect story for the end of the year, you ask? Well, there's a New Year's Eve party and a children's Christmas play, but the final message of the film is about facing life's ups and downs, overcoming adversity and never losing hope. Not bad as a lesson to end a year and start a new one. Enjoy the film!
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