O is for the Outstanding O'Henry: The Gift of the Magi

I am currently reposting from my A-Z List 1. For that very first "reading" list, I read (or tried to read) fiction books by authors I had never tried before. 

I have read O'Henry--and seen a number of films, including the marvelous Wishbone's Dog Days of the West. 

I had never seen the black & white "The Gift of the Magi," however. So I determined to watch it as part of my Christmas celebrations.

The version is part of a set of short films, O'Henry's Full House. It stars Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger, the latter rather pleasantly playing a good guy rather than a sociopath. (Granger also spent time in Italy doing Spaghetti Westerns, and yup, he shows up in They Call Me Trinity.)

O'Henry's  "The Gift of the Magi" is impressive but not because of the tropes. The idea of mutual self-sacrifice shows up all over romances and religious literature. And it can cause a (negative) shiver, especially when it involves things like debt and Happy Princes shedding their skins.

O'Henry's story rises above others due to three factors: (1) the story is excellently well-constructed--the revelation at the end always manages to surprise; (2) O'Henry demonstrates full and kindly awareness of exactly how much "one dollar and eighty- seven cents" can buy in much the same way The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is aware of the value of a ham; (3) O'Henry's language: he doesn't get maudlin; in fact, his humor remains through the final paragraph, where it abruptly and magnificently gives way to transcendence:

[The magi] invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi. 

The movie is good! I recommend it. It is a crisp, accurate, and friendly retelling. 

My favorite part is the end, which matches O'Henry's tone. The couple realize what they have done in terms of sacrifice. They peer at each other. And then they burst out laughing!

Perfect.