I'm trying to find a movie I remember seeing as a kid (I'm 53) where a
"public defender" (lawyer) takes home a woman being held in jail
("shoplifter", I believe) for Christmas with his family.  The woman is
charmed by the "wholesomeness" of the family life etc... I think I
remember a small town dance or get together and a car breaking down
and her weeping over "if his family found out how he REALLY knew her".
They fall in love, in the end he tells her he'll wait for her till she
gets out of jail ...........
I could swear the man in the film was Fred MacMurray.  But when I do a
search nothing come up.  Any clue what this film might have been?  I'd
really really like to find it.

Thanks so much ,

Terese

Hi Terese!

I believe the movie you have in mind is ?Remember the Night? starring
Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck.


Below you will find descriptions where you may verify that this is the
correct movie.

?1940's Remember the Night is the charming tale of a prosecuting
attorney who takes a shoplifter to his family's farm for Christmas
because he doubts he can successfully convict her on Christmas Eve and
doesn't wish to see her spend the holidays in jail. The shoplifter, a
product of a broken home, experiences a Christmas unlike any she's
known before. Meanwhile, the prosecutor falls in love with her, making
his professional duties all but impossible.?

Forgotten Christmas Movies
http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/writer/christmasmovies.html


===========================


 ?Just before Christmas, Lee Leander is caught shoplifting. It is her
third offense. She is prosecuted by John Sargent. He gets the trial
postponed because it is hard to get a conviction at Christmastime. But
he feels sorry for her and arranges for her bail, and ends up taking
her home to his mother for Christmas. Surrounded by a loving family
(in stark contrast to Lee's own family background) they fall in love.
This creates a new problem: how do they handle the upcoming trial??

IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032981/plotsummary


===========================


"Remember The Night" tells the spirited story of Lee Leander a street
wise, fast talking shop lifter who is up on a charge for stealing from
a jewelry store as the Christmas season approaches. The case is held
over till the New year and rather than spend it in jail she finds
herself being "rostered on" with the prosecuting attorney (Fred
MacMurray )charged with convicting her till court resumes. What she
gets is an unexpected invitation to spend the holidays with his family
upstate where Lee gets her first real taste of a warm family life
where people are nice to each other with no ulterior motives. Lee
easily warms to the way of living she finds at MacMurray's farm and
finds herself falling in love for the first time.?

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6303560067/ref=ase_imdb-adbox/104-2465402-2007950?v=glance&s=video


===========================


There are 12 new and used copies of this film available at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6303560067/ref=ase_imdb-adbox/104-2465402-2007950?v=glance&s=video


Search terms used:
Movie lawyer takes home shoplifter for Christmas

I hope this helps!

Best regards,
Bobbie7

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Request for Answer Clarification by teresetrees-ga on 29 Aug 2004 09:31 PDT

I CANNOT believe you knew this movie.  I have been looking for it for
years.  I even did a search on Amazon for Fred MacMurray movies before
coming here.  Thanks!  You made my day.

terese

---

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 29 Aug 2004 10:03 PDT

Dear Terese,

Thank you for the five star rating and generous tip! I'm glad I found
the exact movie that you had in mind.

Sincerely,
Bobbie7