Hello, and Mary Christmas in the middle of July, we're continuing our tribute to the great James Conn who we tragically lost just a few days ago.

And today we're going back to a holiday movie in the middle of summer, and that is John Favreau's elf starring Will Farrell and James Conn.

I always forget how damn funny he is.

Not a guy who got to do a lot of comedies after I think after the 70s, you really didn't get to do a lot of comedies, but this is an I'm glad we're ending on this one because you know when you lived 82 years and you've left a legacy of memorable roles that have span numerous decades and you've been blessed enough to work successfully in this business and leave a legacy beyond just your performances also with your interviews and your unique approach to the world you know nonsense approach to the world.

Ending it should be something that you celebrate the life like this that was that was lived should be celebrated and I feel like this film is a celebration of Christmas and in a way a celebration of James Conn because I I would could have thought of 45 other actors you cast before you get to James Conn for this role he is so unusual.

I was like an asner as Santa Claus these are two of the most unusual castings in a Christmas film yet an absolutely works and the reason it works is because you needed to have somebody who was going to be the Carmage and somebody who was going to be that person who was quick to anger quick to be in on the naughty list you had to have somebody here, but you also had someone that you wanted to see redeemed.

I think what you see here in this film which is a fantastic performance from James Conn is right off the bat he is totally thrown off by this whole situation he is like oh yeah just sing me a song or whatever you're what are you supposed to do and then when he says the name from James Conn's past there's a reaction.

You get the name how do you find out about this and then step by step egg dog by Mary steam Virgin he opens the door to establish in this and Michael of course the young brother establishes relationship with buddy and it isn't until that moment with Michael or in the when he's pitching the book that he realizes after Michael or talks that way to Michael how much he actually does care about buddy and love buddy and that's James Conn and it's so believable running after him and all that kind of stuff and then of course at the end he's not the one.

Singing which is perfect because of course that's the last hurdle the last step so in a way his character is so so essential to making this movie work because he's the last one to finally give in and express that Christmas spirit and isn't it usually our old Carmage and grandfathers or dads or the last ones to finally dial into the spirit every year so it's great to have him be a part of this movie for sure.

So I have a thought and what it was funny is I haven't listened to our elf episode in a long time so I don't remember if I had this thought before or if it's new so as we as you listen to the episode maybe I'm repeating myself but there's a bunch of movies we've done where the main note theoretically in a screenplay the main character has an arc and they're going to change in the course of the film yeah but there's a bunch of movies we've done where it's really a supporting character that has the arc buddy doesn't have an arc buddy's buddy you know yeah right James Conn's character that has the arc yes he goes on.

On a journey and changes and what what's interesting thinking about it now and again like I said maybe I said these exact things when we recorded the episode I don't remember but but I hadn't thought about this is you know we just passed father's day and we were talking about father son movies this is a father son movie always absolutely follow some you know and there's that moment and what happened in a sports movie where dad shows up at the big game you know strange dad and that's what gives the kid the strength to win the big whatever it is yeah that's what happens to this movie essentially yeah

his dad shows up at the climactic moment and it's dad's belief that we had to get to through his arc that allows Christmas to be saved yeah you know it's not buddy who saves Christmas right you know what I mean yeah and buddy doesn't guilt him into it buddy doesn't you know trying to manipulate him into it he has to come to it on his own so it has to be authentic and so in that moment you know he sees it and Michael does call him out says buddy was right you know you only care about yourself and it's that situation there so he has to confront the things that he is kind of shot away

and buddy and maybe this connection with you know finding out this is a woman that he loved for a long time and she passed away who knows how much of that hurt is operating

yeah underneath that performance and having the son of a woman he had kind of put away in his mind because of the pain of the loss come back into his life what is that situation like so it's all of that that's playing here and operating here and I think

confine some really interesting and unique moments to show you I mean what the tickle thing when he's trying to tuck him in bed I mean that all of that you kind of just like who this is so so crazy

of what they put him through in the movie I'm giving him the the negligee I mean all of it is so well and he plays with Amy Cedera so well

that I think is just so important as well and establishing his character and what he does well and this is why there are times when you're

casting someone because of their performance but there's also times you're casting someone which of course James Conner is a great performance but you're

also casting someone sometimes because of our association with that actor from the past right you know and because James Conner is sunny

Corleon he's played all these tough guys and he has a reputation as this sort of tough you know not anything like warm and fuzzy

that's why he's such perfect casting in this movie you know because he brings all that stuff with it

so good he's so good and you know Will Farrell is it peak Will Farrell yes yes here's that ability to just be

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