Old film probably 1940's Black & White

[Mortartube]

I remember seeing and old film with American speaking actors/actresses. I saw this in the very early 1970's and it involved a man who bought his wife/girlfriend a hair slide for Christmas whilst she bought him a pocket watch chain. When Christmas day comes she has had all her hair cut off to buy him a watch chain, whilst he sold his watch to buy the hair slide. I have found references to this on IMDB but none of the films listed quite seem to fit the bill date wise. I am pretty sure it would be 30's or 40's American B&W with the general "Feel" of films of that era, e.g it's a wonderful life etc. Thanks in advance.

[GK2005]

I never saw the film but I remeber my father reading the story to me when I was about six (long time ago). It was in a set of Encyclopedia's my parents had so I guess it is a kind of American folk tale. The story showed how much each partner cared for the other by sacrificing something special to make the other happy but ultimately they had eachother and that was all they wanted.

Would love to know about the film.

[Ouisch]

The story you're referring to is O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi." The following is the only black and white version of it I could find:

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0044981/

[jno]

a couple of TV versions listed here but probably too recent for you - I expect Ouisch's answer is the correct one

[LeMarchand]

At work, so no access to Digiguide, but it was on Sky Cinema recently and it's quite likely to be repeated.