It’s the most
wonderful time of the year.
There is the company
of loved ones whose warmth compensates for the chill outside.
There are lively
conversations to be had, hopefully not about politics. There is a snowman to be
built. There is a Christmas tree and the home to be decorated. There are
presents to be unwrapped. Most importantly there is a scrumptious meal to be
consumed.
After devouring the
delectable meal, there are Christmas Classics visited or revisited perhaps
while lazing before the television. Perhaps you are among the fortunate ones
who live near cinemas where the
classics are being screened.
Here are ten of my
favorite Christmas movies in no particular order of importance
There are no
spoilers, not even a mention of the plot.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Directed by: Frank Capra
Stars: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
It celebrates life
with the message that every act of kindness, irrespective of how ordinary the
act may seem, has the potential to bring profound change.
The film is warm,
funny, and thought-provoking with a particularly poignant and uplifting ending.
If you have only time for one film, make it this one.
Be sure to watch this
one in its original black-and-white glory and not the garishly colorized
version.
‘Miracle on
34th Street’ (1947)
Video via https://youtu.be/LrQmDsDcYzk
Director: George Seaton
Starring: Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara, Natalie Wood
Gwenn is quite easily
the definitive celluloid Santa Claus in this delightful and timeless classic.
It is funny, heartfelt, and very enjoyable as it celebrates the spirit of Christmas. It also explores the
matter of faith vs. skepticism and the perils of heartless commercialism.
The Muppet
Christmas Carol (1992)
Director: Brian Henson
Starring: Sir Michael Caine
This is an underrated musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s Christmas
Carol with Sir Michael Caine and a host of Muppets.
This is a tale that
celebrates the Christmas spirit of generosity and kindness to all. The overall
message is that of introspection, repentance, and finally redemption.
Caine delivers
magnificently as Scrooge, the meanspirited, miserable, and sullen old miser who
despises Christmas
The Shop
Around the Corner (1940)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr3nsHRKZJA
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Starring: James
Stewart, Margaret Sullivan
A delightful romantic
comedy set in a gift shop. The shop is like a microcosm for life, there is hope
and despair, there joy and woe. It is also a place where love unexpectedly
blossoms.
This is a smart, funny, and touching picture whose worth as one
critic Ada Hanifin noted ‘is not a superficial sparkle but a glow of warmth
lighted by sincere characterization and an evanescent beauty that is caught in
an awakening love’.
It is set in Budapest, but the mostly American cast never makes it
seem like there is anything remotely Hungarian about it. But it hardly matters.
It inspired Nora
Ephron's You’ve Got Mail.
The Bishop's
Wife (1947)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAFneciOP0M
Director: Henry Koster
Starring: Cary
Grant, David Niven, and Loretta Young.
This is a film that
explores human frailty, disenchantment owing to unfulfilled ambition, and
morality. It depicts the challenges of following a moral life i.e. doing the
right thing doesn't always enable gains
The film is thoroughly
entertaining but also it gives its audience ideas to ponder over.
Grant and Niven as
magnificent in their parts.
Remember the
Night (1940)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKcLcT9dOFk
Director: Mitchell
Leisen
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray.
This truly is an
often-overlooked gem.
The film is a
courtroom drama, a road movie, a romantic comedy, and a Christmas movie all in
one. This is also a story of redemption through love.
The lead pair is known better for the classic noir thriller Double
Indemnity (1944) shines in this sweet, funny, and
heartwarming tale.
Christmas in
Connecticut (1945)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XutjMIKeyF0
Director: Peter
Godfrey
Starring: Barbara
Stanwyck Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet
This is a cheery
romantic comedy farce. There may not be much of a message but it will keep you
engaged all through its duration with its funny dialogue, hilarious situations,
and strong performances by the three leads.
The Thin
Man (1934)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqpO6mx8WCE
Director: W. S. Van
Dyke
Starring: William
Powell and Myrna Loy
The film introduced
Dashiell Hammett's characters Nick and Nora Charles to the big screen. MGM was
pleasantly surprised when the film, became a huge hit and even garnered four
Oscar nominations.
This is a light-hearted
murder mystery set against the backdrop of Christmas. It is replete with wit,
humor, and sparkling chemistry between the two leads.
Die Hard (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaJuwKCmJbY
Director: John McTiernan
Starring: Bruce
Willis and Alan Rickman
A heated debate
occurs every year around Christmas time on whether Die Hard is a Christmas
movie.
The film made Bruce
Willis an international superstar and spawned several imitations.
The isn’t just a
great action film but a great film, period. It is funny and even poignant. It celebrates
the triumph of the human spirit.
What more could you ask for?
This is the only entry in the list that is meant for eyes about 18
years.
Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (1984)
Director David Carson
Starring Jeremy Brett
and David Burke
This isn’t a film but
an episode of the famous British TV series that faithfully adapted many of Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous stories about the legendary detective Sherlock
Holmes and his companion Dr. John Watson.
This episode has it
all.
An evocative atmosphere,
a haunting and almost melancholic background score, and a story that celebrates
the spirit of Christmas of generosity and kindness.
Watching this episode
is part of my Christmas ritual.
The whole episode can
be found here
The entire series is
essential viewing for admirers of Sherlock Holmes and beyond.
Jeremy Brett is the
definitive on-screen Holmes, delivering a performance that matches the best
film acting. He captured the manic energy as well as the hound-like
determination of Holmes, along with the mood swings and melancholic moods. It
was a role that Brett was born to play. He even looked remarkably like the
Sidney Paget illustrations that accompanied Doyle’s stories in the
Strand Magazine.
Brett was the first
actor to portray the humanity of Holmes. Previous actors portrayed Holmes as a
robot who could analyze and deduce.
Wish you a Merry
Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-xzyD00_fI
Also appears on American Thinker
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