MOVIES
The Absolutely Hallmark-Free List of 6 Great Christmas Movies
See if you agree with my list!
When Natalie posted her list of 5 Must-See Christmas Movies and invited other writers to do the same, I had to jump in, and I’ve got six. I’ve done a list of Christmas Horror Movies, but I do like some that are a bit more traditional too! All of the movies on my list are old. Sorry, no A Christmas Story here, in fact, none of the movies on the list are even in color!
6. Holiday Affair — Janet Leigh stars as a mystery shopper — in the 1940s! — who is still grieving her husband a few years after he was killed in the war. She has a young son she adores, and a boring boyfriend who wants to marry her. While doing a pre-Christmas mystery shop, she inadvertently gets a department store worker (Robert Mitchum) fired. His anger turns to attraction and then, let’s just say the boring boyfriend doesn’t stand a chance.
5. A Christmas Carol — The classic film adaptation of Dickens’ story is the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim. But personally, I like the 1938 version better. It has a different ending, and though Reginald Owen is a good Scrooge, he’s not necessarily better than Sim. The reason I favor this version is because of Gene Lockhart as Bob Cratchit (along with his real-life wife as Mrs. Cratchit and 13-year-old June Lockhart as one of the Cratchit kids.) Gene Lockhart is a jolly Bob Cratchit who seems to be really enjoying Christmas when he escapes the dismal office for an entire day off.
4. The Bishop’s Wife — Cary Grant plays an angel named Dudley in this sentimental comedy from 1947. Dudley’s assignment on earth is to remind a materialistic bishop (David Niven) about the true meaning of Christmas. But Dudley wasn’t expecting to get friendly with the bishop’s neglected wife (Loretta Young.) Cary Grant was originally slated to play the bishop, but somebody (wisely) decided that he’d be better in the role of the angel. The ice skating scene is legendary.
3. It Happened on Fifth Avenue — This charming, but complex, comedy from 1947 involves a wealthy businessman, his daughter, a homeless person, the businessman’s ex-wife, a couple of young men, their wives, their children, and a big mansion. The bum is at the heart of the story and the movie’s Christmas spirit.
2. The Shop Around the Corner — You’ve Got Mail, you say? I see your Tom Hanks and raise you Jimmy Stewart! Almost 50 years prior to Hanks and Meg Ryan’s email romance, Stewart and Margaret Sullavan had an old-fashioned postal mail one in this 1940 classic. You’ve Got Mail is based on The Shop Around the Corner, with the latter film even giving the older film’s title to the shop Ryan’s character owns. The story spans six months, beginning in the summer and ending on Christmas Eve. Director Ernst Lubitsch was a master of sophisticated comedy, and this one comes with a little romance and a ton of holiday spirit.
1. Christmas in Connecticut — Barbara Stanwyck stars as Elizabeth Lane, a woman with a dream job in 1945 that was made for the 21st century. She works at home as a magazine columnist, making enough money to afford the rent on a New York City apartment and buy herself fur coats for Christmas. The problem is that her column is a complete lie. In it, she claims to be a married woman with a new baby who enjoys her life as a housewife on a farm in Connecticut. Very few people know her secret, including the magazine’s owner. The ruse is on when he wants to invite a war hero to her farm for Christmas. Gorgeous sets, witty dialogue, and zany antics make this one of the best Christmas movies ever.
There is a colorized version of the 1938 A Christmas Carol that shows up on TV from time to time.
