Your favorite classic Christmas films?...

[DanielJones]

Hi all! I know it's a little early to ponder on such thoughts, but what are your favorite classic Christmas flicks?
Mine have been A Christmas Story (1983)..

And White Christmas (1954)...

The runners up would be, A Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

And It's a Wonderful Life(1946)

Cheers!

Dan

 

[DanielJones]

Oh and we musn't forget the Alastair Sim 1951 classic 'A Christmas Carol'

Cheers!

Dan

 

[The Wolf]

remember this one?

Anyone see "Remember the Night" from 1940?
Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck are in it. Very different film from when they were in "Double Indemnity" together.
Sterling Holloway also appears in it. If the name doesn't sound familiar what until you hear someone that sounds just like Winnie the Pooh.
The film is quite funny with a couple of surprising serious moments.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[airfrogusmc]

Dan great list I'd throw in the

Bishops Wife

and

We're no Angles

too.

 

[Quigley Brown]

They might not be actual 'Christmas' films, but for good flicks with Christmas scenes there's always 'Meet me in St. Louis' and 'Magnificent Ambersons.'

 

[DanielJones]

Ahh, those are some very good choices as well. Hadn't thought of some of those.
Although not a Christmas film perse, it usually came out around that time when I was a kid.

Babes in Toyland (1961)

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Raffles]

Luckily over here in good 'ol Blighty the great escape is considered a christmas movie. But then again they do always run the sting around christmas as well. Hmmm... I can't wait till christmas!!!

 

[Quigley Brown]

Luckily over here in good 'ol Blighty the great escape is considered a christmas movie. But then again they do always run the sting around christmas as well. Hmmm... I can't wait till christmas!!!

The Great Escape. Yeah....isn't that the film where American soldiers dress up as women and dance with each other?

 

[Nick Charles]

one of my favs

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I hate to tell you this, but I really enjoyed Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. I plan to watch it again -- you can watch it anywhere from Halloween to Christmas.

I liked the Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life when I finally saw it a few years ago. I don't like to watch things over and over again, so won't watch them now.

The 1951 A Christmas Carol was the best of all the remakes of the Dicken's classic, I thought. Loved Garland's singing of "Have Yourself a Merry LIttle Christmas," in Meet Me In St. Louis, but then I love most anything Garland sang.

Can't stand Miracle on 34th Street, probably because I was that little girl Natalie Wood portrayed; got in trouble when I was in 2nd grade for telling some kids there was no Santa Claus. Well, they asked and I told them.

If you ever get a chance to see some old TV stories, seek out O'Henry's The Gift of the Magi. A sweet story with a wonderful twist to it, as are all his stories. You can also read it in O'Henry's short stories if you cannot find it on film somewhere. Another tear jerker that has been made into a TV movie (I think with Martin Sheen) is The Other Wise Man, which is from the book by ...? --can't recall at present, think it is VanDyk. I read a condensed version outloud one time to a women's group and there wasn't, as Dorothy Parker once said, "a dry seat in the house."

If you are into the giving part of Christmas, you could also read Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince. Not a Christmas story, but read a lot at Xmas. I don't think a movie was ever made of it, but would be good in cartoon form. Again, get out the hankies.... O'Henry's The Last Leaf is also a short story that was made into a TV shortie in the 50's. Again, it is not quite Christmas but celebrates giving and sacrifice.

karol

 

[Brad Bowers]

My wife laughs at me, but Die Hard is one of mine.

Brad

 

[floatinjoe]

One of my favorites is still the original "Christmas in Connecticut" with Barbara Stanwyck. I'm looking forward to it finally coming out on DVD. Until then, I'll have to keep watching the tape I made when it was on TV.

Mike

 

[DanielJones]

Some very good choices folks. I'm sure once the Holiday Season gets into full swing we'll discover a few more from the vaults that are either classics or soon to be classics.

And, K.D.L., there's nothing wrong with The Nightmare Before Christmas. It's a great story.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[EstherGinger]

I love "The Christmas Story", "Christmas Vacation", "Holiday Inn", "Jingle All the Way", and "The Santa Clause". Those are the top movies that get me into the Christmas season. When "It's A Wonderful Life" was on last year, I started to watch it, but unfortunately my cousin called and I ended up just barely watching it while talking to her. I hope it's on this year again. As for "The Christmas Carol", the 1938 version is coming on TCM in November (the 25th at 8 PM) and December (the 10th at 10 AM and the 23rd at 10 PM). I'll be watching that; the only versions I've seen of the Dickens' classic are the children's version, besides reading it in school (which I'll be reading this year again).

"Meet Me in St. Louis" is definitely a favorite of mine, especially when Judy Garland sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". It still amazes me at how well she sang. The beginning of "Lady in the Lake" is very Christmas-y, and fairly funny that it has nothing to with the movie, except it taking place during Christmastime.

What I think really sucks is that TCM isn't having many Christmas movies this year. I think they should have a marathon on Dec. 24-25! It should be a tradition of theirs every year, but...oh, well.

 

[DanielJones]

EG: Yes, you would think they would do that for the season. At least we have AMC and FMC to choose from as well. Hopefully they'll show some of the classics.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Lauren]

The Thin Man

"The next person who says Merry Christmas to me, I'll kill 'em"

 

[flat-top]

This is very weird..I SWEAR I was just gonna start a thread about "It's a Wonderful Life", and then I found THIS thread!!
What I was gonna say was that, for some reason, EVERY year, I attempt to watch this movie, and can never get through it! I have seen the entire movie, but NEVER in one sitting! This year, my gal and I (who has also never made it through the whole thing), have made a vow to tough it out! Strangley enough, I have heard from several people who say they can't make it either! It's a fantastic movie though! NBC usually shows it around Thanksgiving.
flat-top

 

[Biltmore Bob]

 

[Hondo]

Yup I'd go for the classics, A Christmas Story and Its a Wonderful Life, none the less some others mentioned were also great. Hey Ms "Lauren Henline" nice picture of Myrna, very cute.

 

[Zemke Fan]

White Christmas

EVERY year, I attempt to watch this movie, and can never get through it! I have seen the entire movie, but NEVER in one sitting! This year, my gal and I (who has also never made it through the whole thing), have made a vow to tough it out! Strangley enough, I have heard from several people who say they can't make it either! It's a fantastic movie though! flat-top

Agree COMPLETELY. Now on the other side of the coin, I can't tell you how many times I've watched HOLIDAY INN from start to finish. (Hey, I even like White Christmas, or maybe I just love Bing and Rosemary!)