Christmas films are of a type. They tend to be gently funny, with a happy ending guaranteed to warm your cockles and reaffirm your joy in life. There will be snow, and there will be family. The real Santa Claus may even show up to convince you to believe in yourself and the magic of Christmas.
We admit it: we are suckers for a good Christmas film (and even some embarrassingly saccharine ones). But not all Christmas films are created equal. Below are the 5 best Christmas films ever.
In our opinion, anyway!
White Christmas (1954)
‘White Christmas’ isn’t the film that gave us ‘White Christmas’ the song – that was ‘Holiday Inn’, the 1942 film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Confusingly, ‘White Christmas’ the film also starred Bing Crosby and featured the song, though it was released more than 10 years later. Such is the power of the song.
‘White Christmas’ starts in Europe in 1944, when two army buddies join up to become entertainers. After the war, they become successful entertainers and producers. This eventually leads them to meet two sisters of one of their old army colleagues, and the men fall in love. After a series of misunderstandings, miscommunications and hijinks, the buddies and the sisters end up at the same Vermont resort. The resort is failing because of unseasonably warm weather, and when the men discover the resort is run by the captain they served under during the war, they vow to stay and use their star power to help turn the resort – and in turn the sisters’ entertaining careers – into a success. Somehow this affects the weather patterns, so after years of warm weather, the resort finally has enough snow to open to skiers.
‘White Christmas’ was a hit when it was came out; it was by far and away the top film of the year. It’s remained a favourite throughout the years, thanks to the stellar cast, the songs by Irvine Berlin and
Elf (2003)
‘Elf’ stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human raised by Santa’s elves. He loves the North Pole and Santa’s village, but when he discovers his origins, he sets out on a quest to find his real father. His father, as it turns out, is a modern-day Scrooge, obsessed with work and extremely cynical. Still, through the magic of Christmas, Buddy manages to spread cheer to everyone he meets, saving Christmas in the process.
‘Elf’ was a big-name, big-budget blockbuster. The combination of unapologetic cheerfulness and Will Ferrell’s physical comedy contrasted brilliantly with today’s New York City. The combination felt at once nostalgic for more innocent times and wonderfully irreverent, which plays very well with our modern sensibilities. It grossed $225 million at the box office when it was released, and it has gone on to become a staple of Christmas television.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man driven to the brink of suicide on Christmas Eve night. He is visited by his guardian angel, Clarence, who must help George regain his faith in himself and humanity in order to earn his wings.
Even though it is now a standard Christmas film, it was considered a bomb when it was first released. It had incredibly high production costs, mediocre reviews and tough competition at the box office, so ticket sales were not as good as expected. As it turns out, that could be why we know and love it today.
When television was a new medium, companies bought up the rights to any film that was a bit cheap. That meant flops and bombs. Still, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ had the big names, so the people in charge of programming put it on during Christmas Day. As it was one of three things to watch, loads of people watched it, and soon, viewing it became a modern Christmas tradition.
Arthur Christmas (2011)
‘Arthur Christmas’ was the result of the first joint venture between Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation. In it, Arthur Christmas is the bumbling, accident-prone son of Santa. When he discovers a present that hasn’t been delivered via Santa’s modern present delivering machines, he is convinced by Grand-Santa, his grandfather, to take the old sleigh out and deliver the gift. Arthur finds himself tested to his limits, as he lands in one dangerous situation after the other, even causing an international military incident at one point. Still, he reveals his true spirit and in the process shows he is the most worthy to carry the title of Santa Claus.
Arthur Christmas hasn’t been around long enough to be considered a classic, but it got incredibly good reviews when it was released, thanks largely to the Aardman sensibilities that ran throughout the film. The dialogue is witty and caustic and there are enough physical jokes to keep the whole family entertained, but the sincere emotional depth ensures it stays on the right side of heart-warming. It may be the newest film on the list, but it will soon find a regular place in your Christmas film rotation.
Scrooge (1951)
The Christmas Carol tale is so well-known, it hardly bears repeating here. It has been told and re-told in plays, public readings, operas, musicals and at least 20 films, including a Muppets version, a Disney version and an “updated” one featuring Bill Murray as a modern Ebenezer, released in 1988. Still, despite the great many films out there, many critics say this one, starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge, is the definitive version. It certainly remains truer to the original novella than other film adaptations. In fact, it is so dark a telling of the story that its scheduled American debut at the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas spectacular was cancelled. Organisers said it was too sombre and didn’t have enough family entertainment value for Radio City Music Hall.
Following this rejection, the film opened on Halloween night in 1951. It was one of the biggest films of the year in Britain, but it received a mixed reception in the US. Nonetheless, over the years it has grown in esteem in both countries – and many more besides – leading to its revered status today.
These are our picks for the best Christmas films ever, but we reckon you’ll have a few things to say about our selections. Which ones did we forget? Which ones would you take off our list? Let us know in the comments.
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