anuary this year, my best friend was pottering around my apartment, readying for work. “So what’s on for today?” he asked me. I rolled my eyes. “What is it that you think I do all day?” I asked. He gestured to my computer. “Watch Christmas films.”
Fair call. This year I’ve watched close to 700.
Reflective of my masochism, sure, but I’ve spent the year writing a book about the portrayal of Christmas in films (to be published in mid 2017).
And as I watched terrible after terrible celluloid travesty about workaholic single moms who have lost the spirit of Christmas - but, thankfully, found it in penis-form before the credits roll - I made my own little list of gems.
I’m not presenting a ranking, I’m not delivering you the titles in any particular order, rather, I simply gift you 75 depictions of Christmas that I enjoyed. That I recommend.
I should flag that the debate on what constitutes a “Christmas film” interests me less than watching Santa Buddies (2009) again. I’m near-finished writing a book on how Christmas is portrayed in cinema rather than, specifically one on “Christmas films” (a nebulous “genre” if ever I heard one). Which means, yes, I watched and wrote about Die Hard (1998).
1. About a Boy (2002)
Whereas a recent re-watching of High Fidelity (2000) sadly didn’t stand up to that second looksee, I’ve seen About a Boy quite a few times, and again recently as part of my research. It stands up. Independently wealthy, layabout bachelor, Will (Hugh Grant), is befriended by preteen Marcus (Nicholas Hoult). Sweet and funny, with a great soundtrack if you go for broody British tracks. A favourite with a couple of lovely Christmas scenes.
About a Boy (2002) - Trailer.
2. The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) is the venomous titular character who has a Christmstime doorstep slip and fall, and who is thus compelled to spend the season with the Stanleys. Sheridan is a hilariously wretched houseguest, hurling out a barrage of catty lines like “Shut your nasty little face” and “my headache is gone with the wind.” Bette Davis and Billie Burke - best known as Glinda the good witch - also make appearances.
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) - trailer.
3. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Few films stand up to a second viewing - least of all Christmas films - but I loved this one when I first saw it at the cinema and once again when watching it for scholarly purposes. I do think it needed a better editor, but it’s nicely weird tale of a doctor (Tom Cruise) who deals very poorly - if happily perversely - with his wife’s revelation of a sexual fantasy. Beautifully shot with a New York Christmas providing an exquisite (if well-worn) backdrop.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) - trailer.
4. A Child’s Christmas in Wales (1987)
A live action presentation of Dylan Thomas’s poem of the same title. Beautiful prose read by Denholm Elliot, who plays grandpa Geraint, nostalgically reflecting on the Christmases of his childhood.
I can’t offer you a trailer, but the full version is (currently) available on YouTube.
A Child’s Christmas in Wales (1987) - full film.
5. 12 Gifts of Christmas (2015)
With so many offerings from the Christmas film factories, this one is a surprisingly good one. Anna (Katrina Law), a struggling artist who has Christmas spirit in spades. She becomes a personal shopper and teaches her only client, Marc (Aaron O'Connell) - a curmudgeonly workaholic advertising executive - the true meaning of Christmas. Love - and cliché - abound.
12 Gifts of Christmas (2015) - trailer.
6. The Holiday (2006)
With so many Christmas films giving former soap stars employment, it’s a rarity to see one utilising stars at the top of their game. Workaholic Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and unlucky-in-love Iris (Kate Winslet) swap houses for Christmas. Romance ensues. The Holiday stands up as a decent romance - even outside of my Christmas recommendations - and Iris a lovely fleshed-out example of that great line from The National’s Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks: “All the very best of us string ourselves up for love”.
Eli Wallach is a gem as Arthur and Jack Black who I have a love (School of Rock) and hate (Shallow Hal) relationship with is quite great in this. (Incidentally, the same storyline plays out in the substantially less good Finding Christmas (2013), just in case you find yourself a sucker for holiday house-swap hijinks).
The Holiday (2006) - trailer.
7. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
In 2016 it’s all taken a bit for granted that Christmas can conjure mixed feelings of melancholy and ambivalence about all the commercialism. Some 50 years ago however, Charlie Brown was dwelling on these very same issues. Lovely, and perfectly enjoyable even if you had no prior relationship with these characters - I certainly didn’t. And only 25 minutes long it’s perfect if you’re more comfortable with smaller doses of spirit.
No trailer but you can watch it in full on YouTube.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - full movie.
8. The Family Stone (2005)
The idea of a “last Christmas” is done quite a bit in film so The Family Stone isn’t breaking any new ground. But it’s got some lovely – if at times over-the-top – performances, with the Stone children all back home for Christmas with Mom (Diane Keaton, overacting - and charming - as usual) and Dad (Craig T. Nelson).
Be prepared to keep the tissue box clutched to your bosom.
The Family Stone (2005) - trailer.
9. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
A magazine writer’s lies are exposed when the perfect provincial life she writes about - and claims as autobiographically - has to be hastily materialised when she is asked by her boss to host a war hero for Christmas. A Christmas screwball comedy with a nicely subversive ending. The film was also my introduction to Barbara Stanwyck who I’ve developed a fondness for.
(Rumour has it that there’s a 1992 remake directed by Arnie. Tracking down a copy so far has proven fruitless).
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - trailer.
10. A Wonderful Christmas Time (2014)
With Porthcawl, Wales as the backdrop, this is lovely indie film about two people licking their respective wounds after break-ups and taking a sweetly meandering time over Christmas to find their way to each other. Complete with a great indie-pop-folk soundtrack.
A Wonderful Christmas Time (2014) - trailer.
11. Fanny, Annie & Danny (2010)
If you like your Christmas films dark - as in completely bloody savage - then this one’s for you.
Low production values and “indie” in all the ways good and bad. Highly disturbing but memorable. Do it only if you liked films like Todd Solondz’s Happiness (1998) (a personal favourite). This one is most definitely not your hearts-filled-with-joy family get-togther.
Fanny, Annie & Danny (2010) - trailer.
12. A Gift Wrapped Christmas (2015)
Almost exactly the same plot as 12 Gifts of Christmas - where a personal shopper teaches a widowed workaholic the meaning of Christmas - but another nicely performed holiday romcom, nonetheless.
No trailer, but you can (kind of) watch it on YouTube (assuming you don’t mind the oversized frame-of-nonsense).
A Gift Wrapped Christmas (2015) - full movie.
13. Lemon Drop Kid (1951)
Bob Hope plays Damon, a con-artist who pulls a variety of scams including a handful contrived especially for the season. A highly amusing precursor to more modern seasonal subversions like Bad Santa. The Christmas classic “Silver Bells” made its first appearance here. (Although, admittedly, Gloomy (William Frawley) - one of Damon’s team of bell-ringing, faux-charity Santas - singing put some dough in the kitty is more my style).
Lemon Drop Kid (1951) - trailer.
14. Christmas in Conway (2013)
Up there on my most-tears-shed list of Christmas films. In this case, I sobbed almost the entirety of this 1 hour and 37 minute weepy. Christmas in Conway centres on a hospice nurse (Mandy Moore) looking after a too-young woman in the last stages of cancer (Mary-Louise Parker). Andy Garcia is the anguished husband, intent on giving his wife one last perfect gift. Lovely, if gruelling.
Christmas in Conway (2013) - trailer.
15. Millions (2004)
Danny Boyle’s superb film about two boys who lose their mum but find a sack full of cash. Beautifully shot, heartfelt and - like all good Christmas films - unquestionably necessitates keeping the tissues nice and close. (The excellent James Nesbitt plays Dad).
Millions (2004) - trailer.
16. A Christmas Snow (2010)
Workaholic Grinch restauranteur, Kathleen (Catherine Mary Stewart), is snowed in with her boyfriend’s daughter and a mysterious drifter. The three spend Christmas together as a makeshift family in this lovely, subtle movie that makes many nods to the classic holiday film themes of ghosts and forgiveness.
A Christmas Snow (2010) - trailer.
17. Remember the Night (1940)
Fred MacMurray is frequently horrible in films, deploying excessive use of the word “baby” to ill-effect: I draw your attention to Double Indemnity (1944) and Miracle of the Bells (1948) (although the later has a lovely Christmas Eve scene in a small town restaurant). Either MacMurray is more palatable here, or it’s just a better story. Barbara Stanwyck meanwhile, is outstanding with a barrage of quality zingers. She’s the thief and he’s the district attorney who’s keeping an eye on her over Christmas. A version of this – with Mark Ruffalo – was made in 1997 under the name On the 2nd Day of Christmas.
At the time of publication, you can watch the full film at Dailymotion.
Remember the Night (1940) - trailer.
18. Carol for Another Christmas (1964)
While writing my book, I compiled a list of adaptations of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Have no doubt, there’s a veritable deluge. This one is a particularly ridiculous version, created by Xerox as a United Nations propaganda piece: each ghost tries to convince protagonist Dan (Sterling Hayden) of the virtues of the U.N.
Sure, you could always watch Tori Spelling in A Carol Christmas (2003), or the bush-tastic pornographic romp of The Passions of Carol (1975), but Carol for Another Christmas is just so amusingly bad. (And will remind you of all those preachy kids at high school who liked the U.N. just a tad too much).
No trailer, but you can watch the whole gem online.
Carol for Another Christmas (1964) - full movie.
19. Angel in the House (2011) (also released as Foster)
Grieving parents Zooey (Toni Collette) and Alex (Ioan Gruffudd) are having trouble conceiving. And then little Eli (Maurice Cole) turns up on their doorstep to, um… help them achieve their goals. Reminiscent of the non-Christmassy (but still highly enjoyable) The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012). Richard E. Grant puts in a typically lovely performance as the mysterious Mr. Potts.
Angel in the House (2011) - trailer.
20. Love the Coopers (2015)
I have an undiagnosed mental problem where I will cry pretty much every time I hear Bob Dylan. So the crying began early on in Love the Coopers even if the film isn’t particularly sad or even notably sentimental. Familiar territory here, with the convergence of the extended family for Christmas. Alan Arkin is in it and I pretty much want him in all my Christmas films. Ed Helms alas, is an uncomfortable addition to the mix and the completely ridiculous resolution of one couple’s marriage problems is, alas, genre-typical. Those issues aside, I liked it, with solid performances from Marisa Tomei, Olivia Wilde and John Goodman.
Love the Coopers (2015) - trailer.
21. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
The bishop, Henry (David Niven), is struggling to save St. Timothy’s church. While busy charming dowagers, he’s been neglecting his wife, Julia (Loretta Young). Enter angel Dudley (Cary Grant). And this is where it gets a little… peculiar. Dudley has been sent – from heaven, apparently – to strike up a friendship with Julia to make Henry jealous. An odd, Bold and the Beautiful-like premise but a film with nice performances (even if Cary Grant has evangelical-crazy-eyes throughout).
Remade in 1996 as The Preacher’s Wife with Denzel and Whitney. I preferred the original, even though Denzel makes a better angel than Grant.
The Bishop’s Wife (1947) - trailer.
22. Some Girls (1988)
Apparently before he played McDreamy, Patrick Demsey was a skinny kid in love with Jennifer Connelly. And she invites him to Quebec to spend Christmas with her eccentric family.
A quirky but lovely holiday romcom.
Some Girls (1988)
23. Kisses (2008)
A dark, disturbing and gob-smackingly well-acted Irish film about two children from dysfunctional backgrounds who decide to run away at Christmas. Even outside of this list of seasonal offerings, this is a superb film.
Kisses (2008) - trailer.
24. Our First Christmas (2008)
A Brady Bunch-ish story of two families bound by marriage, trying to settle on how to celebrate Christmas in light of their allegiances to their respective traditions. Quality performances from Dixie Carter from Designing Women as grandma and John Ratzenberger from Cheers.
As I type, you can watch it on YouTube.
Our First Christmas (2008)
25. Desk Set (1957)
Whip smart Bunny (Katharine Hepburn) heads a research office that perceives itself under threat from the installation of a supercomputer. A very funny, even feminist film, albeit one that doesn’t dwell on the season in the ways typical of Christmas offerings. But holiday is in there, hence why it’s here.
Desk Set (1957) - trailer.
26. The Christmas Tree (1996)
A subtly odd film about nuns and their intimate relationships with foliage. Enjoyable and sweetly sentimental with a human-romance subplot. Directed by Sally Field.
No trailer, but you can watch the whole thing online. (At least for the moment).
The Christmas Tree (1996) - full movie.
27. Silent Night, Lonely Night (1969)
Two strangers meet in a New England hotel: both in Amherst to visit family members in hospital. In the bubble of the holiday the duo find intimacy. A kind of Christmastime Brief Encounter (1945).
Lovely, understated performances from Lloyd Bridges and Shirley Jones. Hard to track down a copy of, but for the moment it’s watchable online.
Silent Night, Lonely Night (1969) - trailer.
28. A Snow Globe Christmas (2013)
A workaholic, Grinch-ish television producer hits her head on a snowglobe and wakes up living inside the ornament. Sure, it’s ridiculous but it’s a Christmas film. Very sweet performances from Alicia Witt and Donald Faison.
A Snow Globe Christmas (2013) - trailer.
29. Love Actually (2003)
Even outside of Christmas films, Love Actually is one of my favourites. It’s corny and twee and requires the best part of a tissue box. Qualities I appreciated in a Christmas film.
Love Actually (2003) - trailer.
30. Christmas on Division Street (1991)
Quite a few Christmas films do the scruffy-vagabond-changes-the-lif-of-a-brat storyline. Christmas on Division Street provides a particularly well-executed example, starring Hume Cronyn as the homeless Cleveland, befriended by Trevor (Fred Savage). Tissues are necessary.
(For a bad version of this storyline, please do subject yourself to the achingly preachy Wish For Christmas (2016). An abomination).
Watchable online.
Christmas on Division Street - station promo.
31. One Special Night (1999)
The “one special night”, spent by two strangers in a vacant cabin, actually transpires at Thanksgiving, but Christmas later plays a pivotal role.
A tender film about reunions and forgiveness and fresh starts, with great performances from Julie Andrews and James Garner.
The full version is currently on YouTube.
One Special Night (1999) - trailer.
32. Away From Her (2006)
Continuing the theme of love in older life comes Sarah Polley’s moving film about Alzheimer’s. The role of Christmas is subtle but poignant, and Gordon Pinsent is notably stellar as the husband, Grant.
Away From Her (2006)
33. Babycakes (1989)
It’s Christmas and Grace (Ricki Lake) – mortician cosmetologist - takes some time off from the holidays to pursue a train driver she’s been eyeing at the subway. Sweet and subversive.
Babycakes (1989) - trailer.
34. In Bruges (2008)
Two hitmen are hiding over the Christmas period in the “fairtyale fucking town” of Bruges.
Overflowing with severely inappropriate comedy. With Brendan Gleeson (who, if you develop a soft spot for, you should seek out the excellent The Guard (2011)) and Colin Farrell who usually comes across as a bit of a dickhead, but is great in this.
In Bruges (2008) - trailer.
35. The Christmas Cottage (2007)
A ridiculously flattering biopic of the “artist” Thomas Kinkade. Art student, Kinkade (Jared Padalecki) goes home to save Christmas. Worth watching as a sweet Christmas story, but particularly entertaining after reading about Kinkade’s public urination. In this film, butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
The Christmas Cottage (2007) - trailer.
36. Fred Claus (2007)
Truth be told, I really don’t care for Santa-themed Christmas films. This one however, is less about Santa (played by that guy from the truly awful Sideways) and more about his bitter brother Fred.
I have a conflicted relationship with Vince Vaughn (do yourself a favour, for example, and don’t see Four Christmases), but his character here - a ne'er-do-well living in the shadow of his sibling - is quite funny. The involvement of Kathy Bates, Rachel Weisz (who, incidentally, stars in two of my 2016 favourites) and Kevin Spacey - not to mention a particularly funny cameo from Frank Stallone - make Fred Claus much better than I expected.
Fred Claus (2007) - trailer.
37. A Christmas Memory (1966)
Based on the Truman Capote story, this very simple story centres around the destitute, simple Sook (Geraldine Page) and her young cousin Buddy (Donnie Melvin). The unlikely BFFs make Christmas cakes for “people who struck our fancy”.
A bare bones kind of production that will leave you in a flood of tears. An exceptionally subtle and beautiful film.
(I have a preference for this version but the 1997 film with Patty Duke is great and a tearjearker too).
A Christmas Memory (1966) - full version.
38. Sunshine Christmas (1977)
Sam (Cliff De Young) is a struggling musician raising his adopted daughter solo. At a loose end for Christmas, he returns to Texas to see his folks for the first time since he left for Canada to dodge the draft. With A lovely 60s and 70s non-festive soundtrack and a very young Barbara Hershey.
(Apparently connected to a 70s television series, but I came in a Sunshine virgin and loved it anyway).
Sunshine Christmas (1977) - full version.
39. Love at the Christmas Table (2012)
Winnie from The Wonder Years, Luke from The Gilmore Girls and Lorraine from Back to the Future star in this story of a courtship lasting across twenty Christmases. With a dash of Great Expectations for good – and melancholic – measure. A lovely, romantic Christmas film.
Love at the Christmas Table (2012) - trailer.
40. Lost Christmas (2011)
An extremely weird British film – no surprises since it stars the fabulous Eddie Izzard (if you haven’t seen The Riches, do so now) – about several Christmases, and families, being destroyed by the most innocuous of gestures.
The ending is very both sweet, completely unsettling and ultimately serving some very mixed messages. Redemption and ghosts and the standard Christmas fare. Really excellent stuff.
Lost Christmas (2011) - trailer.
41. Finding Mrs. Claus (2012)
Early in, Mrs. Claus (Mira Sorvino) laments the souring of her relationship with the big fella: “You know, there was a time that he couldn’t stay away from my dumplings. And now he barely touches them.”
Loaded with innuendo – a favourite involving Mrs. Claus asking a room full of single men to “get out your candy canes” - this is a story about Santa and Mrs. Claus trying to rekindle the ol’ flame. (If you’d prefer a less smuttier version, consider Angela Lansbury in Mrs. Santa Claus (1996) which presents a similar story).
Watchable online if you can put up with the frame.
Finding Mrs. Claus (2012) - network promo.
42. Auntie Mame (1958)
The title character (Rosalind Russell) is an eccentric, Left-leaning, often-frivilous socialite who takes in her orphaned nephew and, happily, rubs off on him.
Not as Christmassy as some of the entries on this list, but during lean times, Mame does take a job at the Macy’s department store over Christmas.
A colourful, entertaining albeit sometimes racist romp.
Auntie Mame (1958) - trailer.
