Here's a list of contenders. Which ones are your top three picks?
- A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott
- A Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen.
- The Bishop's Wife
- Die Hard
- A Christmas Story
- Charlie Brown's Christmas
- Love Actually
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas
- Miracle on 34th Street
- It's a Wonderful Life
- Scrooge
- The Polar Express
- Home Alone
- Elf
- Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
- The Muppets Christmas Carol
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- Scrooged
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
- Planes Trains and Automobiles
- The Man Who Invented Christmas
[Photo by Michal Perchardo at Unsplash]
One that I watch every Christmas season is "A Christmas Carol" with George C. Scott. When my class was reading Dickens this past November, I played selections from that version to help prompt class discussion. I though the scene of Marley's ghost and the last scene with the Ghost of Christmas Present, performed wonderfully by Edward Woodward, were especially helpful. That scene with the Ghost of Christmas Present wasn't in the book, but I thought it gave students a sense of the effect of England's "Poor Laws", and showed the darker side of the Ghost of Christmas Present.
ReplyDeleteAnother film version of "A Christmas Carol" I recommend to students is "Scrooge" from 1951 with Alastair Sim as Scrooge; sometimes the old black and white films are underappreciated by modern students.
I watched "Elf" with my family a few years ago, and expected to dislike it, but I found it surprisingly charming.
Charlie Brown's Christmas is also a favorite of mine.
Steve, I recall the Alastair Sim "Scrooge" but only faintly remember the "Scrooge" musical with Albert Finney although it has staunch fans. I have never seen "Elf" and only parts of "Charlie Brown's Christmas." One that is quite good but barely remembered nowadays is 'Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol."
ReplyDeleteTechnically Planes, Trains and Miracle on 34th Street are Thanksgiving movies. Hate to be the bearer of bad news.
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected!!! I remembered Planes, Trains as a Thanksgiving film but saw it on Christmas film lists. As for Miracle on 34th Street, I recalled that as a Santa Claus film. Argh.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, the Die Hard debate is ongoing.
ReplyDeleteThe Bishop's Wife is the best of all.
ReplyDeleteIt is an absolute gem of a movie that deserves to be much better known. Three excellent stars and great character actors. A charming story and a great soundtrack.
ReplyDeleteHow can “Trading Places” not be on the list? If nothing else, it should rank at the top of the least politically correct Christmas movies ever made.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen "Trading Places." No doubt a major omission on my part because I've heard very good things about it, but I didn't connect it to Christmas.
ReplyDeleteStar studded and not a weak performance to be found. Treat yourself and you can thank me later. 😉
DeleteWill do! Thanks!!!
ReplyDelete