Thursday, December 17, 2015

What is Your Favorite Christmas Movie?

From guest blogger Debbie:

I’ve been pondering this question and I’m not sure I have an answer to it.  There are so many that top my list and each has its charm.

I love “A Christmas Story” 1983.  I’m a boomer, but not quite as old as the kids in this film would be now.  However I do still remember the lovely simplicity of this time.  The war was over, and kids didn’t worry about what was going on in the world.  The world was a much larger place.  American kids could spend their holidays worrying about what Santa would or wouldn’t bring.


I love all the versions of A Christmas Carol.   I guess my three favorites are the Alastair Sim version from 1951, the George C. Scott version from 1984 (the most dramatic with a Tiny Tim who was tiny and did look sick) and the Albert Finney musical version “Scrooge” from 1970 with a score by Leslie Bricusse (you just can’t beat a holiday musical).




And speaking of the holiday musical, what can beat Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosie Clooney and Vera-Ellen in “White Christmas” 1954.   The cast is great, the songs and dancing terrific and the whole thing in glorious Technicolor!   I love “Holiday Inn” 1942 as well, but it lacks the color.  I am a black and white movie fan, but not musicals.   Musicals should be in color and probably the most beautiful is “Meet Me In St. Louis”  1944.   Vincent Minelli’s vision of turn of the century America is glorious.  It also contains my favorite Christmas song, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”.




Of course I could hardly leave out “It’s A Wonderful Life” 1946.   Frank Capra and James Stewart made a great combination.


 I guess I’ll have to think about this some more.  In the mean time I will be watching all of these wonderful holiday films.  Let us know your favorites!

3 comments:

Carrie said...

I'm an It's a Wonderful Life gal. I remember as a kid trying to see how many times I could watch it on TV (back in the days before NBC got it). White Christmas is another fav - love it on BluRay.

la peregrina said...

Love all these and the original Miracle on 34th Street (1948). I also love the two Barbara Stanwyck Christmas movies, Remember The Night (1940) and Christmas in Connecticut (1945). I cannot pick just one since they all make my Christmas so merry and bright.

Debbie said...

Carrie, I also got White Christmas on blu-ray and also got It's A Wonderful Life and Holiday Inn on blu-ray as well. I plan on watching them all this weekend!