Idlewild's Top Ten Christmas Holiday Movies

In no particular order . . .

1. White Christmas – You’ve gotta admit, it’s hard to top Irving Berlin’s songs delivered by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, director Michael Curtiz, Danny Kaye’s humor, and ex-Rockette Vera Ellen’s legs, all wrapped up in one Christmas package. In the words of Federico Fellini, “Two things always look good in film: a train and snow.” White Christmas delivers the goods.

2. A Christmas Story – And speaking of legs, Darren McGavin didn’t need Vera Ellen’s to make his Christmas light up (pun intended). A Christmas Story is classic family holiday fare, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get a little nostalgic watching Ralphie’s dilemma. A must-see for any kid who wants the impossible for Christmas.

3. Miracle on 34^th Street – Christmas is a season of miracles . . . In this case, an idealistic senior citizen comes out claiming to be Santa Claus. Or is he? In either case, “you’ve got to have faith,” and if nothing else, believe in the great movie chemistry that brings a small family together for Christmas – a miracle in itself.

4. It’s A Wonderful Life – Whoever came up with the title for this one deserves a standing ovation, because as we watch Jimmy Stewart live and re-live his years through the eyes of an angel, we realize that life really is wonderful (despite the Mr. Potters of the world). And that Frank Capra is a genius.

5. A Christmas Carol – Pick your version, be it Alastair Sim’s or the Muppets musical (hmm, Jim Carrey?). Charles Dickens’ timeless tale about a Scrooge and a Cratchit is one that will be with us until we’re “dead as a doornail.” And I say, “God bless it.”

6. While You Were Sleeping – This movie is, by far, the most-quoted one at our family dinner table during the holiday season (and even for much of the rest of the year). Screenwriters Sullivan and Lebow brilliantly portray the close bonds and humor of a Midwestern family in crisis at Christmastime. Stir in a quirky, female Chicago transportation employee and that guy who “says he invented aluminum foil,” and you’ve got a recipe for a Jon Turteltaub holiday classic.

7. Holiday Inn – Once again, it’s hard to top Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby, especially if you add Fred Astaire to the mixture. Although this film skips around a bit to other holidays, its high points are at Christmas. The song “White Christmas” was first introduced in this film, so of course it’s a great movie!

8. A Charlie Brown Christmas – Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comics are classic to begin with, but marry them with Christmas and the results are epic. It isn’t the Christmas season until one of the major TV networks (CBS?) has shown Charlie Brown’s battles with materialism, and we hear Linus’ “what Christmas is all about” recitation of the true Christmas story. Let’s hope the network’s tradition continues.

9. The animations . . . Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph, Garfield’s Christmas . . . I couldn’t leave these out, so I lumped them together. Classics, all. If there are more, they have slipped my mind at the moment!

10 Christmas in Connecticut – Although I find Barbara Stanwyck’s character somewhat aggravating in this classic, all of the charms of a country Christmas with comedic, lovable supporting characters make it “hunky-dory.” And I’ll admit, I am a little jealous of Barbara for decorating that amazingly tall Christmas tree.

It’s so hard to stop here! I can think of several others (for laughs, Jingle All the Way and believe it or not, Die Hard; or for British nostalgia, A Child’s Christmas in Whales; more recently, The Nativity Story, for those interested in how Christmas came to be) to fill up your must-see – again and again and again! – movie list for the holidays. But these ten listed are, well, at the top. And no, it’s never too early to watch a holiday movie . . . just ask any White Christmas fan.