By Michael Lyons
Here we are, it’s Christmas week and with so much “staying and working from home,” you probably feel as if you’ve exhausted your seemingly endless stash of Christmas movies. Time to start the “rotation” all over again and begin watching some of your favorites for the second, third...or seventh time.
Before you resort to this “double-binging,” consider one or all of these somewhat forgotten Christmas movies that, through the years, have slipped through our collective pop-culture cracks. Each one of them celebrates an anniversary this year and, while they may not be as celebrated as the 30th anniversary of Home Alone, or the 20th anniversary of Jim Carrey’s Grinch, these movies would still make a perfect compliment to your yearly Christmas “movie merriment.”
Remember the Night (1940) - 80th Anniversary
Fred Mac Murray plays a district attorney who is a prosecuting a shoplifter (Barbara Stanwyck) just days before Christmas. As her trial won’t begin until after Christmas, she will have to spend Christmas in jail. The attorney pays her bail, so she can be home for the holiday and yup, a romance begins.
This could almost be considered the “Grandfather of Hallmark Christmas movies,” but legendary screenwriter Preston Sturges, who penned the script, adds the right note of comedy and commentary, as he did with all of his movies, to allow it to rise above the predictable.
This is an under-appreciated old Hollywood gem.
Beyond Tomorrow (1940) - 80th Anniversary
On Christmas Eve in New York City, three wealthy businessmen (C. Aubrey Smith, Harry Carey and Charles Winniger) conduct an experiment. Each will toss their wallets out the window to the city street below, to see who (if anyone) returns it. Two honest individuals (Jean Parker and Richard Carlson) both return the wallets and are befriended by the three businessmen.
The three men also decide to play a part in helping the young couple, even after tragedy strikes them (no spoilers here).
While Christmas only factors into the first half of this film (which is widely available, as it is in the public domain), the entire film’s message of unselfishness resounds throughout. It’s dated in a number of ways, but Beyond Tomorrow still resonates today.
The Great Rupert (1950) - 70th Anniversary
What says Christmas better than comedian Jimmy Durante and a stop-motion squirrel? This is truly a Christmas comedy unlike any ever seen.
A trained squirrel (the title character) who once appeared in a vaudeville act is set free and hides out in the attic of Louie Amendola (Durante) and his family, who have all fallen on hard times, during the Christmas holiday.
The smarter-than-average squirrel winds up bestowing good fortune on the family (again no spoilers).
The Great Rupert is a harmless, charming little comedy that features stop-motion animation by legendary effects wizard George Pal that, at the time, were thought so realistic many inquiries were sent to the filmmakers, asking how they trained the squirrel so well!
The Apartment (1960) - 60th Anniversary
Legendary director Billy Wilder’s Best Picture Oscar winner is a well-known classic, but many may not realize that it’s also a Christmas movie.
In the comedy, which has a plot that’s downright controversial by today’s standards, Jack Lemmon plays an office worker with dreams of climbing the coporate ladder, by loaning out his apartment to executives who are engaged in affairs and in need of a discreet place to bring their mistresses to.
Lemmon’s character develops feelings for one of these mistresses (Shirley MacLaine) which leads to complications.
A time-capsule and a more adult perspective of the season, (Santa drinking in a bar and revelry at a New Year’s Eve party) and like any Wilder film, there’s so much at work beneath the laughs. Commentary on loneliness, alienation and finding perspective in life (during some very heavy, dramatic scenes later in the film) are relatable no matter what season it is.
Scrooge (1970) - 50th Anniversary
From the era of Mary Poppins (1964) and Oliver! (1968) comes this big-screen movie musical treatment of A Christmas Carol. Albert Finney is amazing in the title role, as Dickens’ infamous holiday “humbug,” bringing an element of humanity and sadness to the role (and the ability to play young and old Scrooge!)
Director Ronald Neame captures the details of Victorian London and also brings to life the story’s supernatural elements through some canny special effects.
And, the score and songs by Leslie Bricusse are brilliant, particularly the Oscar nominated Thank You Very Much, which is brought to life in the film through a show stopping number that deserves to rank as one of the best movie musical numbers ever. After one viewing of Scrooge, you will be singing it well into the New Year.
One Magic Christmas (1985) - 35th Anniversary
Several years ago, while I was discussing this film on the podcast, Real Fans 4 Real Movies, the host, Andy said that this film was for anyone who feels that the darker scenes in It’s A Wonderful Life are too upbeat.
A perfect description for this Christmas movie that’s so unlike anything you’ve ever seen that describing the plot is almost like one giant spoiler!
Taking a little influence from director Frank Capra’s Christmas classic, this film tells the tale of an angel (Harry Dean Stanton) who teaches a mother (Mary Steenburgen) the true meaning of Christmas. What follows is unemployment, bank robberies and a fatal car accident...and that’s just the film’s first act!
One Magic Christmas will make you think and allow you to appreciate what you have...but just know that the word Magic is only in the title.
Krampus (2015) - 5th Anniversary
This modern day take on a creature from German folklore - a giant, horned beast who is the opposite of Santa, coming to those who have been bad and taking from them, instead of giving - is a Christmas horror film and cautionary tale.
Director Michael Dougherty (who also helmed the excellent Halloween tale, 2007’s Trick r Treat) leads an ensemble cast including Adam Scott, Toni Collette and David Koechner as a family, who are completely wrapped up in the glitzy commercialism of Christmas.
A blizzard traps them all in their home...and then Krampus comes, through some scary, creepy and tongue-in-check sequences that come to an ambiguous conclusion, right out of The Twilight Zone.
Krampus received a great deal of attention when it was released, but has become somewhat forgotten since. It’s worth revisiting, as an antidote to standard Holiday cheer and a cunning statement on how we can easily let the superficial consume our lives.
As we head into this Christmas that, like everything else in 2020, has been dubbed “unique and different,” any or all of these seldom, or never, seen movies would fit perfectly!
Wishing you all a Very Safe and a Very Merry Christmas!...
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