Five Christmas Films

 

A good way to understand American culture is to explore the concept of the pursuit of happiness, which in fact has nothing to do with either financial, professional or social success, but which works more towards a sense of inward fulfilment. There is thus a sense of inextinguishable optimism in the American psyche. Americans have even adopted the Yiddish expression schmaltz to describe (rather sarcastically) the unbounded sentimentality and optimism that is often portrayed in American fiction and film in particular.

Nowhere of course is such schmaltz so prevalent as in the depiction of the holiday season, and so it comes as no surprise that any list of Christmas films would be American. Here are five, in no particular order. Are they the best? Such a question is pointless, as it is essentially a matter of taste, as well aesthetic and social sensibilities. Each and everyone of us would cite five different films, even if a few crossover. These five for me stand out almost tautologically. They come to mind when considering the topic of the Christmas films. With a little refection, there are others, some that may even be better… They are presented here as honorable mentions.

 

It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, USA: Liberty Film/RKO, 1946)

Frank Capra did not actually intend the film as a Christmas card – at least not consciously, but the opening credits say otherwise. The film was intended as the maiden project for the first major independent production company Liberty Films, which Capra had set up with George Stevens, William Wyler and producer Sam Brisken. Wyler, however, owed one last picture to Sam Goldwyn: The Best Years of our Lives. That film would inadvertently crush Capra’s project and kill Liberty Films.

Capra even let the copyright laps, which would be blessing in disguise. It’s a Wonderful Life would become free television programming and quickly establish itself as a holiday tradition, and cement Capra’s place in American culture. Maybe if Capra had sold it as a Christmas card, it would have changed the course of Liberty Films, and maybe even film history. 

 

 

The Bishop’s Wife (Henry Koster, USA: Samuel Goldwyn/RKO, 1947)

This is undoubtedly the most whimsical film of the list, as it tells the story of an unlikely love triangle between an Episcopalian bishop, his wife and an angel, who is sent in answer to the bishop’s prayer for guidance. One wonders to what extent this film did not influence Wim Wenders when he made Wings of Desire.

   

Miracle on 34^th Street (George Seaton, USA: 20^th Century Fox, 1947. Les Mayfield, USA: 20^th Century Fox, 1994)

This one actually could be either one of two films, the original starring a very young Nathalie Wood, or the remake starring Richard Attenborough. The director of the first version, George Seaton, had a hand in the remake, which in many ways allowed him to rethink the original, bringing deeper resonances and at times making his points more clearly.

 

White Christmas (Michael Curtiz, USA: Paramount 1954)

This film is the most lightweight of the group, but it would be amiss not to mention the string of Christmas musicals that flourished in the 1950’s. Bing Crosby made the practice a trademark of his later career. Holiday Inn would be good alternate choice here. What makes these films interesting however is there link to the War years, when many of these songs were written or had their greatest impact.

Special mention for Vera-Ellen, who was a fine comic actress and brilliant dancer. Her career was voluntarily short, but that makes her body of work all the more dazzling.

 

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Bill Melendez, USA: Lee Mendelson&Bill Melendez/ CBS, 1965)

This was Charles Schultz’ first foray into animation, marking the beginning of a long collaboration with Bill Melendez. By 1965, his Peanuts comic strip had reached its artistic maturity, and it was time to explore other avenues for his characters (interestingly, he chose not to have Snoopy talk in these films). This film is the most clearly geared for a young audience, yet it discusses the excesses of the commercialism linked to the season (a point it shares with Miracle on 34^th Street), and is a rare mainstream film that considers the Christian sources of the Holiday.

A special note should be made about the score by Vince Guaraldi and his trio whose sound track reignited jazz for a new generation. The score is registered in the US Library of Congress for its cultural importance. The piece titled “Linus and Lucy for the soundtrack has since become the Peanuts theme.

 

What makes these films so powerful is not so much their timelessness (a meaningless concept to begin with), as it is their stark considerations of serious issues that underpin the films. One forgets that It’s A Wonderful Life is predicated on averting a suicide. The Bishop’s Wife is set to the titular bishop’s desire for glory in building an elaborate cathedral. Both versions of Miracle on 34^th Street are explorations of the meaning of faith and its necessity for buttressing reason. White Christmas explores the value of social bonds and the post-war importance of camaraderie. Finally, Charlie Brown is the natural anti-hero. For one things, he asks all the right questions, if they are irritating. For another, while overtly mocked and derided by the other children (another problem in itself) he is also the one that creates the group’s moral and emotional center: the one they turn to when they need cohesion. These are all serious issues that both dampen and reinforce the basic optimism, which consists of integrating and therefore transcending the inherent problems. These problems do not go away; they are placed in proper perspective.

 

Honorable mentions:

Remember the Night (Mitchel Leisen, USA: Paramount, 1940) This picture scripted by Preston Sturges tells of a shoplifter played by Barbara Stanwyck whose trial is held up for the holidays. She finds herself the guest of a reluctant DA (Fred MacMurray), who brings her to his mother’s house.

The Holiday (Nancy Meyers, USA: Columbia/Universal 2006) Arare modern exception based on the practice of house swapping for vacations which was very popular in the first years of the century.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Chuck Jones&Ben Washam, USA: MGM television/CBS, 1966) How can one forget Boris Karloff’s voice as the narrator and Chuck Jones’ Termite- Terrace brand of looney? The perfect adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic Christmas tale. Theodore Geisser (the real name for Dr. Seuss) and Chuck Jones were old friends: they had also worked with Jones and the rest of the Warner Bros. animation department on the Private Snafu wartime series.

The variations on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a subject in itself…