There is something about Christmas movies that make them perennial favourites, and depending on one’s tastes, everyone has different preferences for what will entertain them during the holidays.
For myself, since I love old movies anyway, some of my favourites include “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street” (both the original version and the remake with Mara Wilson), and the various versions of “A Christmas Carol”. My favourite version is Alistair Sim’s classic rendition (black-and-white, please, no colourizing), but I also have enjoyed George C. Scott’s version, and for corny humour, the Muppets classic version also.
Recently I interviewed the Rotary’s exchange student, Liza Biard, a charming young lady from Lorient, France, and found that she also loves Christmas movies. What’s funny is she loves all the lights and music and everything we have here in Canada, because it’s like a Christmas movie to her — but you have to understand, they don’t get much snow and cold where she’s from, and as she said, the “Christmas spirit” isn’t that strong in Europe like it is here.
Wondering which movie she particularly likes, she said she loves the “Grinch” movie by Jim Carrey.
I like it okay too, but a part of me really likes the animated version, with the amazing voice of Boris Karloff, especially when he intones, “You’re a mean one, Mister Grinch …”
I also enjoy some of the more recent Christmas movies like the animated “Polar Express”, voiced by Tom Hanks, and Tim Allen’s “The Santa Clause”, as just two examples.
Going back to Jimmy Stewart’s movie, made just after the Second World War, I love the breadth of the story in “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and how it includes a point where Stewart’s character despairs of life itself due to the actions of someone else — but then it’s brought to his attention that his life is pretty good, but it’s because he puts himself forward and helps others.
You see, the touching scene at the end when everyone steps forward to help him and his family is due entirely to love for him and his generosity of spirit — and therein lies a valuable lesson for us as we live our lives today.
