Classic Christmas Films: A Baker's Dozen

’Tis the season for sweet traditions like spiced cider, iced cookies and holiday films. What better way to escape the cold, or the hustle and bustle of crowded shops, than a wonderful old movie?

While there is no shortage of holiday films, nothing beats the charm and wit of Christmas movies from the 1940s and 1950s. Filled with warmth, whimsy and the right touch of holiday spirit, these timeless treasures are a great way to celebrate the season.

Popular Christmas movies, even the classics, are generally easy to find during the holiday shopping season. Look for them online or at entertainment retailers, movie rental stores or your public library.

While many Hollywood classics are available on DVD, some are still only available in VHS format. Those in the public domain may be viewable online for free at the Internet Movie Archive.

This hub offers a baker's dozen of holiday treats for your viewing pleasure. These sweet gems from yesteryear are some of the best Christmas movies ever made. Pour yourself a cup of hot cider, settle into a comfortable chair and enjoy the show!

The Shop Around the Corner is a delightful film starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. The 1940 movie is based on "Parfumerie," a 1937 Hungarian play by Miklos Laszlo.

Set in a Budapest gift shop during the busy shopping season, the story centers on two strong-willed coworkers: Alfred Kralik and Klara Novak. Although they intensely dislike each other, they maintain a secret letter-writing relationship, each unaware of their pen pal’s true identity.

This charming movie has inspired numerous musicals, movies and television shows including the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan film You've Got Mail and the British sitcom Are You Being Served?

Meet John Doe is a Christmas classic that is often overlooked. Frank Capra directed the 1940 movie, which stars Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck.

The story centers on an unemployed man who is hired by a city newspaper to impersonate a non-existent “John Doe.” Pretending to threaten suicide on Christmas Eve to protest society's ills, the man sets off a grassroots political movement.

When he learns that he is being used to create a political party, the man thinks that he is a failure and threatens suicide for real. Only a newspaper reporter and the movement's loyal followers can persuade him otherwise. In reference to Jesus, the people remind him that an historical "John Doe" already died for the sake of humanity.

Holiday Inn is a song-and-dance musical starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale. While it is popular at Christmas, the movie is fun to watch any time of year.

The story is set on a Connecticut farm, in a country inn that only opens on holidays. It centers on two men, one a singer and the other a dancer, who vie for the affections of a lovely young woman.

With music from Irving Berlin, the film features twelve memorable songs including "White Christmas." The song's legacy led to a loose remake of the film the 1954 hit White Christmas, which also starred Bing Crosby.

The Bells of St. Mary’s is not expressly a Christmas film. However, a warm spirit and adorable school pageant scene are enough to include it with the best Christmas classics.

Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman star as priest and nun in a Catholic school on the verge of being condemned. Despite their good natured rivalry, the two choose to work together to save the school.

Their plan? Prayer, gentle persuasion and the benevolence of a wealthy old man.

The Bells of St. Mary's was released a year after the 1944 film Going My Way, which introduced Bing Crosby's Father O'Malley character.

Christmas in Connecticut is an amusing Christmas movie starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet.

The story centers on a food writer who pretends to be the perfect housewife for the sake of her magazine column. When her boss invites a war hero to her home for the holiday, she tries to cover her deception. The results are hilarious!

This 1945 holiday film inspired a 1992 television remake starring Dyan Cannon, Kris Kristofferson and Tony Curtis.

It’s a Wonderful Life is America's favorite Christmas movie. The heartwarming story centers on a compassionate but desperate man who receives a special gift: a chance to see what the world would be like without him.

The 1946 holiday classic is based on “The Greatest Gift,” a 1943 short story by Philip Van Doren Stern. It is one of the most inspirational films of all time. Directed by Frank Capra, the Oscar nominated movie stars James Stewart, Donna Reed, Henry Travers and Lionel Barrymore.

It's a Wonderful Life created a lasting impression on popular culture. Numerous novels, comic books, songs, television shows and other movies have made reference to the film's title and characters.

The Bishop’s Wife is a fun romantic comedy starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. The 1947 film was adapted from a Robert Nathan novel.

The story tells of an angel who is sent to a bishop's home in answer to prayer. His mission is to guide the bishop and those around him. However, something unexpected happens in the process: the angel develops an attraction to the bishop's wife!

This charming Christmas movie features loads of holiday atmosphere: Christmas shopping, tree trimming, sidewalk strolls in the city, a church boy’s choir and ice skating in the park.

The Bishop's Wife inspired the 1996 movie The Preacher's Wife, which stars Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston.

Miracle on 34th Street is one of the most loved Christmas movies of all time. The 1947 movie stars Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn and a young Natalie Wood.

Set in New York City following Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Miracle on 34th Street tells the story of a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus and the young lawyer who defends his claim in court.

With a holiday theme and faith message ("You've got to have faith in something that's bigger than you"), the film remains a perennial Christmas favorite.

Miracle on 34th Street has inspired several remakes including a Broadway musical and a 1994 film starring Mara Wilson.

Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb and Alida Valli star in the bittersweet drama The Miracle of the Bells. A Russell Janney novel inspired the 1948 movie.

The story centers on a Hollywood press agent who returns the body of a young actress to her hometown for burial. To pay her tribute and generate interest for her film, the man convinces the Coaltown churches to ring their bells for three days.

While the movie is not about Christmas, it is considered a holiday classic. The flashback scenes, especially a memorable Christmas Eve dinner at a Chinese restaurant, make it a special movie to watch during the holidays.

Come to the Stable does not have a Christmas theme, but it embodies the spirit of the season. The 1949 movie is based on a short story by Clare Boothe Luce.

Loretta Young and Celeste Holm star as two French nuns who visit a New England town on a war-time promise to build a children's hospital.

On their mission to secure land and funds, they enlist the help of several people: an eccentric painter, a music composer and a tough-guy gambler.

With a message of faith and belief against impossible odds, this whimsical little movie has become a cherished Christmas classic.

The Great Rupert is a magical tale about two New York families who are down on their luck at Christmas. The Christmas Wish is the film's colorized version.

The story revolves around Rupert, a dancing squirrel with loads of charm. He helps the financially distressed families overcome their obstacles.

The Great Rupert is a Christmas movie for the whole family. Terry Moore, Tom Drake and Jimmy Durante star in the film. Stop motion animation creates the squirrel's movements.

A tale by Canadian writer Ted Allan inspired The Great Rupert. The story has also been published as a children's book called Willie the Squowse.

A Christmas Carol, also called Scrooge, is a film adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novella. It is one of the most popular films of the holiday season.

The story centers on Ebeneezer Scrooge, a bitter old miser who discovers the error of his ways through the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley. When three other spirits haunt him on Christmas Eve, Scrooge receives a chance for redemption.

Among the many film adaptations of A Christmas Carol, this 1951 movie is considered the definitive version. Alastair Sim plays the role of Scrooge.

White Christmas is a beloved holiday musical starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen. It features an array of Irving Berlin songs including the holiday standard "White Christmas."

Inspired by Holiday Inn, another Christmas classic, White Christmas follows a successful song-and-dance duo who become romantically involved with a sister act. The four team up to save a failing Vermont inn that is owned by a retired army general.

White Christmas is the first film that was produced and released in VistaVision, a high resolution, widescreen format. Immensely popular at the time of release, it is now a holiday favorite.

• AMC. (n.d.) "Top 20 Christmas Movies." American Movie Classics. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
• IMDb. (n.d.) [Various film titles.] Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
• TCM. (n.d.) [Various film titles.] Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
• Wikipedia contributors. (November 26, 2010). [Various film titles.] Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 26, 2010.

Copyright © 2010. Annette R. Smith. All rights reserved.

Published: November 26, 2010 / Modified: December 14, 2012.

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