My Favorite Christmas Movies
by Michelle Miles
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Christmas movies in this post. Especially since it’s, oh, four days until Christmas. I think I’m ready. All the shopping is done and the halls are decked. And the food for Christmas dinner is bought. I will be baking a red velvet cake and chocolate chip and thumbprint cookies. Should be a lovely time – that is if I don’t botch the tenderloin. Here’s hoping!
Anyway…hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and all your Christmas wishes come true! And now… to the list.
White Christmas (1954)
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
Starring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, Rosemary Clooney
I love this movie. It’s so much fun and the Sisters number is one of my favorites. And who could not love Bing Crosby singing White Christmas.
Santa Claus (1994)
When a man inadvertently kills Santa on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.
Starring: Tim Allen, Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold
I've forgotten how funny this movie is. I loved it when it first came out but I have to say I haven't watched the other two. We caught the tail end of #3 the other night on TV. It made us want to rent all three movies.
The Sound of Music (1965)
A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to a naval officer widower.
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
This doesn't scream Christmas to me but it seems like a holiday tradition. And there are some movies that are just timeless, too. I love this movie. And, oddly, I don't own it. Guess I'll have to add that to my wish list.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed.
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed
It simply wouldn’t be Christmas without this movie. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it one of the many times it’ll be on TV this year.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing.
Starring: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne
I need to watch this movie again since it’s been a while but I still love it. It truly makes you believe in Santa Claus! I believe…Do you?
A Christmas Story (1983)
Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940's.
Starring: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin
It’s a classic! “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
These are just a few of my favorites. What are some of yours? I know you have one or two. Share them with us here!
Photos and plot lines courtesy of IMDB.Com.
Michelle Miles is an avid movie watcher, writes romance, drinks coffee and collects shoes. You can learn more about her books at http://www.michellemiles.net.
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Christmas movies in this post. Especially since it’s, oh, four days until Christmas. I think I’m ready. All the shopping is done and the halls are decked. And the food for Christmas dinner is bought. I will be baking a red velvet cake and chocolate chip and thumbprint cookies. Should be a lovely time – that is if I don’t botch the tenderloin. Here’s hoping!
Anyway…hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and all your Christmas wishes come true! And now… to the list.
White Christmas (1954)
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
Starring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, Rosemary Clooney
I love this movie. It’s so much fun and the Sisters number is one of my favorites. And who could not love Bing Crosby singing White Christmas.
Santa Claus (1994)
When a man inadvertently kills Santa on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.
Starring: Tim Allen, Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold
I've forgotten how funny this movie is. I loved it when it first came out but I have to say I haven't watched the other two. We caught the tail end of #3 the other night on TV. It made us want to rent all three movies.
The Sound of Music (1965)
A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to a naval officer widower.
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
This doesn't scream Christmas to me but it seems like a holiday tradition. And there are some movies that are just timeless, too. I love this movie. And, oddly, I don't own it. Guess I'll have to add that to my wish list.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed.
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed
It simply wouldn’t be Christmas without this movie. If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it one of the many times it’ll be on TV this year.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing.
Starring: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne
I need to watch this movie again since it’s been a while but I still love it. It truly makes you believe in Santa Claus! I believe…Do you?
A Christmas Story (1983)
Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940's.
Starring: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin
It’s a classic! “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
These are just a few of my favorites. What are some of yours? I know you have one or two. Share them with us here!
Photos and plot lines courtesy of IMDB.Com.
Michelle Miles is an avid movie watcher, writes romance, drinks coffee and collects shoes. You can learn more about her books at http://www.michellemiles.net.
lots of great movie picks on your list! ;) And your christmas menu sounds yummy! Sound of Music is one of my faves as well - I remember going to see the sing along version a few years ago when it came to town -everyone in the audience got so into it - constantly shouting at the screen as well. happy christmas and thanks for your lovely post! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou've definitely listed some of my very favorites!
ReplyDeleteHere's two I love that I highly recommend:
First off, if you love White Christmas, you must see the First Movie, the one the song was written for--Holiday Inn.
Bing Crosby/Jim Hardy and Fred Astaire/Ted Hanover team with Marjorie Reynolds/Linda Mason as a singing, dancing trio. Except Bing becomes disenchanted with life on the road and decides to retire with his fiancee, Linda. He decides to open an Inn that's just open on Holidays, so he'd only have to work a limited number of days.
Of course, a country inn is more work than he first imagined and his fiancee dumps him to stay on the road with his best friend, Ted.
The music is amazing, the dancing is unbelievable (legend has it that Fred really did down shots of liquor to do his 'drunken' dance scene. The man will blow your mind) and of course, it becomes the perfect tender love story guaranteed to make you say, "Awwwwww...."
Do check it out!
My second choice and my number one favorite is... (drumroll, please)
The Bishop's Wife. A CLASSIC to beat all classics. Consider the cast:
Cary Grant as the angel who comes to help the bishop, David Niven, who prays for help with the building of his new cathedral. Of course, the bishop now has to contend with a handsome, debonair, magical, and of course, angelic (though with a devilish spark of mischief) Cary who's also helping with the bishop's neglected wife, Loretta Young. *Wink*
This movie is just amazing. If you love Cary as much as I do, grab a copy, snuggle under a warm blanket and I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
Happy Holidays!
--Chiron
Michelle, too funny! Sisters is one of my favorites from White Christmas too. My sisters and I sing it to each other (yeah, we're corny but it's fun).
ReplyDeleteOf contemporary movies, I love While You Were Sleeping, The Holiday, Home for the Holidays, The Family Stone, and one called Noel with Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams, among others.
Happy holidays!
Oh! While You Were Sleeping is one of my ALL Time favorites. I love that movie!
ReplyDeleteAnd now I want to see The Bishop's Wife. I've never seen it, but Cary Grant as an angel? Bet that wasn't a stretch for him to play!
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays, Chiron!
Thanks, Cate!! You too!
ReplyDeleteAnd you will love The Bishop's Wife. Trivia note: Apparently, Cary was originally slated to play the Bishop but after reading the script thought the Angel was a much more interesting part. I would have to agree. This movie gives you the quintessential Cary Grant. What better present could there be? *grin*
It wouldn't be Christmas without It's a Wonderful Life. It is the only time I get to see my husband cry. We always watch Scrooged at Christmas too. Bill Murray is so funny. The kids for years would have to watch The Night They Saved Christmas with Jaclyn Smith. They wore the videotape out. LOL
ReplyDeleteChristmas means so many things to me. Family home for the holidays. But now my children are grown and scattered around the globe.
ReplyDeleteTelephone calls are great but my husband and I feel just a little lonely, maybe a little older.
So....we watch "It's A Wonderful Life". Last year, right in the middle of the movie, our doorbell rang and there stood our older son and our twin granddaughters. Gosh! It IS a WONDERFUL LIFE!!!
I also love "A Christmas Story". I firmly believe that every family in America must have a "leg with a lamp shade" swinging back and forth. Or a memory of just such a gift.
Betsy Knapp
My sister and I just watched White Christmas with our mom for the first time ever - just loved it! As a dance lover, I got quite a laugh out of the Choreography number.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Story is a huge favorite of mine. ('It's a major award!')
Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without A Blackadder Christmas, for me. Hugh Laurie's Stupid Prince character from the late 1700's pretty much kills me from laughing so hard.
Chiron - I'd forgotten about Holiday Inn! And I don't think I've seen it! Which is tragic. I will have to find that soon. I've also missed The Bishop's Wife, so I'll have to get that one too. I love Cary Grant.
ReplyDeleteCate - My sister and I did that, too! LOL! It's good to be corny with your sisters. Who else CAN you be that way with?
Thanks for stopping by, everyone!