Christmas Films--#1

Well, we’re finally there—time to reveal the #1 Christmas film.

First, though, there are a lot of films I didn’t have time to talk about that are totally worth your while if you’re studying this genre. The Family Stone [2005] tells the story of a somewhat dysfunctional family who gather at the holidays in their small town. The Bishop’s Wife [1947] is a terrific period piece about an angel who comes to help out a pastor in a small town and finds himself experiencing human emotions and, kind of, wishing he was human when he’s a bit drawn to the pastor’s wife. Then there’s Die Hard [1988] about a NY cop who goes to LA to see his kids and hopefully reconcile with his wife, only to find himself land in the middle of a violent robbery that he has to try and stop.

There are SO many wonderful Christmas films. And don’t dismiss the ones made for television. My favorite is an old one from 1977 called The Gathering about an estranged couple at Christmas. The husband, a focused businessman who’s had little time for his family, has just found out he has only a few months to live. His wife discovers this and works to get their far-flung 4 adult children to return—with the grandchildren—for Christmas. It’s a small, family story but it’s done beautifully and is one of those hopeful films about family that is worth seeing… and inspiration for you if writing a family Christmas film interests you.

Then there’s Miracle on 34^th Street [various years] and so many others… but, for me, the best of all Christmas films is It’s a Wonderful Life [1946] by Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett, and Frank Capra, with a story by Philip Van Doren Stern and additional scenes by Jo Swerling.

This film is all over TV around the holidays. Why? Because it’s good? Not really—because it’s free. The studio forgot [or didn’t care enough] to renew the copyright so it’s in public domain. And when TV stations realized that and started playing it all the time, people started seeing it and realized how good it was.

When it came out the film was the definition of a turkey. It was even castigated by a government committee for “demonizing capitalism” through its portrayal of bankers! It pretty much ended Frank Capra’s career. A pair of writers quit the film before it was through—no one seemed to enjoy making it… it was a total disaster.

But it’s the epitome of perfection—this idea that everyone of us touches others in ways we’re not even aware of, that there’s an interconnectedness to life that’s meaningful, that families may not always be perfect, but they can be havens. As with other great Christmas films, this is about family and about hope.

Capra’s career never recovered after the “bomb” that this movie was, but as the years went by, he finally got his recognition—and one of the honors he received was the 1982 American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Let me conclude our look at Christmas films with the hope that you’ll think about writing one, and when you do, remember the words of Capra from his AFI acceptance speech:

Don't follow trends. Start trends! Don't compromise. Believe in yourself! Because only the valiant can create. Only the daring should make films. And only the morally courageous are worthy of speaking to their fellow man for two hours in the dark.

Copyright © Diane Lake

27Dec20

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