Top Ten Lists are fun to do. A Christmas movie list is a nearly unlimited one. The topics can vary. Many can branch out. Christmas movies have become almost a film genre in some respects. They aren’t put into the same category as science fiction or horror. Christmas movies have more viewings than any other film category. It would be safe to say, that White Christmas has been seen more times than The Day the Earth Stood Still or The InvisibleMan. Most Christmas films leave viewers with a warm fuzzy feeling. There are also some, like It’s a Wonderful Life and Meet Me in St Louis, that bring tears to your eyes. Many of the films on this fourth list, are familiar, and some are not. In the words of the great one, Jackie Gleason, “and away we go.”
10. Surviving Christmas (2004)
Drew Latham, (Ben Affleck) is a wealthy man. He seems to have it all. This includes a beautiful house and a beautiful girlfriend, Missy Vanglider, (Jennifer Morrison). He asks Jennifer to go spend Christmas with him, at a South Pacific resort. She wants to spend Christmas with her family. This isn’t what Drew wants. The two have a disagreement and they break up. The one thing that upsets him more than anything is spending the holiday alone.
Drew takes a cab ride to his old neighborhood. He sees the house where he grew up. He gets out and looks around. The house is now occupied by the Valco family. Tom, (James Gandolfini), suspects Drew is up to no good. He hits him with a shovel and drags him in the house. When Drew wakes up, he isn’t upset. Instead he comes up with an interesting idea. That is to spend Christmas with the family. Drew never had a real family Christmas during his formative years. Tom and his wife, Christine, say no to the idea. Their minds are changed when Drew offers them $250,ooo, to be his family for Christmas. The family also comes with a teenage brother, Brian, (Josh Zuckerman). The family is not quite what Drew wanted for his ideal Christmas. They are dysfunctional with a capital D. It is during this very weird holiday time, that Drew’s life gets very complicated.
Drew wasn’t aware that there was a sister in the Valco family, Alicia, (Christina Applegate). She shows up on Christmas Eve and sparks begin to fly. Drew does his best to help out his new family. He buys a car for Tom. He gets a photo shoot for Christine, and even recreates a Christmas pageant for Alicia.
The family doesn’t truly appreciate Drew’s grand gestures. The meaning of the emptiness of wealth is shown, when Missy Vangilder drops by with her parents, Horace and Stephanie, (David Selby and Stephanie Faracy). Upon witnessing the Vangilder’s bickering, Drew and the Valco’s realize the true meaning of the holidays.
Surviving Christmas is a funny film. It is enhanced by the comic skills of James Gandolfini. He is best known for his role as Tony Soprano. He is the comic foil for Ben Affleck. Christina Applegate does a fine turn as Affleck’s love interest. The film has its moments, and then becomes a lesson about love when they are onscreen. This bizarre comedy gives laughs for Christmas.
9. Christmas Evil (1980)
There are a few films about the beloved holiday of Christmas, that do not give a warm fuzzy feeling. Christmas Evil is one of those. It features Santa Claus. He is not the Tim Allen version. This particular version of Santa is a demented murderer. You should probably skip this entry if you are not a fan of slasher films. It might help if you like dark humor.
Harry Stadling (Brandon Maggart), is an employee of a toy company. He is recovering from a breakdown, brought on by his coworkers. He also had a childhood trauma involving the jolly old elf, when he was a child. His mental instability has caused him to want to be Santa Claus. He also is envious of his brother, Philip, (Jeffrey DeMunn). Philip has a beautiful wife, Jackie, (Dianne Hull), and two kids. Philip wishes that he could look up to his older brother. He instead harbors pity and sorrow for him.
Harry has Santa so ingrained in him, that his entire apartment is filled with memorabilia. He even keeps a list of good and bad boys and girls. He has compiled the list through observing them with binoculars. It shakes him to the core when he witnesses bad behavior. He makes a suit comparable to any department store Santa. The film counts down to Christmas Eve. That is when Harry goes into full Santa mode.
He rides around not in a sleigh, but in a work van. He distributes toys to good girls and boys. He goes to a children’s hospital, distributing stolen toys. Harry stops outside of a church. He is dressed as Mr. Claus. A crowd gathers and a few silly people, mock Harry. They don’t understand his level of insanity. They also may not have seen many slasher films. Santa kills them. After this the crazy man in the red suit, goes to a party, involuntarily. He dances and gives children toys, before departing. Harry has one last stop to make. He pays a call to a coworker named Frank, who conned him into taking his place on the line. He murders him in his bed, with his wife next to him.
Harry is now a wanted criminal. This causes the police to round up all Santa’s. They even bring one who was in the process of handing out toys. Harry tries to get away. A few parents recognize him. There is a torchlight pursuit, by the neighborhood parents. This has to be an unofficial homage to Universal’s horror films. Santa finally reaches his van and tries to find a way out.
The film is intentionally or unintentionally laced with humor. The murder with a toy soldier is one. Another is the captured Santa Claus at the small Christmas party. The best is rounding up the guys in red suits, for the police lineup. Alfred Hitchcock, made a fortune making films about murder. He also hosted a popular tv show where he joked about it. The Master of Suspense would probably laugh after seeing this Christmas film satire.
8. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
The Nutcracker is a Christmas standard. This is the Disney version. It is based on the original story by E. T. Hoffman. This tale has no nutcracker prince, or a mouse king. Instead there is an heroic soldier. The story begins in Victorian London. The heroines’s name is Clara, played by Mackenzie Foy. She does well in this slightly different take, involving four different realms.
Clara attends a ball with her father, Mr. Stahlbaum, (Mathew Macfayden) given by Drosselmeyer, (MorganFreeman), her godfather. She wants to find a key to box given to her by her late mother, Marie. She is given a golden thread by her godfather. This leads her to one of the four realms. Upon entering it she sees the key, but it is taken by a mouse. Clara while pursuing the creature, encounters a soldier, Philip. He helps her in her quest, and they manage to find the other realms. They encounter warring factions and political intrigue. They encounter the menacing Mother Ginger, (Helen Mirren). There is also Sugar Plum, (Keira Knightley), who has her own plans involving the key. Clara and Philip and their allies launch a battle against Mother Ginger and her forces to reclaim the realms and the key.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is visually stunning. Stuart Kearns and his team have done a fine job with the art. Guy Hendrix Dyas has also done a great job in production design. The sets designed by Lisa Chugg, have a great look adding to the fantasy aspect of the film. The screenplay written by Ashleigh Powell is a little convoluted. It revolves around Clara’s late mother Marie, and her position in the realms. Clara may have had less trouble if she had encountered Sherlock Holmes in one of the realms. The story still entertains, because of some good action sequences. It is a different type of film, based on the classic holiday ballet. It will keep the viewer entertained.
7. This Christmas (2007)
A movie that is not a typical Christmas movie. That description would fit This Christmas. The heart of it is the Whitfield family gets together at Christmas, after four years. It makes their mother, Ma’Dere, (Loretta Divine), happy. She is in a comfortable living arrangement/relationship with Joseph Black, (Delroy Lindo). She passes Joe off, as her friend. The family, having left their naïveté behind them, knows better.
Ma’Dere owns a dry cleaning business. It is barely making it. The profits that it makes, she shares with her family. Every year, she puts cash aside for her son,Quentin, (Idris Elba). He is a struggling musician, who hasn’t been home in years. He has followed in his father’s footsteps, Quentin Sr, who left his family for a music career. Ma’Dera’s missing son, has come home for a reason. He is fleeing a large debt. Quentin finds out that you can’t escape everything. The loan sharks have followed him. It leads to drama and comedy at the same time. This film is for the most part a drama, but Quentin’s interaction with these moneylenders, gives the comic relief when needed.
Quentin not only comes home for the wrong reason, but bears animosity toward Joe. The chief reason is that he believes Joe stands in the way of his father’s return, and his mother’s chance at happiness. Quentin’s feelings are shown, after Joe selects a Christmas tree. He says its one sorry tree.
The return of the prodigal son brings the drama. It was there before with most of the family. Lisa, (Regina King ) is in a marriage of convenience with Malcolm Moore, (Laz Alonzo). Claude, (Columbus Short) has come home on leave from The Marine Corps. That is until the truth comes out about his vacation. Michael Whitfield, (Baby), (Chris Brown), has career ambitions that put him at odds with his mother.
This movie has a story that certainly presents family life exposed. It has jealousy, deceit, infidelity, and violence. The movie was written and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II. There are a few plot holes, but a good story. The film is made better by the fine acting of the leads. Regina King is excellent playing a woman who has every material thing possible. She does great when she breaks down and realizes there is no meaning without love. Delroy Lindo gives a strong performance, breaking away from his villainous roles. Idris Elba, is famous for his role as Russell (Stringer) Bell, on The Wire. He plays the anti-hero in this movie, doing well. The performance by Loretta Devine as the challenged matriarch of the Whitfield family is solid. She is great interacting with the other actors. She has had a successful stage career and continued her success on television.
This Christmas has one strong element of a Christmas movie. It tugs at your heart strings. There is also a great soundtrack that puts you in the Christmas mood. Although the story goes to heavy drama, the movie isn’t Macbeth or Julius Caesar. The viewer does after This Christmas understand that the holiday unites everyone.
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
There are many people in this world who can become bored. It happens to the best of us. It even happens to residents of other worlds/dimensions. Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), (voice), is one of those residents. He is The Pumpkin King. He is trying to find a different way to celebrate Halloween. He wanders around pondering a unique way of having fun on that day. He is walking his dog, Zero, and comes across the entrance to Christmas town. He sees beautifully decorated trees, happy people, and most importantly Santa.
This happy wonderful place doesn’t take the gloom from Jack. It inspires him with a very dark idea. The citizens of Halloween town can celebrate Christmas in their very own unique and creepy way. Jack pitches his idea to the mayor, Glenn Shadix, (voice). He is skeptical, but goes along. The main part of the plan is to kidnap Santa Claus, known as Sandy Claws, by the residents. Jack will then become Santa and distribute toys from Halloween town.
There is one resident of this town who objects. That is Sally, Catherine O’Hara (voice). She is a creation of Dr. Finkelstein William Hickey (voice). She has run away from the mad doctor. She has an unrequited love for The Pumpkin King. This is like Bride of Frankenstein in reverse. Sally has visions of beautiful Christmas trees burning. This gives her a deep foreboding of Jack’s devious and evil plan.
Jack goes ahead with the plan. Santa is kidnapped and is held hostage by Oogie Boogie, Ken Page, (voice). He is an evil creature and delights in taunting The Jolly Old Elf. Jack with his sleigh and ghostly red nosed dog, Zero, delivers bizarre and terrifying presents. One is a snake, that terrifies a family, when it eats their Christmas tree. There are reports around the world of a phony Santa Claus. Missile defenses are activated to give this imposter a not so warm welcome. It also gives Jack a wake up call, about the true meaning of Christmas.
The Nightmare Before Christmas doesn’t come from a book or a short story. It’s surprising source is a three page poem by Tim Burton. There were only three characters, Jack, Zero and Santa Claus. It took years for Burton to get this made into a film, and of course the story was broadened. He was busy with other projects and couldn’t direct the film. Henry Selick directed this revolutionary animated film. It was a painstaking process and took three years to complete.There were creative differences between Selick and Burton. There always are differences between creative forces. There were some major changes suggested for Sally and Dr. Finklestein’s relationship. They were rejected. The movie has a great score, by Danny Elfman,with ten songs. The design of Halloween town, has the feel of an old Universal horror film. It is full of monsters like vampires and werewolves. There are also terrifying things as well. An interesting character is the mayor. He has two faces. There is his gloomy regular face, and his other one, that he wears at official functions. It is a somewhat veiled commentary on politics.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the most different holiday films ever made. The theme comes together and gives insight into two totally different worlds. The magic of Christmas comes forth in this movie.
5. Scrooge (1970)
There are two things that set Scrooge apart from previous versions of A Christmas Carol. It was filmed in color. It is also a musical version of the famous book. It is embellished, but most books are. It is still good. It is the one version that has established stars with Albert Finney and Alec Guinness.
It is the bleak tale of the miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, (Albert Finney). He loves money so much that he interrupts a children’s puppet show. This is to tell the puppeteer, that he wants his loan payment. Most people get out of his way. Most children run from him. Some of them mock him, until they see his cold icy stare. Scrooge’s disdain for humanity is shown in the song, I Hate People. He has one employee, Bob Cratchit, (David Collings) Mr. Cratchit is a belittled clerk. He still manages to keep a good outlook. It may be because he is the polar opposite of his boss.
The gloom of Scrooge’s counting house is broken, when Harry, (Michael Medwin) enters. He is Scrooge’s nephew. Harry is full of Yuletide cheer. Scrooge wants none of it and is disgusted by the greeting of Merry Christmas. He wishes a curse upon those who utter it from their lips. Scrooge’s nephew leaves, still merry despite being in the presence of his uncle.
Scrooge’s nephew’s attempt to spread the cheer of the holiday, is just the beginning for the bad man. He runs into two gentlemen, raising money for the poor. He asks if the prisons and workhouses are still operating. One of the men says yes they are, but many would rather die than go there. Scrooge’s response sums up his need for reformation. It is, “If they are to die, they’d better do it and decrease the surplus population.” He then bids them good day.
After his trying day, the unhappy rich man heads home. It is here that he receives a message. This is in the form of the ghost of Jacob Marley, (Alec Guinness). He was his business partner in life. Marley still looks the same, except for a major detail. He is carrying heavy chains. These are the chains that were forged in his life. He was a bad as Scrooge, and now suffers eternal torment. Marley tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits after he departs.
These spirits are Christmas Past, (Edith Evans), Christmas Present, (Kenneth More),and Christmas Yet to Come, (Paddy Stone) They all play a part in showing Scrooge how his life was and will be. The most interesting is Christmas Yet to Come. A man is leading a group of people in a song, Thank You Very Much. They are in front of Scrooge’s place of business. This makes him happy, because he believes they are praising him. He later finds out he has died, and they are happy. After this Scrooge falls into his own personal hell. Marley’s ghost welcomes Scrooge to his new home, amused that his old partner’s chains are bigger and longer. He then bids him Merry Christmas before departing. This scene was well done by the director, Ronald Neame. He would after working on this film, work on The big budgeted disaster movie, The Poseidon Adventure.
Everyone knows the outcome of Scrooge’s ghostly encounters. This film doesn’t deviate from that. It’s primary departure was the major actors in the roles. Albert Finney is playing an old man. He was in his thirties and required hours in makeup He excels in portraying one of the most famous characters in literature. Alec Guinness almost steals the picture from Finney. The movie was enhanced even more, with the presence of Edith Evans. She was an academy award winning actress. Edith Evans before making a career appearing before a camera, had something similar. She was the most famous actress of the stage. A Christmas Carol has been put on celluloid countless times. There are some good versions and some should have remained on the shelf. Scrooge was very innovative, and is a very watchable movie.
4. Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
There have been a few films made about Santa Claus. Some are great and some are bad. This film makes a point about the old guy in the red suit. It doesn’t matter how good intentions are. Someone is always there to try and spoil it. The plot doesn’t make any Dudley Nichols or Ben Hecht scripts pale in comparison. The very original part of the story is the origin of the big guy. It is the best part of this movie.
Santa Claus is played magnificently by David Huddleston. He won’t make you forget others who have played this iconic symbol of the holiday. He does make you want to believe. Claus and his wife Anya, (Judy Cornwell), are on their way to deliver toys to a village. They get caught in a blizzard. They are near death, when they are found by elves. They are taken to The North Pole, and revived. It seems they were expected. Claus’s mission is to spend eternity crafting toys with the elves. A red suit is made and Claus gets a sleigh and six more reindeer, to help the original two, Donner and Blitzen. He is ready for the special night of Christmas Eve. There is one thing that remains. That is his name. The Ancient Elf (Burgess Meredith), gives him his proper name, Santa Claus. The toy delivery is successful, and this begins worldwide toy drops over the centuries. There is a scene of a bad boy in 18th century France. Santa goes against his wife’s recommendation that he should not receive toys. He believes all children are good at heart. The next scene is an elf, Dooley, (Dudley Moore), reading Clement Moore’s poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas. Everyone laughs at the line “and when he laughed. His belly shook like a bowlful of jelly”. Santa’s response is do I really look like that? Everyone then laughs again. Santa decides to limit his calorie intake. It doesn’t work. This was a good thing for artists and corporations.
The story then jumps ahead to the late 20th century. A disenchanted Patch has left, Santa and the elves, because of a manufacturing disagreement. Patch was Santa’s top assistant. Unfortunately the toys made were defective, and it caused a scandal. He manages to partner with B. Z., (John Lithgow). This partnership is ill advised. That is because B.Z is a corrupt toy manufacturer. Everything seems ok, until the toys and the distribution of magic lollipops, cause a bigger scandal than the one the guy in the red suit had to handle.
Santa has many resources at his disposal. His number one resource has always been children. He gets help from Joe, (Christian Fitzpatrick), a skeptical homeless child. He doesn’t believe in the jolly old elf. His doubts disappear when Santa takes him for a ride high above the rooftops of New York. He also gets aid from Cornelia, (Carrie Kai Helm). She has a belief in Santa, but is a lonely unhappy child, despite living a life that is the complete opposite of Joe’s. Santa and his child allies race to keep Christmas alive and stop B. Z.
Santa Claus: The Movie is an underrated Christmas film. When it was released, it was a box office bomb. There was an extraordinary amount of money put into it. It does have an extremely over the top performance by John Lithgow. He is a talented actor, who can pull off anything. Dudley Moore was a box office draw, but his status declined before this movie was released. This movie, despite a slightly flawed script, is enjoyable. The film needs to be watched, because of its main attraction, The Jolly Old Elf, Kris Kringle, but most folks know him as Santa Claus. Its also a good idea to view it, because the big guy is always watching.
3. Home Alone (1990)
Christmas movies usually contain a message about the season. Then there is Home Alone. It is a comedy, that uses the oldest standard form. That is slapstick. If there is a message, it’s crime does not pay.
Kevin, (Macaulay Culkin), is the youngest child in the McCallister family. He is constantly picked at by his older brothers. He is also punished for misbehaving. He wishes his family would disappear. His wish comes true, when the family leaves for a Christmas vacation in Paris. They rush out of the house to make their flight. They have left the youngest child behind. Kevin realizes this after seeing the house completely empty. He rejoices and begins enjoying his independence. He buys groceries, and overindulges in ice cream, while watching tv. He enjoys walking the neighborhood unsupervised. Kevin even evades a policeman chasing him over an unpaid toothbrush. His real adventure comes when he runs into Harry, (Joe Pesci and Marv, (Daniel Stern). They are cat burglars, nicknamed The Wet Bandits. Its a named earned because they leave the water running after robbing a house. Harry is familiar with the family. He had previously impersonated a policeman to scope out the house.
These outside the law guys, think they have another easy house. They soon see how wrong they are. Kevin McCallister will not permit them to leave with any valuables. He sets up improvised traps. These range from a hot iron, to icy steps. Kevin has also thrown glass ornaments in front of an open window. The crooks, are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Their greed keeps them going. They cannot admit that an eight year old, can stop their lawless ways. It is an embarrassment to their pride, to admit defeat. Their thinking gets them free accommodations from the state.
One thing stands out. Kevin’s absence from the flight is noticed by Kate, (Catherine O’Hara), when the flight is ready to land in Paris. She makes up for it when she gets to the airport, and seizes a phone from a woman. She also tries to get a flight back, and does. She gets to fly back with Gus Polinski, (John Candy), The Polka King. Most of Candy’s lines were improvised. He and Catherine O’Hara actually made a mockumentary about Polka kings.
Home Alone was scripted by John Hughes. He was responsible for writing many movie comedies. The most prominent being Vacation. He directed a few, but his friend, Chris Columbus helmed this one. Columbus with the massive success of Home Alone, was able to go on to great success. He directed Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films.
Home Alone became the most profitable film of 1990. It generated a few sequels. The most important thing is that it is hilarious. Culkin provides the setup for the fall guys, Pesci and Stern. The movie has become like Christmas Vacation, providing laughs for the holidays. Incidentally Chris Columbus passed up directing Christmas Vacation. He thought this decision would hurt his career. It proves that saying, when a window closes, a door opens.
2. Remember the Night (1940)
This film is a little different. It has two people on opposite sides of the law. Lee Leander, (Barbara Stanwyck) likes sparkling jewels. The problem is that she doesn’t like to pay for them. She gets caught and is arrested. The assistant district attorney, John Sargent, (Fred MacMurray), is assigned to the case. She has an attorney who mirrors reality, being very over the top, attempting to establish Lee Leander’s innocence.
The Christmas holiday is approaching. The judge in the case, says the case will resume after the New Year. Lee is to be taken into custody, for the holidays. John Sargent temporarily forgets what he does for a living. He asks his friend, Fat Mike, (Tom Kennedy)for a big favor. That is to release Lee into his custody. This is granted, and that is when an interesting thing happens.
John Sargent takes Lee to his family home in Wabash, Indiana for the holidays. Along the way, they get arrested, but flee the town. They later make a small stop, to pay a visit to Lee’s mother, (Georgia Caine). She is a bitter woman, who tells Lee that she is no good. She then lets Lee know, that she wants nothing to do with her.
After more traveling, John and Lee arrive in Wabash. They are warmly greeted by Mrs. Sargent, (Beulah Bondi) and Aunt Emma, (Elizabeth Patterson). The townsfolk also warmly greet them. Its as if Lee stepped into the land of Oz. John and Lee have an old fashioned Christmas dinner. They celebrate New Year’s Eve, with a big party in a barn. During the holiday break, something happens to John and Lee. It isn’t something unexpected like a plot twist in a Hitchcock movie. John and Lee fall in love. They leave Indiana with the graces and blessings of the town. They make a stop in Niagara Falls. John tells Lee he can take her away, and she won’t have to face an uncertain future. She declines and says lets go back to New York.
Remember the Night isn’t complicated. It is just an old fashioned romance. It was scripted by Preston Sturges. He, like Billy Wilder wrote good movies, before he got a career directing them. He liked Barbara Stanwyck, and wrote The Lady Eve for her. Remember the Night was Stanwyck’s first Christmas movie. She did the serious Meet John Doe and later the very funny Christmas in Connecticut. She, like James Stewart has a Christmas movie legacy.
Fred MacMurray had a talent for comedy and heavy drama. He was, for a couple of decades a star. He was later able to make successful Disney films. He is best known for his role as Steve Douglas on My Three Sons.
Remember the Night proves that love is blind. John Sargent drops his tough exterior. He allows Lee Leander to see another side of life. It is something she’s never known. That is kindness and a sweet loving family. This puts an end to her bitterness, and she is able to see the light of love. It is a movie, that is a good one to put you in the spirit.
1. Mr. Soft Touch (1949)
It would be unusual to think of Christmas and film noir together. It is done with the movie Mr. Soft Touch. This works well with the presence of Glen Ford. He was becoming a staple with the genre. Ford has a standout performance in the film.
He plays Joe Miracle. He is decorated veteran who has had his life stolen. His partner in his club was murdered by a crime boss, named Barney Teener, (Roman Bohnen). He also took his business while he was fighting overseas. Joe doesn’t sit back and take it. He steals 100,000 from the crime boss, and hides out in a settlement house, run by Jenny Jones, (Evelyn Keyes). She thinks he’s a down on his luck musician. He realizes that while living in the house, that Jenny’s work is special. He begins to fall for her.
Unfortunately, life isn’t simple in these movies. A newspaper columnist, Henry (Early) Bird, discovers the truth about Joe. He puts it into print, which alerts Barney Teener. Things start to fall apart quickly, including the budding romance between Joe and Jenny.
The thugs track Joe to the rooming house and set fire to it. They also take Joe’s money. He again steals it back. This time he dresses as Santa, and gives the money to the rebuild fund for the house. It looks like true happiness, but the criminals track down good hearted Joe.
Glenn Ford is at his subtle best in this movie. The female lead, Evelyn Keyes, is as under appreciated an actress as there ever was. She was typecast as Scarlett O’Hara’s younger sister. Her role in this movie helped her career slightly. She has some great scenes with Ford. One is when she discusses her abusive father. She talks about her loss of hearing due to abuse, and shows Ford’s character her hearing aid. Another is when she is very upset with Joe. She isn’t interested in his side of the story. She pulls out her hearing aid. Evelyn Keyes life in Hollywood, was drama filled. She was married four times and had many love affairs. She later wrote two books about her scandalous life.
This movie has a few interesting scenes. One is the opening one, when Joe crashes a barricade. Later he teaches some misguided youths the facts of life. They shoot craps with him and lose. This might be ok, except they gambled away the Christmas tree fund. These same kids later cut down a Christmas tree for the home. This is a nice gesture. It backfires because the tree is from the city park. The police point out the tree has a marker on the front. Jenny Jones says boys will be boys. The most dramatic scene is the fire that burns down the house. Everyone is fleeing, and Joe rescues a little girl. The little girl sees Joe’s money and Barney Teener’s employees grab it.
Mr. Soft Touch is a terrific film. It is a rarely seen piece of film noir. The most important thing is it fits perfectly as a film for Christmas. Joe Miracle fits as a great Christmas movie character.
These Christmas films are all special. They are part of a top ten. Their ranking doesn’t matter overall. What matters is that these movies entertain. It could be the outright silliness of Surviving Christmas. The movie could be the bizarre, but overall heartwarming The Nightmare Before Christmas. Someone’s holiday treat could be the entertaining remake of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge. Any comments are always welcome. The most important thing is to enjoy these Hollywood Christmas movies, with family and friends. It is hoped that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy and healthy New Year.