A Seasonal Showcase: Uncovering Overlooked Christmas Pictures

A factor that bothers me about many contemporary seasonal features is their insistent self-awareness – the ostentatious decor, the predictable music selections, and the canned speeches about the real spirit of the holidays. Maybe because the style hadn't yet hardened into tradition, pictures from the 1940s often tackle Yuletide from far more creative and not as obsessive perspectives.

The Fifth Avenue Happening

An cherished discovery from sifting through 1940s Christmas fare is It Happened on Fifth Avenue, a 1947 romantic tale with a brilliant premise: a jovial hobo takes up residence in a unoccupied Fifth Avenue townhouse each year. One winter, he invites fellow down-on-their-luck individuals to stay with him, among them a former GI and a runaway who is secretly the heiress of the mansion's affluent proprietor. Filmmaker Roy Del Ruth gives the picture with a surrogate family coziness that many contemporary holiday films strive to earn. This story expertly balances a thoughtful commentary on affordable living and a whimsical metropolitan fairytale.

Tokyo Godfathers

The late filmmaker's 2003 tragicomedy Tokyo Godfathers is a engaging, poignant, and deeply moving interpretation on the holiday tale. Drawing from a John Wayne picture, it centers on a trio of down-and-out people – an drinker, a transgender woman, and a young throwaway – who discover an discarded infant on Christmas Eve. Their quest to reunite the child's mother unleashes a sequence of hijinks involving gangsters, immigrants, and seemingly magical coincidences. The movie doubles down on the magic of coincidence typically found in seasonal tales, delivering it with a cinematic aesthetic that steers clear of saccharine feeling.

The John Doe Story

Although Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life rightly earns much acclaim, his earlier picture Meet John Doe is a powerful seasonal film in its own right. Featuring Gary Cooper as a charismatic drifter and Barbara Stanwyck as a resourceful journalist, the story kicks off with a fake letter from a man vowing to fall from a rooftop on December 24th in despair. The nation's response forces the journalist to recruit a man to play the mythical "John Doe," who subsequently becomes a country-wide icon for community. The film functions as both an heartwarming tale and a brutal indictment of powerful media magnates attempting to exploit grassroots goodwill for personal ambitions.

The Silent Partner

While Christmas slasher pictures are now commonplace, the holiday crime caper remains a relatively underpopulated style. This makes the 1978 gem The Silent Partner a fresh discovery. Featuring a superbly vile Christopher Plummer as a bank-robbing Santa Claus and Elliott Gould as a unassuming bank employee, the movie pits two types of opportunistic individuals against each other in a stylish and unpredictable yarn. Largely unseen upon its original debut, it deserves a fresh look for those who like their holiday stories with a chilling edge.

Almost Christmas

For those who like their family reunions messy, Almost Christmas is a riot. Featuring a star-studded ensemble that features Danny Glover, Mo'Nique, and JB Smoove, the movie explores the dynamics of a family forced to share five days under one home during the festive period. Hidden issues rise to the forefront, culminating in situations of over-the-top comedy, such as a dinner where a shotgun is produced. Of course, the narrative finds a satisfying resolution, providing all the fun of a holiday disaster without any of the real-life consequences.

Go

The director's 1999 movie Go is a Yuletide-set tale that is a young-adult take on woven plots. Although some of its humor may feel dated upon rewatch, the film nonetheless boasts many elements to enjoy. These include a composed role from Sarah Polley to a captivating scene by Timothy Olyphant as a laid-back pusher who fittingly dons a Santa hat. It embodies a specific kind of fin-de-siècle cinematic attitude set against a festive backdrop.

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

Preston Sturges's 1940s film The Miracle of Morgan's Creek skips traditional Christmas cheer in favor for cheeky fun. The story centers on Betty Hutton's Trudy Kockenlocker, who finds herself with child after a hazy night but cannot remember the soldier involved. A lot of the fun arises from her condition and the devotion of Eddie Bracken's hapless Norval Jones to marry her. Although not explicitly a holiday film at the start, the plot climaxes on the Christmas, revealing that Sturges has crafted a playful take of the Christmas story, loaded with his trademark witty humor.

Better Off Dead

This 1985 teen movie featuring John Cusack, Better Off Dead, is a quintessential example of its time. Cusack's