Christmas Traditions

My only persistent Christmas tradition revolves around movies. During this time every year, I take time to watch my favorite holiday movies, either on DVD or when they appear on Turner Classic Movies. For me, the season wouldn't be completely the season without my having seen these favorites.

Number one on my list is "The Bishop's Wife," starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven, along with the wonderful characters Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lanchester, Monty Woolley, and James Gleason. I have no memory of the first time I watched it, but I do know that it immediately appealed to my sense of whimsy. There are a number of reasons I adore this film, chief among them Cary Grant. He is my favorite male movie actor (Katharine Hepburn is my favorite female). Cary plays an angel whose mission is to help David Niven, the bishop of the title, achieve his goal. Loretta Young is the wife. Cary falls in love with Loretta, who is of course charmed by this most charming of men (David Niven is the only person who knows Cary is an angel). There is much humor along the way, as the angel helps the bishop to the realization of what is most important. There is also good, old-fashioned heart, and the combination makes this my favorite.

Second on the list is "Christmas in Connecticut" with Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan, again with wonderful character actors: Reginald Gardiner, Sydney Greenstreet, S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, and Una O'Connor. Now, growing up, I knew Barbara Stanwyck only as Victoria Barkley from "The Big Valley." Later on I discovered some of the wonderful movies she made in her heyday, and they were definitely a revelation. In this charming holiday film, Stanwyck plays a Martha Stewart type, Elizabeth Lane, who writes a column for a popular magazine. Dennis Morgan is a soldier who starved himself while adrift at sea in order to keep his buddy alive. Once rescued, all he can think about is the wonderful food he reads about in Stanwyck's column. Greenstreet, the publisher, arranges for Morgan to spend the weekend with Mrs. Lane and her family at their cottage in Connecticut. The only problem: Lane isn't married, has no such cottage, and can't cook to save her life. The resultant screwball antics are great fun, with Stanwyck and Morgan lending considerable charm to the proceedings.

My number three is probably not usually considered a Christmas movie, though it did introduce one of the standard Christmas songs. "Meet Me in St. Louis" chronicles the life of the Smith family in St. Louis in the year leading up to the 1904 World's Fair. Judy Garland is one of the daughters; the child star Margaret O'Brien is her baby sister. The movie covers the four seasons, but the most poignant is Christmas, when the family is facing a move to New York for Father Smith's law firm. To comfort her little sister, Judy sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." This scene never fails to make me puddle up. No one can sing that song like Judy Garland.

Rounding out my list is the 1938 version of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," starring Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart (father of June, who plays one of the Cratchit children in the film). There have been many versions and adaptations of this story, and I've seen a number of them. But this one remains my favorite, largely because of Owen and Lockhart. They never fail to charm me, and I enjoy the magic of the story again and again.

There are a number of films that people love to watch during the holiday season; these happen to be my favorites. I'd love to hear what yours are.

Comments

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Oh I love Christmas in Connecticut! It is so great! But I never understood The Bishop's Wife, you know? It always seems like it was destined to be too sad.

How about Love, Actually?

And of course, I so agree about Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn!

[Laura DiSilverio]

I've never seen Christmas in Connecticut, but I'm going to find it. Sounds charming. We watch some version of A Christmas Carol every year on Christmas Eve. My fave recent Christmas movie is Arthur's Christmas. It's animated (Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent), but funny, heart-warming, and it always makes me tear up at least twice.

[Dean James]

Hank, I don't think of The Bishop's Wife as sad. Ultimately it's happy because David Niven realizes what is really important, and other characters gain happiness and self-understanding thanks to the angel. Gladys Cooper's heart is unfrozen, Monty Woolley regains confidence in himself, and James Gleason experiences the joys of childhood once again.

[Art Taylor]

I'm embarrassed to admit I've never seen The Bishop's Wife! It's one that's long been on my list of need-to-see films.... Maybe I'll remedy that this holiday season. Happy holidays to you!

[Marcia Talley]

Oh, Monty Woolley!!! Thanks for the memories, Dean.

[Elaine Viets]

So many movies, Dean. You've skimmed the cream.

[Linda]

I agree that these are great movies! I place Christmas in Connecticut first on my list though. I'd also add Holiday Inn. Merry Christmas everyone!

[Mark]

I haven't seen any of your favorites. *Hangs head in shame*.

My favorite version of A Christmas Carol is the 1984 one starring George C. Scott. My family watched it every year on TV, starting with when it first aired in 1984. A close second is the Muppet version. Yes, they throw in plenty of silly jokes, which I love, but they keep the true heart of the story. It's just as powerful as any other version out there. I always watch one or the other. This year, it looks like it will be the Muppet version tonight.

I also love The Santa Clause. Lots of great fun there.

Then there are my can't miss TV specials - A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. In fact, I watched them both last night while finishing up my wrapping.

[catriona]

I'd go for The Muppets' Christmas Carol (my favourite version) but otherwise I am with you. I just bought The Bishop's Wife to watch this year for the first time.

[Dean James]

So many good ones, so many great choices! I've seen "Holiday Inn" and enjoyed it, as well as "White Christmas." And in childhood and adolescence, of course, the animated stories of Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, etc. Love the Muppets, too.

[Dean James]

Oy... in that second paragraph in the blog, "wonderful characters" should be "wonderful character actors."

[Coco Ihle]

Thanks for the memories, Dean. Terrific post! My all time favorite Christmas movie is The Bishop's Wife, too. For years, I'd watch it on TV as one of the movies shown. Then, as the years went by, it was being shown fewer and fewer times. Now, the TV schedule doesn't show it at all where I live. So, several years ago, I bought the DVD to make sure I will be able to see it each and every year! To me, it is one of the most inspirational movies I've ever seen, more so than It's a Wonderful Life. My other favorite is the Muppet's Christmas Carol.

[Rosemary Scalessa]

It's a wonderful life is one that is a classic Christmas movie.

[Anne Murphy]

Thanks for reminding us about the Christmas sequence in Meet Me in St. Louis. Judy Garland songs the correct third verse of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I cannot abide the stupid "Hang a shining star upon the highest bough" lyric!

[Sally Schmidt]

Marvelous list, all 4 favorites of mine, with The Bishop's Wife at the top of the list, too. I have watched each of them several times this season. I would add The Man Who Came to Dinner with Bette Davis and Monty Woolley and a very funny Ann Sheridan (and those terrific buttons/clasps on her dress - little hands!), and Remember the Night with Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, and Beulah Bondi. A real tear-jerker. And of course there are Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and White Christmas, which it seems I can watch any time of year in an endless loop.