A Festive Showcase: Uncovering Underrated Holiday Films

Something that irks me about numerous contemporary holiday movies is their insistent self-awareness – the ostentatious decor, the predictable score selections, and the stilted dialogue about the true meaning of the holidays. It could be because the style was not yet solidified into tradition, films from the 1940s often explore the holidays from increasingly creative and far less obsessive angles.

The Fifth Avenue Happening

An favorite gem from sifting through 1940s holiday comedies is It Happened on Fifth Avenue, a 1947 romantic comedy with a clever hook: a happy-go-lucky hobo winters in a unoccupied luxurious townhouse each year. That season, he brings in strangers to reside with him, including a ex-soldier and a runaway who is secretly the offspring of the home's rich landlord. Helmer Roy Del Ruth infuses the picture with a makeshift family heart that most contemporary holiday stories struggle to achieve. This story perfectly walks the line between a thoughtful commentary on shelter and a charming metropolitan romance.

Tokyo Godfathers

The late filmmaker's 2003 animated film Tokyo Godfathers is a engaging, sad, and profound interpretation on the festive story. Loosely based on a western film, it tells the story of a trio of down-and-out people – an drinker, a transgender woman, and a young runaway – who find an left-behind newborn on the night before Christmas. Their journey to find the baby's family unleashes a sequence of unexpected events involving yakuza, immigrants, and apparently serendipitous encounters. The movie doubles down on the wonder of fate frequently found in holiday tales, presenting it with a stylish visual style that steers clear of overly sweet emotion.

Introducing John Doe

Although Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life rightly receives much attention, his earlier film Meet John Doe is a compelling seasonal tale in its own right. Starring Gary Cooper as a down-on-his-luck "forgotten man" and Barbara Stanwyck as a plucky journalist, the story starts with a fake missive from a man promising to jump from a building on Christmas Eve in protest. The public's response forces the reporter to find a man to play the fictional "John Doe," who then becomes a national figure for kindness. The narrative functions as both an inspiring fable and a pointed critique of powerful media magnates seeking to manipulate popular feeling for political ends.

Silent Partner

Whereas holiday horror films are now plentiful, the holiday crime caper remains a somewhat underpopulated subgenre. This makes the 1978 feature The Silent Partner a unique delight. With a delightfully menacing Christopher Plummer as a bank-robbing Santa Claus and Elliott Gould as a unassuming bank clerk, the film sets two varieties of amoral oddballs against each other in a sleek and unpredictable narrative. Mostly ignored upon its original debut, it is worthy of rediscovery for those who prefer their holiday films with a dark edge.

Almost Christmas

For those who enjoy their holiday reunions messy, Almost Christmas is a riot. With a star-studded cast that features Danny Glover, Mo'Nique, and JB Smoove, the story examines the strain of a household gathered to spend five days under one home during the Christmas season. Private problems bubble to the forefront, culminating in situations of over-the-top farce, such as a showdown where a weapon is pulled out. Of course, the story reaches a satisfying resolution, offering all the fun of a holiday disaster without any of the personal cleanup.

Go

Doug Liman's 1999 film Go is a holiday-themed story that functions as a young-adult take on crisscrossing narratives. Although some of its comedy may feel of its time upon revisiting, the movie still boasts plenty aspects to enjoy. These include a engaging performance from Sarah Polley to a standout scene by Timothy Olyphant as a dangerous drug dealer who amusingly sports a Santa hat. It embodies a particular style of late-90s movie energy set against a festive scene.

Morgan's Creek Miracle

Preston Sturges's 1940s farce The Miracle of Morgan's Creek rejects traditional seasonal cheer in favor for bawdy humor. The movie centers on Betty Hutton's character, who discovers she is pregnant after a drunken night but cannot identify the father responsible. The bulk of the fun comes from her condition and the attempts of Eddie Bracken's hapless Norval Jones to help her. Although not obviously a holiday film at the beginning, the narrative culminates on the Christmas, showing that Sturges has created a playful version of the Christmas story, loaded with his trademark sharp humor.

The Film Better Off Dead

This 1985 adolescent comedy starring John Cusack, Better Off Dead, is a textbook specimen of its time. Cusack's