The most wonderful time of the year brings with it some of the most wonderful movies. No doubt you’ve already seen A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, The Shop Around the Corner, A Christmas Carol (the Alastair Sim version, of course), and other perennial favorites, but why stop there? Here are some under-appreciated gems to freshen up your seasonal watchlist.
The Apartment (1960)
Trailer for The Apartment (Uploaded to YouTube by Amazon MGM Studios)
Billy Wilder’s Best Picture winner stars Jack Lemmon as a lonely bachelor and insurance-office drone who lets company executives use his apartment for a trysting place in hopes of a promotion. One of the trysts involves his own unrequited crush (Shirley MacLaine), attached to his boss (Fred MacMurray). Office politics, adultery, sexual harassment, and attempted suicide don’t suggest holiday cheer, but by the time New Year’s Eve rolls around, Wilder supplies a hard-earned happy ending. Available on Tubi.
Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
Clip from Bell, Book and Candle (Uploaded to YouTube by Turner Classic Movies)
All modern-day witch Kim Novak wants for Christmas is otherwise engaged upstairs neighbor James Stewart. With help from her feline familiar, Pyewacket, she casts a spell that puts a supernatural twist on the classic rom-com. Fun fact: My wife loved this movie so much growing up that she named her cat Pyewacket. Available on Tubi.
Comfort and Joy (1984)
Glasgow radio DJ Dickie Bird (Bill Paterson) gets an unexpected new lease on life after a devastating holiday breakup when he’s drawn into an escalating feud between two rival ice cream companies. Bill Forsyth’s follow-up to his beloved Local Hero has that film’s off-center charm and an understated heartwarming Christmas message. By all rights, it should be a holiday classic, but it’s tough to find — it’s unavailable to stream and out of print on home video, though DVD and Blu-ray copies can still be purchased through Amazon.
The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)
“Silver Bells” from The Lemon Drop Kid (Uploaded to YouTube by Casgo)
“Silver Bells,” one of the most beloved Christmas songs, was introduced in one of Bob Hope’s best non-Road comedies about a race track tout who has just 23 days until Christmas to come up with the $10,000 he owes a decidedly uncharitable mobster. That “Silver Bells” was not even nominated for Best Original Song is one of the Academy’s most grievous snubs. Watching block after block of New Yorkers singing along with Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell is what Christmas is all about. Available on Amazon Prime Video.
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
Trailer for The Man Who Came to Dinner (Uploaded to YouTube by Warner Bros. Rewind)
Unwanted holiday guests are the worst — especially for the Ohio family forced to accommodate world-renowned radio personality Sheridan Whiteside after he injures himself on their property. Wheelchair-bound, the imperious Whiteside takes wicked delight in meddling in the family’s affairs and running roughshod over everyone else, including his beleaguered nurse, who finally vows, “Anything I can do to exterminate the human race will fill me with the greatest of pleasure.” Monty Woolley recreates his signature stage role in this classic Kaufman and Hart comedy. Available on Tubi.
Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
Nickelodeon promotion for Olive, The Other Reindeer (Uploaded to YouTube by Fred A)
Based on the book by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh, this delightful animated TV special features Drew Barrymore — never more charming — as the voice of Olive, a dog who becomes convinced she’s a reindeer after mishearing the words “all of the other reindeer.” Determined to help Santa save Christmas, she heads for the North Pole to offer her services. Produced by The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, it’s a smart, sophisticated holiday treat. Available on YouTube or for purchase through Amazon.
Prancer (1989)
Trailer for Prancer (Uploaded to YouTube by Amazon MGM Studios)
This gem deserves the basic-cable, 24-hour marathon treatment. Rebecca Harrell — now an award-winning eco-documentarian — stars as eight-year-old Jessica, who becomes convinced that the injured deer she finds and secretly nurses to health is Santa’s own Prancer. The Christmas spirit is strong within her, and the neighborhood Grinches — including a crusty veterinarian (Abe Vigoda), a feared recluse (Cloris Leachman), and her financially strapped single father (Sam Elliott) — don’t stand a chance. Available on Tubi and other platforms.
Remember the Night (1939)
Trailer for Remember the Night (Uploaded to YouTube by Screenbound Pictures)
Not content to commit insurance fraud and murder in Double Indemnity, Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray reunite as a shoplifter and the deputy district attorney who brings her home for the holidays. Preston Sturges wrote this sweet, not sticky, holiday rom-com. Available on Amazon Prime Video.
3 Godfathers (1948)
Trailer for 3 Godfathers (Uploaded to YouTube by Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers)
Do you like Christmas films? Do you love John Wayne? Have we got a movie for you. The Duke leads a trio of fleeing bank robbers who encounter a dying woman in the desert and make a deathbed promise to care for her infant. John Ford directs this surprisingly redemptive Christmas parable. Available to rent on YouTube and other platforms.
We’re No Angels (1955)
Trailer for We’re No Angels (Uploaded to YouTube by Paramount Movies Digital)
Escaping a Devil’s Island prison was a piece of cake. Now for the tricky bit: hiding out until their ship comes in. This black comedy stars Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, and Aldo Ray as three desperate convicts who have the bad luck to fall in with a nice shopkeeper and his hospitable family. “You guys act like you don’t want to cut their throats,” Bogart chides his formerly hard-boiled companions. “After all, it might spoil their Christmas,” Ray replies. Luckily, Basil Rathbone, as the shopkeeper’s despicable cousin, gives the trio a welcome opportunity to indulge their basic instincts while coming to the family’s rescue. Available on Pluto TV.
Do you have a favorite under-the-radar Christmas movie? Share it in the comments section.
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