‘Tis the season, folks! For merry-making. Decking the halls. Fa-la-la-la-laing. Snuggling up with a hot cuppa. Plopping in a peppermint stick. Curling up with a Christmas-themed fave or binge-watching some good ‘ole Christmas movies.  

Mom and I were gonna do our version of Best Christmas Movies Ever today. You know. George Bailey and Bedford Falls. Pine Tree Inn, Vermont and lots of snow. The Grinch. Then we thought about some “lost,” lesser-known Christmas movies worth watching. Made a list. Checked it twice.

Here ’tis (in no particular order):

He came to shut them down. But Someone had a better idea…

Image credit: IMBD

1. Noelle (2017)

This isn’t a Hollywood mega-hit. And never will be. It’s not big in the boughs of holly department. It’s what media pundits might call a “sleeper.” Parts are a bit slow. But stick with it. What unfolds is a surprisingly beautiful, moving story about shame, faith, and hope. Second chances. And the power of grace and forgiveness. 

Noelle stars David Hall as a priest who’s been sent to a tiny New England parish in the dead of winter to shut down a struggling church. Incidentally, Hall is a dead ringer for Robert Redford.

Turns out the church isn’t the only thing that’s struggling or teetering at death’s door in this quirky and memorable film directed and produced by David Wall.

There’s also a little girl with a simple message for each of us…

Understated and subtle, Noelle brims with hope and grace and delivers a powerful message of redemption and forgiveness. The dialogue includes some hilarious word-play. The plot takes you where you never expect. The acting is as good as any, with the bonus of several quirky characters in this small Cape Cod town. It’s surprisingly powerful. Yes, it requires some patience. But this one’s a keeper.

2. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

Like Noelle, The Man Who Invented Christmas isn’t going to win any awards. It’s uneven in places and probably overlong. But if you’re looking for something light and fluffy, it hits all the high notes. And will probably resonate with authors.

Three flops in a row and up to his eyeballs in debt, Charles Dickens decides to write and self-publish A Christmas Carol.

Fanciful and frothy, it tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. 

Scene stealer: Christopher Plummer. You’ll get that if you watch the film.

The rest, of course, is publishing history.

3. A Thousand Men and a Baby (1997)

Starring Richard Thomas and Gerald McRaney, A Thousand Men and a Baby is based on the true story of how the men aboard the U.S.S. Point Cruz break all of the rules in order to save an Amerasian infant abandoned in front of an American Army supply depot, in 1953.

Knowing that the baby boy will not survive in Korea, the men sneak him aboard their ship, nurse him back to health and find a way to get him to America so that he may be adopted in time for Christmas.

A heartwarming story of love, sacrifice, and second chances, A Thousand Men and a Baby brims with Christmas hope and joy! 

 

4. Prancer (1989)

Jessica, the daughter of an impoverished apple farmer, still believes in Santa Claus. So when she comes across a reindeer with an injured leg, it makes perfect sense to her to assume that it is Prancer, who had fallen from a Christmas display in town. She hides the reindeer in her barn and feeds it cookies until she can return it to Santa.

Her father (Sam Elliot) finds the reindeer and decides to sell it to the butcher, not for venison chops, but as an advertising display.

5. The Bells of St. Mary’s

At a big city Catholic school, Father O’Malley and Sister Benedict indulge in friendly rivalry, and succeed in extending the school through the gift of a building. Bing Crosby shines as Father O’Malley. Ingrid Berman is wonderful as Sister Mary Benedict.

This isn’t a “Christmas movie” per se. But the scene in which the little kids stage a Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem play is adorable!

Wait. Is that Clarence Oddbody, A.S. II?

6. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

An angel in human form enters the life of a bishop in order to help him build a new cathedral and repair his fractured marriage. Cary Grant turns in one of his most memorable performances in the role of Dudley the angel. David Niven and Loretta Young round out this gentle Christmas classic. Delightful!

7. The Preacher’s Wife (1996)

An updated version of The Bishop’s Wife, this movie stars Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington as Dudley and the multi-talented Whitney Houston in the title role. A delightful romantic comedy.

8. November Christmas (2010)

A small Rhode Island community comes together to create special holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas) moments several weeks early for Vanessa Marks, an 8-year-old girl with a life-threatening illness. Meanwhile, two older estranged friends learn about the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Sam Elliot turns in another sterling performance. Bring tissue.

9. One Special Night (1996)

A widowed physician (Julie Andrews) and a developer with a penchant for saying the wrong thing (James Garner) meet on a snowy Thanksgiving at the nursing home where his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and a heart condition, is a patient. After the doc offers the developer a ride home, the two hit it off immediately…like boxers! Then they skid off the road and find themselves stranded in a vacant cabin.

The two strangers lost on a cold winter’s night are about to find true love. And maybe, just maybe, a second chance.

 

10. Christmas Lodge (2011)

During a weekend trip to the mountains, Mary (Erin Karpluk) finds herself at the now-dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up. She becomes determined to restore the building to its former glory.

Inspired by her grandfather and guided by her late grandmother, Mary throws herself into the project, and during the process finds herself drawn to Jack (Michael Shanks), a handsome man who loves the lodge as much as she does.

Historically unlucky in love, this chance encounter allows Mary to renew her faith in life and discover her one true love.

For an uplifting story about faith, family and the true holiday spirit, go to the Christmas Lodge.

11. The Christmas Box (1995)

Based on the best-selling novella by Richard Paul Evans, this is a heartwarming story of faith, family, and the brevity of life. It stars Richard Thomas and the ever-luminous Maureen O’Hara.

A ski shop owner reluctantly moves himself, his wife, and their daughter into an estate as live-in help for an elderly widow. While struggling to balance his career and family life, he has recurring dreams about an angel.

13. Christmas With the Kranks (2004)

Based on the novella by John Grisham, Skipping Christmas. We laughed our heads off. “Free Frosty! Free Frosty!”

14. Scrooge (1970)

Albert Finney stars in this musical version of the Chuck Dickens classic. Our absolute fave!  The Scrooge redemption scene is 100% splendiferous! “Thank you very, thank you very much…”

15. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Mom’s favorite. Because. Well. Mom.

What would you add?

***

You’re welcome.

We will now return you to our regularly scheduled fa-la-la-la-la-ing. If ya ask real nice…

ADDENDUM 12/16/23:

Candy Cane Lane (2023) is quite possibly The Most Forgettable “Christmas” movie ever. Not even Eddie Murphy can salvage this tedious turkey. Talk about a dud. It’s lukewarm eggnog at best.

 

 

 

 

 

Movie, popcorn image credit.