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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2006-12-24

Favorite Christmastime Movies

There are, in the course of my life, a handful of movies which, for whatever reason, I relate indelibly with Christmastime. For some of these, the reason is obvious; for others, the relationship may seem tenuous, at best. But I will endeavor to relate why I identify these movies with Christmastime through the values that I think these movies relate.

Yes, I am taking a break from my normal topic matter; sometimes, other things are just more important.

Or more interesting at the time.

Anyway . . .

First of all, let me say this right away: I have yet to see The Nativity Story, so I'm leaving room on my list for it, though its not there, yet.

1. A Christmas Carol

Of course.

How imaginative, right? Well, wait--there's subsections. Because, of course, there's been, like, 35 different versions of the Dickens classic. So one must also name the versions one likes, doesn't one?

A. The original 1938 version with Reginald Owen in the title role, and a bunch of Lockharts running through the cast. The particular strength of this version is, frankly, its age. The special effects were, well, a bit weak at the time, so the director had to do a much better job suggesting much of the spectral nature of the visitations, and I think, in that regard, he did a grand job. Besides, the black and white, so dreary and grim, has a great atmosphere, and suggests a far more Dickensian tale than more modern versions. Of course, the theme of the story is wonderful (for a more thorough discussion of that theme, see a much more qualified writer on such things here) and reminds us all not only of the evil of Greed (one of the Seven Deadlies, of course), but of the power of Redemption.

B. The 1988 Bill Murray vehicle Scrooged. Yes, I love this version, and not just for the Danny Elfman soundtrack. I think what Dickens conveyed so effectively through darkness and dread, Richard Donner (of Lethal Weapon fame--there's a kicker, eh?) conveys rather well using biting sarcasm and sudden shifts from comedy to tragedy. Of course, this version has a different Deadly Sin at its core: Pride. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) doesn't so much covet money as he does success, power, the approval of the "right" people and the right to take credit for a huge success (a very crass made-for-television live production of A Christmas Carol). In the end, though, it is Redemption that steals the day, and Frank rediscovers Joy, and Fun, and, of course, Love. I like this version because Pride is one of those insipid faults that I find myself constantly struggling to overcome, and this telling of the Dickens tale kinda reminds me that there is a standard of accomplishment that I should be striving for that has nothing to do with the "right" people.

C. From 1992, A Muppet Christmas Carol. This particular version holds a place in my heart because, of all the things that is most evident in children around Christmastime that we adults fail to recognize, much less value, it is Whimsy. There is evident in every frame of the movie the absolute childlike joy of life that Jim Henson captured best through his non-human creations. Same story, same message, but a delivery that reminds us we can learn lessons AND enjoy them, too.

Yes, I know--George C. Scott was a fine Ebenezer Scrooge, as was Patrick Stewart. But I don't think their versions add that much to the original--certainly not enough to make it on my list.

2. Any of the Harry Potter movies.

???

Yeah, I know. Other than that each of them seem to contain important scenes which center around the "Yule," and that they seem to be released pretty close to Christmas time every year, there really isn't a strictly "Christmas"-y message in any of them. Nonetheless, I identify these movies with Christmastime. And it is hard to read these books or watch these movies without being very aware of the values JK Rowling conveys through her imagination. To wit:

:at the end of the first novel/movie, the "voice of God" (Dumbledore) extols three qualities in our three central characters: intelligence, loyalty, and courage.
:the smartest, and hardest working, character in the stories is, by the way, a girl.
:in the fourth installment the title character is given an honor in competition that he, perhaps, did not earn, except for "outstanding moral fiber"
:the central government refuses to acknowledge the evil that is in the world, but the heroes seem to always act with a sense of clarity; in many ways, an adult character could never get away with the clarity the young heroes do--it would be "unsophisticated." Nevertheless, they are nearly always correct.

There is much to recommend these stories. I know some of my Evangelical friends don't like them because of the presence of magic and "demonic"influences; I think the positive values far outweigh the possible negative influence of such elements, which are rarely more than incidental to the central ideas of growing up, confronting evil, and staying true to your friends and your values.

3. From 2001, The Fellowship of the Ring

Again, ???

Other than that it, too, came out at Christmastime, what has this to do with Christmas?

Well, really, nothing.

And, why this one and not either of the others in the trilogy?

Because this one is the superior one. In mood, in character development, and in pacing, this installment is the better of the three.

Though, really, the whole trilogy is amazing and wonderful.

At any rate, I like this movie at Christmas time because there are three seperate acts in this movie which convey one of the great themes that I perceive around Christmas: self-sacrifice.

Of course, self-sacrifice is not really one of the central themes of Christmas; Christmas is Joy, and Celebration, and Merriment. But central in all that is that God sent his only begotten Son to become Man, that all men may be Redeemed. With the birth of Christ, the story of Jesus is at its beginning, its point of departure, its point of no return, if you will. . . .

the beginning of the greatest tale of Self-Sacrifice ever told.

In FOTR, Gandalf "dies" confronting the ancient evil, which allows the rest of the company to escape. Boromir gives his life in a valiant battle to protect two of the "little ones" of the company; and, in what I think is the best scene of the whole trilogy, Samwise walks out into the lake, fully laden, in pursuit of Frodo, though he cannot swim. It is an act of both Faith and Loyalty . . .

but, more important, when the two of them set off on their lonely journey, it is an act of Self-Sacrifice, going without the benefit of warriors to protect them, as they walk straight into the mouth of the lion. As is said later in the tale, the "great stories" are really about simple men who choose to act against their own best interest that others may have a better life. I love it.

D. And, of course, from 1946, the Capra classic, It's a Wonderful Life.

This has to be on the list. Who doesn't cry when the townspeople come parading into George and Mary's home to give back to George some measure of his need?

Okay, I'll admit it--until I had a baby girl, I never cried at that scene (though the drowning scene gave me nightmares for years as a kid); now that I have daughters, I cry during Terminator. But I digress. . .

What I love about this movie is that it is, in the end, it is a tribute to the unexpected, unlooked-for rewards of a life spent in Service to others.


Not that anybody should listen to my advice, but if you have a few hours to kill, you may want to run and rent one of these, or try to find it on TV.

Enjoy!
Posted by: Michael / 12/24/2006 02:23:00 AM

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