Mood: ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’, Billy May version.
A Trio of Some Unknown or Forgotten Christmas Movies
There are almost too many good Christmas movies out there, of which I count ‘White Christmas’, ‘Scrooged’, any number of A Christmas Carol adaptations, including ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ among them. Of course, this is all subjective to personal preference. In that category are those perennial favorites ‘Die Hard’ and ‘Lethal Weapon’, the arguments about which have gone on for decades and show no stopping.
However, at least to my mind (and this is my blog, so…) there are a few movies that are definitely Christmas movies, as it is the central plot point that allows all that occurs after to take place. Here, in this Tenth Blog of Christmas, it is my hope to ‘gift’ some of these to you if you have yet been denied the pleasure of a viewing of them!
Movie Gift #1: ‘The Bishop’s Wife”
Bishop Henry Brougham and his wife Julia are visited by Dudley, an angel sent from Heaven to give Henry guidance in answer to his prayer. Henry is embroiled in a contretemps with a rich widow to get a new cathedral built; she wishes her dead husband be prominently remembered with a grand memorial chapel that is central to the cathedral and Henry staunchly believes it needs to be dedicated to God, of course.
While Henry has trouble believing Dudley is what he says he is, he won’t allow him to handle any meetings dealing with the cathedral. This leaves Dudley time to get to know the Bishop’s family and household, who all seem to be quite taken with Dudley and his charming personality, especially Debbie, Henry and Julia’s daughter, and Julia herself.
With the innocence of an angel, Dudley and Julia meet some wonderful people, some known to Julia and Henry, some not. In a few days, however, Dudley begins to doubt his angelic existence is worth being bereft of human feelings and love, specifically, seeing how the Brougham’s love one another.
Still not believing in Dudley’s angelhood fully, a confrontation with a being who can easily decimate a mortal being is imminent…
Movie Gift #2: ‘We’re No Angels”
Based upon the play ‘My Three Angels’ by Bella and Sam Spewack, this comedy movie follows Joseph (Bogart), Albert (Ray) and Jules (Ustinov) as three convicts who are attempting to escape Devil’s Island in the year 1910. Some less dangerous convicts are allowed out of prison to work, but the three have killed their guard to escape the pris on and look for a way off the island. While taking shelter from a sudden downpour, one of them picks the pocket of a sailor looking for directions. The note they picked leads them to a general store for the island run by Felix Ducotel. The three become acquainted with the Ducotel family and where once the plan was to murder them, rob them and take their leave of the island, they become enamored of the Ducotels and give them a great Christmas.
This glosses over so much of the movie, but if you think Humphrey Bogart in a comedy?? all I can say is that you Need to see this and enjoy the laughs and sweet story.
Movie Gift #3: ‘The Ref’
This is a 1994 comedy with a bit of a farcical edge it. Denis Leary is Gus, a criminal who botches a home robbery and, while on the run from the police, takes a fractious couple, Lloyd and Caroline, who are going through marriage counseling hostage and has them take him to their home. In the meanwhile, Lloyd’s mother and brother and family are on their way to spend Christmas, as well as their son, Jesse, who has been blackmailing his commanding officer at the academy he is schooling at. Carline has a problem with her mother-in-law who she feels is running and ruining her husband’s life. All the while, Lloyd and Caroline are vindictive in their arguments with one another and Gus winds up being the, you guessed it, referee between them and…well, you’ll just need to watch it! 😁
If you’ve gotten this far and have any ‘forgotten’ Christmas movie suggestions, I’m all for trying new ones (if I haven’t seen ‘em!).
Be well and pax vobiscum!