Count Dooku

I honestly love watching this. It always makes me laugh. Searched for an image and found the whole movie.

story

If you're up for something slightly different, try a classic radio show!

The Campbell Playhouse "A Christmas Carol" is phenomenal. You can listen to the December 23, 1938 broadcast with Orson Welles as Scrooge, but my favorite is the December 24, 1939 broadcast with Lionel Barrymore as Scrooge. I enjoy most iterations of A Christmas Carol overall (my favorite film version still has to be the 1951 Alastair Sim version, partly for nostalgia and partly because it's just so good). But this radio broadcast is amazing.

While both broadcasts are excellent, I'm going to have to say Lionel Barrymore is my favorite Scrooge ever, even if it's just his voice. If you despised Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life, it's because Lionel Barrymore made him so reprehensible. Likewise, he make you both hate and pity Ebenezer Scrooge and then, and I don't want to built it up too much but I'll be vulnerable and say the first time I heard his performance I cried, and then his transformation is so genuine and joyful you can't help but have your heart warmed by it. As for the Welles version really zips along and Welles relishes the part. He had to fill in for Lionel Barrymore that year because he was having health issues so a few things changed (they reduced the role in anticipation of Barrymore's illness but when Welles had to do it, he's such a fast performer that you can hear him vamping to fill time toward the end). Both include quaint old-timey commercials for the sponsor, Campbell's Soup, so you get a slice of old timey Americana with your show!

I discovered this around ten years ago and listen to it every year. Sometimes I can get family members to listen to it with me, other times it's a solo affair (usually while cooking or other household holiday prep activity) and it's always great.

You can find this in several websites for free as WAV files, on YouTube, and on Audible for $4, if you want to put it in that service's library. The 1938 broadcast link above is pretty basic, though it seems to be harder to find this broadcast posted overall. The link I used for the 1939 broadcast is from Wellesnet, which has TONS of Orson Welles-related radio shows, videos, and other audio clips, it's a true celebration of his artistic work and it's still very active.

Mondo Kane

A few old timey Xmas shorts that can't be missed:

(Love how the reindeer sequence was done)


(Warning: Might contain a "Stuck in your head" song)

joeblow69

Is this one just called Santa Claus? We tried to watch this last night, but mistakenly watched Santa Claus Conquers the Martians ... but we both fell asleep about 1/2 hour in. It was NOT good.

Count Dooku

You can't just watch the movie, you have to watch the MST3K version of Santa Claus. Santa Claus (sometimes also known as Santa Claus vs. the Devil) is a 1959 Mexican fantasy film directed by Rene Cardona. The movie is not good, and it's not bad, it is GOD AWFUL. So the entertainment is Mike and the Bots mocking it.

joeblow69

Yeah, we were watching the MST3K version of Santa Clause conquers the martians, but even that didn't help. I think it was because I was sober (still trying to detox off the pot for my drug test coming up).

dex14

One I saw more recently and liked a lot was Holiday Affair with Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum.

Ash Ketchum

Ummm, that's Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum!

dex14

You’re right. I was just looking at buying the 4K Giant on sale at Amazon and misthought.

Count Dooku

That's the face Robert Mitchum makes when he hears someone has confused him with Rock Hudson.

Hokeyboy

We have a bit of a tradition around these parts.

December 23rd - White Christmas
December 24th - Meet Me In St. Louis

and then finally on Christmas Day, one of the funniest movies ever made, and set during the holidays so it totally counts:

joeblow69

Ok, this one I'd really like to see. Not available to stream free anywhere though. That's something I've found that is really annoying ... there's a ton of old moves pre-1960 that I'd love to watch, but I'm not spending $4 a pop on them. Shouldn't amazon put these on prime?

Count Dooku

They probably charge for it because they know people will pay to watch it as part of their holiday tradition.

tommyp007

If you get Turner Classic Movies, it will air December 18 at 8pm and Christmas Eve at 6pm

joeblow69

Ok, you've convinced me to (at least temporarily) add the TCM package to my SlingTV. $6 but also includes Sundance and some other crappy channels

DeFan

I recently saw a post with Lady on a Train, Cover Up, and Blast of Silence mentioned as Christmas movies. I'll check them out later in the month along with A Christmas Story Christmas. My favorite is A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim.

joeblow69

Ok, Meet Me at St. Louis was really cute

ViewAskewbian

If fancying the best live action Christmas movie to feature an animated squirrel that isn't Christmas Vacation, The Great Rupert (1950)

joeblow69

Oh, I forgot! I watched this on TMC, and they some guy come on before and after to tell us a little bit about the movie. Apparently, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was written specifically for this movie. One of the lyrics was originally:
But they changed it because that was a little dark to be singing to a sad little girl

rw2516

I thought that was common knowledge.
"Silver Bells" was first introduced in Lemon Drop Kid
"White Christmas" in Holiday Inn

joeblow69

Hmm, I didn't know any of that. Are you over 80?

(sorry, that wasn't meant as a swipe at you, just wondering if you'd have to be "of a certain age" to know that kind of thing. I guess I always assumed those songs were older than that)

Count Dooku

I know that White Christmas was introduced in Holiday Inn, and I am not over 80. I watched it at Xmas time almost every year growing up, and can still sing some of the songs from memory. Be careful, it's my heart. I've got plenty to be thankful for.

The 4th of July section of this movie is great. A fantastic Fred Astaire tap dance routine and a rousing pro-war / pro-America song from Bing Crosby.

They always cut out the Lincoln's birthday blackface number, though.

The song "Happy Holidays" (may the merry bells be ringing) was introduced in this movie. And "Easter Parade" is in this movie, but not introduced.

My parents were big Bing fans.

Count Dooku

Fred's dance partner is MIA, so he has to improvise a 4th of July dance routine



Here comes Bing the Freedom Man!

rw2516

More like general movie trivia

GoldenJCJ

I only knew that White Christmas was introduced in Holiday Inn because Bing then unapologetically re-used it in White Christmas.