The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

Christmas: Favorite Classic Holiday Movies : Old, Black & White

A few days ago, Marja submitted the following comment asking for different holiday movies suggestions. Here is her comment:

“I think a great idea for the coming month would be a post on wonderful Christmas/Holiday movies and TV shows …

Like you, I really enjoy the old black and white movies, and even the ones that only have a Christmas Reunion within part of the plot [not the whole plot] are wonderful at this time of year. I’ll bet a lot of us could make recommendations that others would enjoy!”

Let’s focus on the old, black and white holiday movies for this entry. We can do another entry with more recent, color holiday movies another time. I’ll add your suggested black and white holiday movies to the list.

Here are some of my favorite black and white holiday movies:

Christmas in Connecticut—–1945–Barbara Stanwyck & Dennis Morgan

The Man Who Came To Dinner—–1942–Betty Davis, Ann Sheridan, & Monty Wooley

Remember the Night—–1940–Barbara Stanwyck & Fred MacMurray

The Shop Around the Corner—–1940–Jimmy Stewart & Margaret Sullavan

Here are the favorite black and white holiday movies (and a few classics that are in color) from your suggestions:

A Christmas Wish—–1950 –Jimmy Durante, Terry Moore, & Tom Drake (has been colorized)

Bachelor Mother—–1939–Ginger Rogers & David Niven

The Bells of Saint Mary’s—–1945–Bing Crosby & Ingrid Bergman

Beyond Tomorrow (aka Beyond Christmas)—–1940–Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, & Charles Winninger

The Bishop’s Wife—–1947–Cary Grant, Loretta Young, & David Niven

Bright Eyes—–1934—–Shirley Temple

A Charlie Brown Christmas—–1965 Charles Schulz animated classic

The Cheaters—–194–Joseph Schildkraut, Billie Burke, & Eugene Pallette

A Christmas Carol—–1951–Alastair Sim

A Christmas Carol—–1954–Fredric March & Basil Rathbone

Christmas Eve—–1947–George Raft, George Brent, & Randolph Scott

Christmas in Connecticut—–1945–Barbara Stanwyck & Dennis Morgan

The Desk Set—–1957–Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy

Going My Way—–1944–Bing Crosby & Barry Fitzgerald

Holiday Affair—–1949–Robert Mitchum & Janet Leigh

Holiday Inn—–1942–Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire

The Holly and the Ivy—–1954–Ralph Richardson & Celia Johnson

How the Grinch Stole Christmas—–1966 Dr. Seuss animated classic with Boris Karloff

I’ll Be Seeing You—–1944–Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton, & Shirley Temple

It Happened on 5th Avenue—–1947–Don DeFore & Ann Harding

It’s a Wonderful Life—–1946–Jimmy Stewart & Donna Reed

The Lemon Drop Kid—–1951–Bob Hope & Marilyn Maxwell

Love Finds Andy Hardy—–1938–Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, & Lewis Stone

The Man Who Came To Dinner—–1942–Betty Davis, Ann Sheridan, & Monty Wooley

Meet Me in St. Louis—–1944–Judy Garland & Marbareg O’Brien

Meet John Doe—–1941–Barbara Stanwyck & Gary Cooper

Miracle of the Bells—–1948–Fred MacMurray & Frank Sinatra

Miracle on 34th Street—–1947–Maureen O’Hara & Natalie Wood

Remember the Night—–1940–Barbara Stanwyck & Fred MacMurray

The Shop Around the Corner—–1940–Jimmy Stewart & Margaret Sullavan

Susan Slept Here—–1954–Debbie Reynolds & Dick Powell,

White Christmas—–1954–Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, & Vera Ellen

Here is the list of Christmas: Christmas: Favorite Holiday Movies – More Recent, In Color.

If you would like to see more TV and Movies suggestions, click here.

Comments

  1. Danna don’t forget Miracle on 34th Street. That is one of the best. I also think they did a good job colorizing the movie as well.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Alfred >>> I finally got some of the recommendations added to the old, black and white holiday movies list.

      Reply

    • I watched a movie as a child . It was set around the 1800s . It was about the 12 days of Christmas and it was in black and white. I Don’t remember the name of it and we only saw it once. Can anyone tell me the name ? I would really like to find it and buy it.

      Reply

      • Young at Heart – Doris Day and Frank Sinatra- one of my favorites. No one cries better than Doris. Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman were in one- can’t remember the name- he is a young Gardner and they fall in love.

        Reply

        • Lynn, thanks for the recommendations. Would the Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman movie be All That Heaven Allows? I didn’t realize Young at Heart was a Christmas movie. Thanks!

          Reply

  4. Love the first two on your list and haven’t seen the third! Will have to remedy that 🙂

    We also enjoy _The Bishop’s Wife_, _Miracle on 34th Street_, _It’s A Wonderful Life_, and _Holiday Inn_.

    I look forward to the color listing as well. We have a few classic early color holiday movies we enjoy too.

    Reply

    • Kristi, thank you for all of the recommendations.

      I will be posting an entry asking for more recent, color holiday movies either tomorrow or the next day.

      Reply

  7. Not very old, not black and white – but “Love Actually” is a wonderful movie to see at Christmas. It’s witty, funny, has a great cast. We don’t buy movies as a rule, but we have our own copy of this one.

    Reply

  8. Almost forgot: The early 1950’s Scrooge is the best one ever. I’ve seen it at least a dozen times including at the movies a few years ago. When you see on the big screen, you realize how many small details you miss.

    Reply

  9. Hey all The Bishops Wife is on Turner Classic Movies tomorrow 8 am pacific time you will have to adjust to your time if you want to see it.

    Reply

  10. December 4, 2011
    Merry Christmas and a Ho Ho HO!
    Most of the Christmas Black & White Classics, we have but another we (our family)watched on tv and then bought was
    BACHELOR MOTHER with Ginger Rogers & David Niven, and almost forgot Charles Coburn……Black and White was fantastic…..but darn the dvd’s are color now. smile.

    Reply

  11. I was going to add “White Christmas” (my favorite) and then I realized that watching it on a black and white tv doesn’t mean it was filmed in black and white 🙂 (I was the last kid to get a color tv growing up, so I’m always confused on which movies were in color. The first time I watched M*A*S*H on a color tv I was shocked to see blood on Hawkeye’s gloves! 🙂

    Reply

    • Susie, I just changed the title of the entry to include some holiday movie classic in color. How could this list not include White Christmas? So, thank you for the suggestion.

      We didn’t have a color television for a long time because my parents simply didn’t watch television. You saw Hawkeye’s hands in color?!? And, how about the NBC peacock? Gray, grayer, and the grayest…

      Reply

  12. Not black and white and not from the ’40s, but I just love “Susan Slept Here” 1954, with Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Anne Frances and Alvy Moore, with Glenda Farrell as Maude Snodgrass, a part that was originally written for Thelma Ritter but she had other obligations. I don’t think she could have done it better.
    It isn’t so much a “Christmas” movie as a comedy of errors that begins on Christmas Eve.

    Reply

    • Thank you, Andie, I just added Susan Slept Here to the list.

      (After you told us about the TCM monthly magazine, I bought a subscription. I cannot wait to get it!)

      Reply

    • Ann, my father was very frugal>>> I think we finally got a color television when the old black and white stopped working.

      Reply

  16. I have been watching the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie since just before Thanksgiving. We have had quite a bit of rainy, gloomy weather here in my part of Ohio. These movies sure do help to pass these gloomy days.

    By the way, Danna, for the past few years my hubby and I have watched the “Christmas Riverboat Parade” on TV. Are you close enough to San Antonio to get to see this parade in person? Lucky you if you have seen it. Simply gorgeous.

    Reply

    • Linda, every year, I find several Hallmark channel Christmas movies that I really enjoy. I have seen a lot of them, so I try to focus on the new ones.

      I have never been to the riverboat parade…

      Reply

  17. My favorite is “The Bishop’s Wife.” But, most all of the old Christmas movies make me feel good. Somehow, most of them feel “cozy.”

    Reply

    • I agree with you, Sharon. The old holiday movies do seem “cozy” – the news ones lack that…

      Reply

  18. Yet another classic version of “A Christmas Carol” is a television version from the (I think) early 80’s – “An American Christmas Carol.” It starred Henry Winkler, and changed the setting to Depression-era United States (Massachusetts area, I think). This and the Alistair Sims version are my favorites (although “A Muppet Christmas Carol” comes really, really close ).

    Glad you mentioned “Remember the Night” and “Christmas in Connecticut” – those are two of my favorite old ones. I also enjoy “Holiday Affair” – the original version with Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh (there was a remake in the 90s but the story didn’t travel well to modern day).

    Reply

    • Thank you, Julia, for all of the suggestions. I haven’t seen the Alistair Sims verion of A Christmas Carol, but probably should try to.

      I remember Holiday Affair. Every time I see it, I am surprised Robert Mitchum plays such a “nice guy.”

      Reply

  19. One of my favorite is “One Christmas” with Henry Winkler. This is such a good movie to me because, just face it, Christmas doesn’t always work out good for everyone. Christmas doesn’t always have a happy ending for everyone. For some people Christmas is a very lonely, unhappy, long day.
    I am not talking about myself. 45 Years ago I had a baby girl on Christmas Day. So, to me, Christmas has an added meaning to me. I love the Christmas season because of what the season stands for-Hope. But for a lot of people they just don’t have much hope—or rather, they can’t see the Hope that this season can bring.

    Sorry to bring any one’s Christmas spirit down but “One Christmas” is a heart wrenching more true to life movie. Christmas doesn’t always have a happy ending!!

    Reply

    • Thank you, Linda, for reminding me about One Christmas. I rememeber it was a tear-jerker. There are many who have difficult times during the holidays, they can be very lonely times…

      Reply

  20. On Friday, December 16, beginning at 5:00 P.M. on TCM there are three in a row.
    The Bishop’s Wife
    Christmas in Connecticut
    The Shop Around The Corner
    and for a non-Christmas treat, assuming you haven’t had enough of Cary Grant, he is teamed with Katherine Hepburn in Holiday (1938) at 9:00 P.M. on 12/17

    Reply

    • Thank you, Andie, for telling us about next Friday’s TCM Christmas extravaganza! All three of these movies (The Bishop’s Wife, Christmas in Connecticut, & The Shop Around The Corner) are must-see-holiday movies.

      Reply

  21. I can’t add anything because you’ve posted all my favorites! The 1950’s version of A Christmas Carol, starring Alistair Sim, must be the one everyone is referring to. That ‘s my favorite version. 🙂 How about a list of everyone’s favorite TV specials? Mine are Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the modern ones just do not compare at all to these wonderful classics. And I wish some network would show reruns of those great old variety specials from the 60’s, Perry Como, Andy Williams – no one does Christmas like those guys!

    Reply

    • Donna, those holiday specials were really something, weren’t they?

      When we first moved here, Time Warner had the old Game Show channel. I loved watching the old reruns of To Tell the Truth, What’s My Line, I’ve Got a Secret, etc. I didn’t actually watch any of those shows when they initially aired, but I did enjoy seeing people like Betty White and Peggy Cass when they were younger.

      How about that odd Christmas pairing of Bing Crosby and David Bowie?

      Reply

      • Bing and Bowie – that has to go down in history as the strangest duet ever! 🙂 I saw it on PBS a few years back in some kind of special retrospective they were airing, and those two actually sounded pretty good together. I wonder if those old shows are available on DVD? My parents would love to see Bing, Como, Andy Williams, the Osmonds.

        Reply

        • Donna, my mother loves Branson… i.e. Andy Williams… Years ago, I gave them a Perry Como Christmas special for my parents… It went over quite well!

          Reply

  22. I must add Meet Me in St Louis to the list of films – although it covers an entire year, we just can’t forget Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”! That is a great film.

    Reply

    • Donna, I’ll go add Meet Me in St. Louis to the list. I just watched that two months ago>>> Judy Garland singing to Margaret O’Brien sure is quite a Christmas scene…

      Reply

      • I’m not the sappy type but I cry every time I watch that movie. There’s also a sweet little b&w film starring Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum, something about a little boy and a train set at Christmastime – I cannot remember the name of the film but it’s wonderful if anyone gets a chance to see it on TV this time of year.

        Reply

        • Donna, that would be Holiday Affair. I am guessing TCM must be currently airing all of these old, wonderful movies…

          Reply

  23. I like Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby much better than White Christmas. It is one of my all time favorites. My children gave me Meet Me in St Louis a few years ago and I enjoy Judy Garland’s singing. My all time favorite is Bing Crosby and his Christmas specials even the one with David Bowie. How old Bing looked beside Bowie.

    Reply

    • Regina, I have seen a clip of that show with David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing a duet… Bing’s younger children must have been delighted to meet Bowie…

      Reply

  24. Since the conversation has added Christmas TV specials, how about the Andy Williams special on PBS that ran during their recent fundraising campaign? It had lots of clips with many guests, as well as his family. He hosted the special. It was great to remember those days when his show aired weekly.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Roland, for telling us about the Andy Williams special on PBS. I’m going to check and see if they are re-airing it here in my area…

      Reply

  25. “Meet John Doe” is another great movie….not necessarily just Christmas, but ends at Christmas time with a great message.

    Reply

  26. I just found your list.. I am always on the look out to find more old black and white christmas movies. Here’s a few that I did not see in your list or in the comments.

    It happened on 5th avenue
    Beyond Christmas
    Going My Way
    Christmas Wish

    I just hope someday they’ll have on DVD region 1 the following black and white christmas movies.

    Miracle of the bells
    The Holly and The Ivy

    Reply

  27. Does anyone remember a black and white movie where they adopt a baby and later when she’s like 5 she’s gonna be the star in the sky in the christmas play but she dies?

    Reply

    • Kyla, I want to say it’s Penny Serenade with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. I may be wrong, but I don’t think I am.

      Reply

  28. hi everyone i am 54 years old and i remember an old film dont know if it was for xmas about an old man who went through blizzards to bring his wife a piano so she could sing and play it at xmas i remember he got drunk and they went through all the stages of drunkeness can anyone help please

    Reply

  29. Ok I’m looking for the title of an old black and white Xmas special I saw on TV a while back. If I had to guess I’d say its 1940’s-50’s. All I really remember is a line of people reciting ‘green groweth the holly and do doth the ivy.’ Vague I know but it’s driving me batty. Please help. There is a slight chance that the word ‘crown’ was in the title, but I could be wrong

    Reply

  30. A few years ago, I saw a Christmas movie on Turner Classic Movies that I had never seen before, or since. THE CHEATERS. It was a wonderfully cozy movie and worth anyone’s time away from our precious books 🙂

    Reply

    • Susie, thanks for telling us about The Cheaters. I’m going to try to see if it TCM plays it again this year.

      Reply

  31. i’m trying to find out the name of an old B&W christmas movie (that was later re-done and in color) about a lady that met a homeless guy at christmas and by the end of the movie fell in love with him. a department store was involved and train set for her son? i remember seeing both versions sometime ago but can’t remember any of the actors to look ’em up on IMDB. any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

    • Hawk, the name of the movie is Holiday Affair. The 1949 version starred Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum. They remade the movie in 1996.

      Reply

  32. In the 60’s I watched a movie on tv that was simler to SCROOGE but he was repossessing things from his customers including a boys orphanage were he grew up. In the end he returned everything to everyone. If you know the name of it I would like to know.

    Reply

  33. Old b/w takes place in the 40’s-this guy leaves his family to go on business trip, promising to return in couple days in time for Christmas. He gets mugged in an ally by a hobo, who steals his wallet and overcoat. The hobo tries to hop onto a running train and is killed. Due to the wallet and overcoat the hobo is identified, word is sent to this guy’s family that he’s been killed. The movie entails this guy’s journey back to his family (he has NO money, NO identification). He finally makes it home approx. 20 years later on Christmas day.

    Reply

  34. My husband does not watch any Christmas movies with me. But I finally found one he likes to watch. It Happened on 5th Avenue. We both enjoy this movie and like to watch it every year.

    Reply

    • Laurel, I’m looking forward to watching It Happened on 5th Avenue this holiday season. I really didn’t appreciate how good an actor Don DeFore was until recently. My husband and I have been watching all of the Hazel shows, and he (as well as Shirley Booth) were the two reasons I think that show is so touching. His ability to show such a range of emotion was excellent.

      Reply

  35. I just wanted to let you know that Miracle of the Bells is now available on DVD and Bluray since May 14, 2013. I did not read all the comments and did not know if someone told you already.

    Reply

      • It is my pleasure! I know how frustrating it can be when a wonderful old movie is not available yet on DVD. I counted and I have 19 of the movies on your list. I am a “maniac” of Christmas and I have over 150 Christmas movies now. I watch them throughout the year and only the ones I love the most, I keep for December. If I ever discover that The Holly and the Ivy” is available in our region, I’ll let you know. Also, I would love to find on DVD “The Night They Saved Christmas” (1984 – Jaclyn Smith) and Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” (1991 – Richard Thomas). I might suggest to Shout Factory or Mill Creek or VIC entertainment to get the rights to offer them to us in North America (region 1). I wonder if there are more black and white Christmas movies we did not find yet? I am a collectors of movies from the 20s to the 60s. I simply enjoy them.

        Reply

        • Sylvain, your DVD library sounds terrific! I have only a fraction of how many Christmas DVDs you have, and absolutely love watching them during the holidays. Most of them are from the 1940s, but a few (White Christmas, A Christmas Story, The Muppet Christmas Carol) are from more recent years. I am thinking of adding three more before the holidays come around this year. I also go through the holiday movies on both the Turner Classic Movies channel and the Hallmark television channel each year, and end up DVR-ing many! I just love them!

          Reply

          • My favorite Christmas movie is One Magic Christmas (1985). It is a simple movie with a wonderful cast. The children in the movie are excellent and their natural innocence shines through. I never watch movies on television and I prefer to buy them. I have an allergy to TV commercials. hahaha! I just bought Beyond Tomorrow remastered yesterday on ebay. I did not like the quality of Beyond Christmas (alternative title) and found out through research that someone remastered the movie. Digiview Entertainment is the company selling the remastered version under it’s original title Beyond Tomorrow. It seems they changed their name to Digiview Productions and when I verified their inventory of films they sell, they don’t have it on their list. I’m off to search for more great stuff. Have a wonderful day.

            Reply

              • I just wanted to let you know that I received the DVD of Beyond Tomorrow (aka Beyond Christmas) and the DVD was “not” digitally remastered at all as it is suggested on the cover. The quality is extremely poor. The copy I have of Beyond Christmas that was distributed by 20th Century Fox is far better in quality than the Digiview one. Save your money if you have the one from 20th century fox. It seems to be the better and cleanest version. I still wish someone would do a better cleaning. We can always hope.

                Reply

    • My favorites are the one with Melissa Gilbert and Tim Matheson (the name escapes me right now) this one is for romance, One Magic Christmas is for the proper perspective in life and what is important and for an old one, It Happened on 5th Avenue this one is just funny.
      Laurel

      Reply

  36. Four more to add to your list of Black and White Christmas movies… and a few in color.

    The Man Who Came To Dinner (1942 – Betty Davis – Ann Sheridan – Monty Wooley)

    I’ll Be Seeing You (1944 – Ginger Rogers – Joseph Cotton – Shirley Temple)

    The Cheaters (1945 – Joseph Schildkraut – Billie Burke – Eugene Pallette)

    Christmas Eve (1947 – George Raft – George Brent – Randolph Scott)

    The last one I read was a flop, but It’s a Wonderful Life was not a hit either when it came out in 1946. I think everyone can judge by themselves if a movie is to their liking or not.

    Reply

    • Sylvain, when I read your comment, I thought you must have been mistaken. I was totally sure I had The Man Who Came to Dinner on the Christmas list. Well, I didn’t! Thank you for bringing it to my attention! I love this movie!!!

      Reply

  37. I found another black and white movie with a story during the holidays season. Love Finds Andy Hardy. I am watching the Andy Hardy movies collection right now and I was happy to rediscover this one. It is, if my memory serves me well, the first movie he did with Judy Garland. It came out in 1938.

    Reply

    • Sylvain, after I watched the Nancy Drew movies with Bonita Granville, I started making my way through Andy Hardy movies. I didn’t enjoy them when I was younger, but now I am enjoying them a lot. I actually look forward to seeing them. Thanks!

      Reply

      • This is another collection (Nancy Drew) that I will get. My love for old movies has no end. I started to watch the collection of Miss Marple’s movies with Margaret Ruthford’s (60s). I watched two of the four movies and I love them. Also, the Collection of Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes movies from the 30s and 40s was a joy to watch. I added to my favorites the cozy mystery blog. Always nice to have many sources of information. If I find more black and white movies, I’ll let you know.

        Reply

        • Sylvain, it turned out that I loved those Nancy Drew movies. I thought that since I read those mysteries when I was young, that I might not enjoy them. A lot of Cozy Mystery readers commented about how much they enjoyed them, so I gave them a chance. I’m so glad I did! by the way, they will be showing three Andy Hardy movies this month on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Talk about classic family-fare movies…

          Reply

  38. I have found another black and white movie with a Christmas theme in it. The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) with Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. This is the movie that introduced us to the wonderful “Silver Bells”.

    Reply

  39. I found out that there is another black and white version of A Christmas Carol. It was made in 1938 with the following cast.
    Reginald Owen
    Gene Lockhart
    Kathleen Lockhart
    Terry Kilburn
    Barry MacKay

    Reply

      • I am! :o) I am almost finished with my Christmas trees and will start to put up the other decorations. November is for decorating for me. At night I watch a Christmas movie, but pretty soon it will be two movies a day. December it will be more movies and cooking like crazy. It is my favorite time of the year.

        I wanted to let you know that I bought a collection of three movies with Walter Pidgeon in them. It is called the “Nick Carter Mysteries” (Warner Brothers Archive Collection) and it was a lot of fun to watch and comical.

        Reply

        • Sylvain, oh my gosh, you’re way ahead of the game! I haven’t even given any thought to my Christmas decorating. For the last several years I have tried to have the Christmas decorating done before Thanksgiving, so that our daughter can enjoy it for the few days she visits.

          I love Walter Pidgeon movies! I’m going to have to start watching for those Nick Carter movies on TCM.

          Reply

  40. What about The Poseidon Adventure, for those looking for a bit of action? I mention it because the huge Christmas tree always gets me. lol I was in awe of that tree when I was a child. 🙂

    Reply

  41. I’m looking for an old movie that I saw many years ago. I believe it involved a woman who went through some problems and then moved to live with a relative. I think she worked at a shoe store of some sort. At the very end of the story she falls in love with a man who is shown in an military uniform and they kiss and he leaves and drives away in a car. I know that’s not much, any ideas would be great. Thanks 🙂

    Reply

    • Jenn, this almost sounds like I’ll Be Seeing You, but not quite. Although is sounds very similar… I’ll keep trying to think of it, and it might come to me. (In the mean time, you might want to take a look at the synopsis of I’ll Be Seeing You. Ginger Rogers plays a woman with problems who goes to spend Christmas with her relatives. Joseph Cotten wears his military uniform pretty much all through the movie, and Shirley Temple is one of the relatives Ginger visits.

      Reply

  43. Hi, I am from Brazil and I need your help.

    I remember a movie, black and white, that I saw in the 50’s or 60’s and the plot that I remember was:

    ” A man abandons his family for another woman and simulates his own death, but after he falls in misery.
    The final scene of the movie with him in front of your home at the Christimas Eve seeing his family very happy celebrating Xmas”

    I think that is a movie of the 40’s or final of 30’s. I don’t remember the name of the actors

    Thanks a lot for any help

    Elias

    Reply

  44. There was a movie set at Christmas time that was black and white set in Seattle, washington. I specifically remember certain points of the movie, but I can’t remember the plot, nor the actors and actresses. I remember parts of the shops decorated with Christmas in an old downtown atmosphere of Seattle and the numbers that were used either MA for Main or MU for Mutual and the last five numbers for the telephone number. What caught my eye as I was young and a repeat of the movie was I noticed it was set in Seattle and they started to do away with the numbers beginning with Mutual and Main. This has been set on my mind for many years. One of the music was Good King wenceslas when the set was on the downtown streets.

    Reply

  45. Danna, my hat goes off to you for your obvious love for Christmas in the way of movies, but mostly for all of your many caring and kind replies to those who have posted their comments and questions over the years! God bless you for that!

    Here is my suggested Christmas movie to add to your great list of classics: “Santa Clause The Movie” (1985)

    Plot: A peasant woodcutter becomes Santa Claus and later foils an evil toy manufacturer’s scheme to take over Christmas.

    Stars: Dudley Moore, John Lithgow, David Huddleston

    Reply

  46. I’m looking for a Christmas movie… black and white… little girl on one skate that rules the big city block she lives on with her sweetness. Her mom is sick and her uncle just gets out of prison and tries to straighten out his life for the sake of love and his niece. anyway, miracles abound on Christmas – something about the story of a Christmas Miracle that proves the birth of Jesus by a cow bowing at midnight that her mom shares with her to help her through a time of struggle with what is happening in her young life. It’s so sweet. Any ideas?

    Reply

  47. I’m looking for a Christmas movie about a little girl whose mother died in childbirth and is being raised by her widowed father and live-in grandmother. With the death of his wife, the man has become a Scrooge and has never allowed the child to have a Christmas tree. The girl is in grade school and when school lets out for the holidays she drags her class tree home. I remember the man has decorations that belonged to the mother and finally let’s the child have the tree. Please help if you can.

    Reply

    • “The House Without A Christmas Tree”, starring Jason Robard, is the movie you are looking for. One of my favorites! Enjoy!

      Reply

  48. Another great Margaret O’Brien Christmas movie is “Our Vines Have Tender Grapes” with Edward G. Robinson. Also “Come to the Stable” 1949 with Loretta Young is a great movie. A short film made in 1945 that’s less than 30 minutes long but has a powerful message is “Star in the Night”.
    Great movies and you have a great list!

    Reply

  49. My favorite movie ever is ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE, but MEET ME IN ST LOUIS, IT HAPPENED ON FIFTH AVENUE, and THE BACHELOR MOTHER are favorites too! I remember another movie with the exact same premise as BACHELOR MOTHER too, but I can’t remember the name of it, but it’s good! And TENTH AVENUE ANGEL isn’t a Christmas movie, but the main part happens at Christmas (great movie)! And ONE MAGIC CHRISTMAS is from the 80’s, but is also a wonderful movie! Thanks for reminding me of some of these!

    Reply

  50. What about “My Favorite Wife” with Cary Grant? Not particularly Christmas, but there are Christmas moments, and he comes out in a Santa suit at the end. Also, “Little Women” with Elizabeth Taylor…Isn’t that black and white? Maybe not…

    Reply

  51. I love your list! Delightful movies. I also have a few suggestions.

    None of the rest are traditional Christmas movies, per se. But they have holiday settings, so for me they fit the bill. “The Thin Man”, “Holiday” Grant/Hepburn, “Since You Went Away” with Claudette Colbert, and “My Reputation”, another Barbara Stanwyck film (and her personal favorite).

    A couple that are decidedly less saccharin: “The L Shaped Room” and “The Apartment”, both dealing with some darker themes, but with sweet endings.

    Reply

  52. I just wanted to let you know that The Holly and The Ivy (1954) is finally available this month on DVD (November 26, 2019). I pre-ordered it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Please don't tell us about Cozy Mystery authors or books you don't enjoy.

Please use a nickname or your first name and last initial (unless you are an author and want your full name to appear).

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MENU