There is something about Christmas movies that make them perennial favourites, and depending on one鈥檚 tastes, everyone has different preferences for what will entertain them during the holidays.
For myself, since I love old movies anyway, some of my favourites include 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life鈥� and 鈥淢iracle on 34th Street鈥� (both the original version and the remake with Mara Wilson), and the various versions of 鈥淎 Christmas Carol鈥�. My favourite version is Alistair Sim鈥檚 classic rendition (black-and-white, please, no colourizing), but I also have enjoyed George C. Scott鈥檚 version, and for corny humour, the Muppets classic version also.
Recently I interviewed the Rotary鈥檚 exchange student, Liza Biard, a charming young lady from Lorient, France, and found that she also loves Christmas movies. What鈥檚 funny is she loves all the lights and music and everything we have here in Canada, because it鈥檚 like a Christmas movie to her 鈥� but you have to understand, they don鈥檛 get much snow and cold where she鈥檚 from, and as she said, the 鈥淐hristmas spirit鈥� isn鈥檛 that strong in Europe like it is here.
Wondering which movie she particularly likes, she said she loves the 鈥淕rinch鈥� movie by Jim Carrey.
I like it okay too, but a part of me really likes the animated version, with the amazing voice of Boris Karloff, especially when he intones, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a mean one, Mister Grinch 鈥︹��
I also enjoy some of the more recent Christmas movies like the animated 鈥淧olar Express鈥�, voiced by Tom Hanks, and Tim Allen鈥檚 鈥淭he Santa Clause鈥�, as just two examples.
Going back to Jimmy Stewart鈥檚 movie, made just after the Second World War, I love the breadth of the story in 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Wonderful Life鈥�, and how it includes a point where Stewart鈥檚 character despairs of life itself due to the actions of someone else 鈥� but then it鈥檚 brought to his attention that his life is pretty good, but it鈥檚 because he puts himself forward and helps others.
You see, the touching scene at the end when everyone steps forward to help him and his family is due entirely to love for him and his generosity of spirit 鈥� and therein lies a valuable lesson for us as we live our lives today.
