Best Christmas Movies

We will all have our own opinions on what have been the best Christmas movies with most peoples lists including a mix of classics and more modern adaption’s.

Ask most people what their favourite Christmas movies are and the chances are that they will mention A Wonderful Life, Scrooge 1951 or, of course, Miracle on 34th Street 1947.

But there are also many more great movies and we will try and cover them all on this website.

For what it's worth my top three would have to include the original version of Miracle on 34th Street in which Edmund Gwenn stole the show (and the Oscar) from John Payne and Maureen O'Hara.

For me, Miracle on 34th Street 1947, has everything that the best Christmas movies should have.

A simple character driven story with a real message (in Miracle's case this is about the commercialism and exploitation of Christmas); a little bit of a kick (Maureen O'Hara being a successful, hard working single mum - a radical concept in the 1940s); have a mild villain (Mr Sawyer); conveys the traditions of Christmas (Kris Kringle really exists!); and the whole thing should be atmospherically shot, have lots of comedy and the whole thing should be carried off without being too sugar sweet and sentimental.

The last point is why I wouldn't include https://www.only-christmas-movies.com/whitechristmasmovie.html as one of the best Christmas movies.

It's got more sugar than a truck load of cola. Many people would also say that about James Stewart's Wonderful Life too.

Scrooge 1951 starring Alistair Sim is another movie that just has to be included on anyones list. Fantastically cast the film is very faithful to the original Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and is beautifully shot and acted.

And, apart from Santa himself, Ebenezer Scrooge has become the most common character of all in Christmas movies; the scheming miser or hard nosed businessman who is transformed in the embodiment of Christmas.

By the way. Both Miracle on 34th Street 1947 and Scrooge 1951 have been re-released in touched up colorised versions. They are awful.

The colour removes all the atmosphere built up by the wonderful black and white photography of both movies. Stick with the original versions.

Of course exactly what are the best films is very much a personal choice but on this site we have listed our top 10 Christmas movies.

There are some left field choices on there so be sure to let us know what you think.