Film Review: Holiday Movies Unwrapped
Film Review is unwrapping 24 memorable movies in the countdown to Christmas. From festive favourites to holiday gems, there’s something for everyone on your list. Celebrate the season with the magic of the movies!
Lovely, Still
(2008)
Creative forces and longstanding lifetime members of The Actors Studio, Ellen Burstyn and Martin Landau both served as Artistic Director for the org. Read our interview with Ellen Burstyn about the 75th Anniversary.
It Happened on 5th Avenue
(1947)
The story was originally optioned by Liberty Films in 1945 for director Frank Capra, who decided to direct It's a Wonderful Life instead.
Arthur Christmas
(2011)
Originally titled Operation Rudolph. The music video for Justin Bieber's end credits song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" was exclusively shown in theatres before the film.
The Holiday
(2006)
Dustin Hoffman’s cameo wasn’t planned. Hoffman happened to be driving by, noticed the production at the video store and decided to stop in. He knew director Nancy Meyers, and they created the quick cameo.
Joyeux Noël
(2005)
(aka Merry Christmas)
Based on true events, the film drew inspiration from the book Batailles de Flandres et d'Artois 1914-1919 by Yves Buffetaut.
Happiest Season
(2020)
Writer/director Clea DuVall wrote the film to see her own experiences depicted on-screen, saying, “In a lot of ways, this movie is autobiographical.” Read the review
The Muppet Christmas Carol
(1992)
According to director Brian Henson, Michael Caine initially said about playing Scrooge, “I’m going to play this movie like I’m working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role and there are no puppets around me.”
Violent Night
(2022)
The logo on the catering company van ‘Farkus and Dill’ is a reference to the bullies in 1983’s A Christmas Story. Read the review
Babes in Toyland
(1934)
(aka March of the Wooden Soldiers)
Walt Disney personally approved the appearance of Mickey Mouse (played by a monkey in costume) and the use of an instrumental version of "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"
Love Actually
(2003)
Writer/director Richard Curtis shared that he started with 14 different love stories, but four ended up being cut, including two that had been shot. “One was based on a poster in Alan Rickman's office of two women in Africa. The camera actually went into the poster and heard them talking about their daughters' love lives. Another involved Emma Thompson's son getting into trouble at school and the camera following the harsh headmistress home.”
The Bishop's Wife
(1947)
The film was originally cast with David Niven and Cary Grant in opposite roles. When William A. Seiter left the film, director Henry Koster viewed what had been shot so far and realised that the two actors should be switched.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
(1989)
Director Chris Columbus was initially set to direct, but due to a personality clash with Chevy Chase, Columbus left the film. Writer/producer John Hughes eventually gave Columbus the script to Home Alone when the young director needed a job.
The Family Stone
(2005)
The exterior of the family home is in Riverside, CT, but the town scenes were filmed in the New Jersey suburb of Madison. Writer-director Thomas Bezucha said that Amherst, Massachusetts was the inspiration behind the fictional town of Thayer.
The Holly and the Ivy
(1952)
Margaret Halstan and Maureen Delany reprised their roles from the stage production.
Home Alone
(1990)
John Candy was only available to film for a day and was paid just $414, as he did the film as a favor to Hughes. He was the only actor writer/producer John Hughes allowed to go off-script and according to director Chris Columbus, much of Candy’s dialogue was improvised.
Die Hard
(1988)
The role of John McClane was turned down by a host of the decade's most popular actors, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. It cemented ‘TV actor’ Bruce Willis as a bonafide movie star.
Christmas in Connecticut
(1945)
There’s a sly reference to another Christmas-set film, The Shop Around the Corner, when S.Z. Sakall’s character Felix says his restaurant is just around the corner, then mentions Budapest. Sakall himself would later appear in the musical remake opposite Judy Garland, which was ironically titled In the Good Old Summertime.
Elf
(2003)
The practical technique of forced perspective was used to exaggerate the size of Buddy compared to all the other elves.
Miracle on 34th Street
(1947)
Miracle on 34th Street was shot on location in New York City, with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade sequences filmed live while the 1946 parade was happening.
A Boy Called Christmas
(2021)
Director Gil Kenan shot part of the film in the Arctic Circle in Lapland, Finland — widely considered as the official hometown of Father Christmas.
White Christmas
(1954)
White Christmas wasn’t the first time Bing Crosby sang the title tune on screen — and it wasn’t the second time either. Der Bingle first warbled his signature song in Irving Berlin's 1942 film Holiday Inn and again in 1946 for Berlin’s Blue Skies — both co-starred Fred Astaire.
The Polar Express
(2004)
It holds a Guinness World Record as the first all-digital capture film.
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Read our interview with Karolyn Grimes aka ‘Zuzu’.
Carl Switzer, in an uncredited role, opens the gym floor. In addition to playing Alfalfa as a child star in the Our Gang/The Little Rascals series, Switzer was also pictured as the Haynes sisters’ brother Bennie ‘the dog-faced boy’ in White Christmas.
Scrooge
(1951)
aka A Christmas Carol
The role of ‘Fezziwig's lad’ was played by Tony Wager, who also played young Pip in David Lean’s 1946 adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic, Great Expectations.
