THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM (1956)

 

“The Star of Bethlehem” is a delightful, animated Christmas tale in an enchanting silhouette animation style about the story of the nativity, directed by Lotte Reiniger with music performed by the Glyndeboume Festival Chorus.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE SHANTY WHERE SANTY CLAUS LIVES (1933)

 

“The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives” is a delightful, animated Christmas tale, about a poor orphan boy who on Christmas Eve.

Eventually he arrives at his cold miserable cabin with no fire in the great, so he starts to cry and then Santa arrives and sings “The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives” and offers to take the boy to his workshop.

When they arrive, the toys go wild and sing Santa’s song and the boy plays with the toys.

But a candle falls from the tree and starts a fire and while the toys try in vain to put it out the boy uses a hose and a set of bagpipes and saves the day.

 

Featuring the talents of Rudolf Ising, The King's Men, Johnny Murray and The Rhythmettes.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – SANTA CLAUS (1959)

 

Santa Claus (José Elías Moreno) lives high above the North Pole in his cloud-borne castle where he runs his Christmas operation and prepares to deliver presents on Christmas Eve.

But the Devil (José Luis Aguirre 'Trotsky') is jealous and commands his minion Pitch to ruin Christmas.

He in turn recruits three Naughty Boys (José Carlos Méndez, Jesús Brock and Rubén Ramírez) to help him sabotage Santa.

So, Santa needs the help of Merlin (Armando Arriola) to defeat the Devil and save Christmas.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – MIDDLETON CHRISTMAS (2020)

 

Alana D'Angelo (Eileen Davidson) is Dean at a fee-paying high school in the small town of Middleton where she lived with her vivacious teenage daughter Samantha (Kennedy Tucker).

Army veteran Johnny Turner (Michael Paré) is employed as custodian and his son Max (Michael Varde) is enrolled as a student.

There is an almost immediate connection between the two families but there are still tensions and pressures, for Alana it’s the threat of a cut in funding and the risk of closure.

In order to save the school, they plan a holiday concert to raise the necessary funds with Samantha’s best friend Tasha (Cheyenne Haynes) directing and performing and things look promising.

However, tragedy struck when a car accident lands Sam in a life-threatening condition, and Alana leans heavily on Johnny for support, and Max makes a desperate decision that will forever bond their families together.

So, will everything turn out for the best and will they save the school?

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – GRUEN GUILD PLAYHOUSE JOE SANTA CLAUS (1951)

 

Joe Peters (Ray Montgomery) works for a department store and at short notice he’s moved from the hardware department to become the store Santa Claus which he is unhappy about.

It was just one more thing to irritate him which all mounted up on top of his separation from his wife Maria (Maria Palmer) and daughter Ellen (Sigrid Gurie).

While the janitor Uncle Willy (Houseley Stevenson) is helping him into his costume he recounts to story of that he and his wife separated because his wife wanted to go to work and earn extra money, and Joe felt undermined, so he deserted his family. While playing Santa in the grotto he meets his daughter by chance and discovered what she really wanted for Christmas.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE CHRISTMAS VISITOR (1987)

 

Like many others in the district the O’Day’s, Patrick and Elizabeth (John Waters and Dee Wallace) are struggling in the drought In the Australian outback and are close to losing everything with no water for the sheep.

The only property owner not struggling is Trevor Watson (Bill Kerr), because his cattle station has a lake, but he won’t share, much to the disgust of his son Angus (Grant Piro).

Angus is a much kinder person and would have granted access to the O’Day’s and not just because Sarah O'Day (Nadine Garner) had caught his eye.

But the status quo was broken because of her younger brother Ned (Andrew Ferguson) and the arrival in the district of an old business partner of Mr Watson, Max Bell (Charles 'Bud' Tingwell) who Ned believes is Father Christmas, and between them the ensure that the nasty, curmudgeonly Mr Watson gets the Christmas spirit.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CHRISTMAS (2020)

 

Alana D'Angelo (Eileen Davidson) is Dean at a fee-paying high school in the small town of Middleton where she lived with her vivacious teenage daughter Samantha (Kennedy Tucker).

Army veteran Johnny Turner (Michael Paré) is employed as custodian and his son Max (Michael Varde) is enrolled as a student.

There is an almost immediate connection between the two families but there are still tensions and pressures, for Alana it’s the threat of a cut in funding and the risk of closure.

In order to save the school, they plan a holiday concert to raise the necessary funds with Samantha’s best friend Tasha (Cheyenne Haynes) directing and performing and things look promising.

However, tragedy struck when a car accident lands Sam in a life-threatening condition, and Alana leans heavily on Johnny for support, and Max makes a desperate decision that will forever bond their families together.

So, will everything turn out for the best and will they save the school?

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – MERRIE MELODIES #5 (1932-1933 SEASON): THE SHANTY WHERE SANTY CLAUS LIVES (1933)

 

“The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives” is a delightful, animated Christmas tale, about a poor orphan boy who on Christmas Eve.

Eventually he arrives at his cold miserable cabin with no fire in the great, so he starts to cry and then Santa arrives and sings “The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives” and offers to take the boy to his workshop.

When they arrive, the toys go wild and sing Santa’s song and the boy plays with the toys.

But a candle falls from the tree and starts a fire and while the toys try in vain to put it out the boy uses a hose and a set of bagpipes and saves the day.

 

Featuring the talents of Rudolf Ising, The King's Men, Johnny Murray and The Rhythmettes.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – JOE SANTA CLAUS (1951)

 

Joe Peters (Ray Montgomery) works for a department store and at short notice he’s moved from the hardware department to become the store Santa Claus which he is unhappy about.

It was just one more thing to irritate him which all mounted up on top of his separation from his wife Maria (Maria Palmer) and daughter Ellen (Sigrid Gurie).

While the janitor Uncle Willy (Houseley Stevenson) is helping him into his costume he recounts to story of that he and his wife separated because his wife wanted to go to work and earn extra money, and Joe felt undermined, so he deserted his family. While playing Santa in the grotto he meets his daughter by chance and discovered what she really wanted for Christmas.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – SANTA CLAUS (1898)

 

In this early George Albert Smith short film, a brother (Harold Smith) and sister (Dorothy Smith) who are sent to bed on Christmas Eve by their nurse (Laura Bayley) and while they are asleep, Santa Claus enters the room from the fireplace.

after descending down the chimney he proceeds to trim the tree and then fills the stockings that were hung on the mantle by the children with toys.

After surveying his work, he rushes at the fireplace and disappears up the chimney.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – SANTA CLAUS (1925)

 

On Christmas Eve two children sneak out of their bedroom in the hope of seeing 'Santa Claus' when he visits them.

When he appears in their living room, they ask him what he does during the rest of the year.

So, Santa proceeds to tell them all about where he lives, in the Land of Winter, the creatures that live there, and how he and his helpers make toys for children all over the world.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1910)

 

Marc McDermott plays the title role in this tale about miser as Ebenezer Scrooge in this 1910 retelling of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol”.

The classic tale in which he is taught the true meaning of Christmas by three Spirits who visit him, revealing to him the truth about his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current catalogue of cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways.

Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold, death or redemption.

 

Also featuring Charles Ogle, William Bechtel, Viola Dana, Carey Lee and Shirley Mason.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A CHRISTMAS ACCIDENT (1912)

 

Mr. and Mrs. Gilton (William Wadsworth and Mrs. William Bechtel) live next door to Mr. and Mrs. Bilton (Augustus Phillips and Ida Williams), the Gilton’s and well off and childless whereas the Bilton’s are a poor family of seven and subsequently Mr Gilton looks down on his neighbours, but the Bilton’s are the most loving and happy family.

Just before Christmas the grocer's boy accidently delivers Gilton's order to Mrs. Bilton and she thinks her husband sent the food, so she cooks it and Gilton is furious.

On Christmas Eve, Gilton staggers home in a blizzard, with a turkey under his arm and blinded by the snow he staggers into the wrong house and finds the Bilton’s, gathered about the table listening open-mouthed to Mr. Bilton reading "The Night Before Christmas." old Gilton looks on with tear filled eyes fill that night the breach between the families is healed as though the spirit of Santa Claus himself had sealed it.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – MIRACLE DOWN UNDER (1987)

 

Like many others in the district the O’Day’s, Patrick and Elizabeth (John Waters and Dee Wallace) are struggling in the drought In the Australian outback and are close to losing everything with no water for the sheep.

The only property owner not struggling is Trevor Watson (Bill Kerr), because his cattle station has a lake, but he won’t share, much to the disgust of his son Angus (Grant Piro).

Angus is a much kinder person and would have granted access to the O’Day’s and not just because Sarah O'Day (Nadine Garner) had caught his eye.

But the status quo was broken because of her younger brother Ned (Andrew Ferguson) and the arrival in the district of an old business partner of Mr Watson, Max Bell (Charles 'Bud' Tingwell) who Ned believes is Father Christmas, and between them the ensure that the nasty, curmudgeonly Mr Watson gets the Christmas spirit.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – MOTHER SUPERIOR (1966)

 

Mary Clancy (Hayley Mills) and Rachel Devery (June Harding) meet for the first time when they arrive as students at the St. Francis Academy, a Catholic boarding school for girls, in St Francisville, run by Mother Superior (Rosalind Russell).

The girls immediately become firm friends and partners in crime in their many pranks, including setting off fire alarms, smoking cigars in the basement, and putting bubble baths in the nuns' sugar bowls.

After three years the girls mature and gain a greater respect for their teachers and what makes them tick and learn an appreciation of the commitment and devotion they show in their lives as Sisters, so much so that one of them makes a life-changing decision.

 

The long suffering Sisters, Celestine, Constance, Clarissa, Liguori, Rose Marie, Barbara, Elizabeth, Ursula, Margaret and Prudence are played by Binnie Barnes, Camilla Sparv, Mary Wickes, Marge Redmond, Dolores Sutton, Margalo Gillmore, Portia Nelson, Marjorie Eaton, Barbara Bell Wright and Judith Lowry.

 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A TRAP FOR SANTA CLAUS (1909)

 

Times are hard as Christmas approaches and Arthur Rogers (Henry B. Walthall) abandons his wife Helen (Marion Leonard) and children (Gladys Egan and John Tansey) in despair.

However very soon after she receives a bequest from her deceased aunt, so they are able to move into better quarters, and the children are happy, but she wishes her husband was with them.

As there was no chimney Santa would have to enter through the window so on Christmas Eve the children set a trap to catch him by tying a string to the window sash with the other end fastened to one of their feet,

However on Christmas Eve it isn’t Santa who enters through the window but Arthur, who had turned to burglary to make ends meet not knowing it was his family’s apartment, but it’s his wife who hears the intruder and immediately understands and with a hurried explanation she shepherds him into another room, where he dresses in the Santa suit she was going to wear, and when the children appear he pretends to be caught in their trap, and they squeal with delight.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – LIFE WITH MOTHER SUPERIOR (1966)

 

Mary Clancy (Hayley Mills) and Rachel Devery (June Harding) meet for the first time when they arrive as students at the St. Francis Academy, a Catholic boarding school for girls, in St Francisville, run by Mother Superior (Rosalind Russell).

The girls immediately become firm friends and partners in crime in their many pranks, including setting off fire alarms, smoking cigars in the basement, and putting bubble baths in the nuns' sugar bowls.

After three years the girls mature and gain a greater respect for their teachers and what makes them tick and learn an appreciation of the commitment and devotion they show in their lives as Sisters, so much so that one of them makes a life-changing decision.

 

The long suffering Sisters, Celestine, Constance, Clarissa, Liguori, Rose Marie, Barbara, Elizabeth, Ursula, Margaret and Prudence are played by Binnie Barnes, Camilla Sparv, Mary Wickes, Marge Redmond, Dolores Sutton, Margalo Gillmore, Portia Nelson, Marjorie Eaton, Barbara Bell Wright and Judith Lowry.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – SANTA CLAUS VS. THE DEVIL (1959)

 

Santa Claus (José Elías Moreno) lives high above the North Pole in his cloud-borne castle where he runs his Christmas operation and prepares to deliver presents on Christmas Eve.

But the Devil (José Luis Aguirre 'Trotsky') is jealous and commands his minion Pitch to ruin Christmas.

He in turn recruits three Naughty Boys (José Carlos Méndez, Jesús Brock and Rubén Ramírez) to help him sabotage Santa.

So, Santa needs the help of Merlin (Armando Arriola) to defeat the Devil and save Christmas.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – A TRAP FOR SANTA (1909)

 

Times are hard as Christmas approaches and Arthur Rogers (Henry B. Walthall) abandons his wife Helen (Marion Leonard) and children (Gladys Egan and John Tansey) in despair.

However very soon after she receives a bequest from her deceased aunt, so they are able to move into better quarters, and the children are happy, but she wishes her husband was with them.

As there was no chimney Santa would have to enter through the window so on Christmas Eve the children set a trap to catch him by tying a string to the window sash with the other end fastened to one of their feet,

However on Christmas Eve it isn’t Santa who enters through the window but Arthur, who had turned to burglary to make ends meet not knowing it was his family’s apartment, but it’s his wife who hears the intruder and immediately understands and with a hurried explanation she shepherds him into another room, where he dresses in the Santa suit she was going to wear, and when the children appear he pretends to be caught in their trap, and they squeal with delight.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS (1966)

 

Mary Clancy (Hayley Mills) and Rachel Devery (June Harding) meet for the first time when they arrive as students at the St. Francis Academy, a Catholic boarding school for girls, in St Francisville, run by Mother Superior (Rosalind Russell).

The girls immediately become firm friends and partners in crime in their many pranks, including setting off fire alarms, smoking cigars in the basement, and putting bubble baths in the nuns' sugar bowls.

After three years the girls mature and gain a greater respect for their teachers and what makes them tick and learn an appreciation of the commitment and devotion they show in their lives as Sisters, so much so that one of them makes a life-changing decision.

 

The long suffering Sisters, Celestine, Constance, Clarissa, Liguori, Rose Marie, Barbara, Elizabeth, Ursula, Margaret and Prudence are played by Binnie Barnes, Camilla Sparv, Mary Wickes, Marge Redmond, Dolores Sutton, Margalo Gillmore, Portia Nelson, Marjorie Eaton, Barbara Bell Wright and Judith Lowry.