Caught At Christmastime

In regards to my last blog, someone pointed out I took the gist of it from one of my favorite Christmas films, The Bishop's Wife.  I admitted this was true, as it's a wonderful lesson, albeit from a motion picture.

Peter Falk and Valerie Bertinelli in
'Finding John Christmas'

Many of our films having to do with Christmas have outstanding lessons, whether or not we pay attention to them.  Take Miracle On 34th Street and 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.'  Both deal with the way we have allowed the holiday to be so commercialized, forgetting the real meaning of Christmas.  And the latter has the most inspirational scene in a Christmas film when Linus explains the real meaning of the holiday to Charlie Brown under the spotlight as everyone is as quiet as a church mouse.

It's A Wonderful Life is considered a Christmas film, and lets us know we are not alone, although we often think we are.  The inscription Clarence writes in the book he leaves for George sums it all up.

3 Godfathers is an overlooked Christmas Western, telling of the Three Wise Men put in the West, as they care for an orphaned newborn.  It's a terrific look at the birth of the Christ Child, and a wonderful look at responsibility and keeping one's word, no matter the cost.

The Man Who Came To Dinner is a hilarious look at an extremely gruff man who intercedes in others' lives, even when they often don't want him to.  Although he comes across as a grouch, we as the audience see that he does care for people, but doesn't want them to realize it.  We learn that people aren't as they seem to be.

As I stated last year, my favorite Christmas films are a trilogy made for television:  'A Town Without Christmas,' 'Finding John Christmas,' and 'When Angels Came to Town.'  They have two things in common--Peter Falk as the angel Max, and letting us know there is someone who cares for us, even when we think we are all alone in this world.  Never have I been able to watch one of these with dry eyes.

So, as the holiday approaches and we remember the Reason we celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoy a few of these.  Maybe you'll see a few of the lessons in the films and find a few others.  If you do, please let me know. 

In the meantime, Merry Christmas.