There are a lot of highly anticipated movies to watch this holiday, and because of the huge amount of content released these days, it can be easy to forget some truly classic Christmas movies. In the 1940s, Christmas movies became some of the most popular films of that decade along with film noir. Sometimes, the two genres even crossed paths.
Although the black and white pictures aren't exactly the most popular at Christmas, that doesn’t mean that people should count them out. In fact, there is a lot to love about the older films. Just take a look at these examples...
Christmas Eve (1947) - 6.0
Being the worst of the lot, it’s no surprise that Christmas Eve made less than $1 million at the box office and sent the company that financed the movie, Walter E. Heller & Co. to go bankrupt.
The movie is a comedy that follows Philip Hasting, who tries to have his auntie registered incompetent so he can take care of her wealth. Though the concept is tried and true, the movie has terrible pacing, and half of the jokes land flat.
Lady In The Lake (1947) - 6.6
There are a lot of Christmas movies that would make great thrillers, but Lady In The Lake is already a dark movie as it is. Being a film noir, the movie is a murder mystery and it was one of the first movies to follow only the viewpoint of the central character, Montgomery.
Just like the infamous Die Hard argument, it could be argued that just because Lady In The Lake isn’t actually a Christmas movie. Despite being set at Christmas, the movie's themes are quite dark and feature none of the tropes or charm of an ordinary Christmas movie.
3 Godfathers (1948) - 7.1
Being possibly the only Christmas themed western movie, 3 Godfathers is one of many John Ford classics, though it might not be his most beloved.
Though it might not seem very Christmassy on the face of it, 3 Godfathers is not only an adaptation of the 1913 novel with the same name, but it is actually a retelling of The Three Wise Men too. The movie is also one of the many collaborations between Ford and the actor John Wayne.
I’ll Be Seeing You (1944) - 7.2
As the movie follows a soldier suffering from fatigue only to meet the woman of his dreams, I’ll Be Seeing You is exactly as one would imagine it to be. While it may be corny, overly romantic, and very old fashioned, it is a great choice for those who prefer to curl up to on the couch over the holidays.
With the title being taken from the Billie Holliday song of the same name, it helped the movie become one of the biggest hits of 1944, as it earned over $6 million worldwide.
The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) - 7.3
Starring the late, great classic Hollywood actors Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman, The Bells of St. Mary’s is one of the most famous classics on the list and is arguably better known than it’s predecessor, Going My Way.
The movie follows a priest and a nun who are rapidly trying to keep their school from closing down. Though it’s seen as an inferior movie to Going My Way, The Bells of St. Mary’s was much more successful and, adjusted for inflation, it’s one of the highest grossing movies of all time.
Christmas In Connecticut (1945) - 7.4
Being another big hit from 1945, Christmas In Connecticut is a cheesy romance and comedy. Starring Barbara Stanwyck, the movie focuses on a magazine writer who is forced to cover her tracks after she lied to her boss about being a loving housewife.
As all movies from the 1940s seemingly do, Stanwyck ends up falling in love with a war hero, who has returned back to Connecticut for the holidays.
The Bishop’s Wife (1947) - 7.6
This Cary Grant classic is very much in the same vein of It’s A Wonderful Life, as The Bishop’s Wife follows an angel who helps the bishop with his problems. The movie was nominated for a ton of Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture.
Being such a classic, the movie was of course remade with the release of The Preacher’s Wife in 1996. However, sitting at a miserable 5.6 on IMDb, that version is considerably worse. Not even Denzel Washington could save it.
It Happened On Fifth Avenue (1947) - 7.7
Being the first big budget movie produced by Monogram pictures, upon its release, It Happened On Fifth Avenue was one of the most well received Christmas movies yet.
The movie is an outright comedy and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story, but it lost to another Christmas movie.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - 7.9
Winning a few Academy Awards in 1947, Miracle On 34th Street is one of the biggest hits from the 40s. Despite the movie being 73 years old, it’s still watched annually by millions of households.
The movie follows a mall Santa who claims to be the real Santa Claus. The 1994 version actually holds up as a great remake and is one that the public should watch at least once in their lifetime.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) - 8.6
Not only is It’s A Wonderful Life full of great life lessons, but it’s one of the most emotional, most joyous movies not just of the 1940s. Surprisingly enough, the movie was a box office bomb upon release, but it has become one of the most iconic pictures in cinema history.
Sitting at an 8.6 on IMDb, It’s A Wonderful Life is one of the greatest movies ever made though there are some others that give it a run for it’s money.