Compared to Christmas and Halloween, Thanksgiving has not always been so widely celebrated on the silver screen, but there are still plenty of iconic turkey-filled movies that holiday-goers can make an important part of Thanksgiving weekend.
Hollywood may have generally shied away from Thanksgiving movies – perhaps because of the holiday’s questionable historical beginnings – but no holiday weekend would be complete without everyone dozing off in front of a Thanksgiving-themed TV episode or movie on the TV.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)
This tale of a stranded family man trying to get home for the holidays is perhaps one of the most famous Thanksgiving movies of all time. The 1987 movie starring Steve Martin and John Candy isn’t suitable for all the family (there are more than a few four-letter words from Martin as his best-laid plans start to fall apart) but Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is still hilarious over thirty years after its release. Everyone has found themselves at the mercy of public transport during the holidays, which is part of the film’s charm.
Pieces of April (2003)
Twenty-somethings may prefer the 2003 comedy Pieces of April starring a young Katie Holmes as April, who is hosting her first Thanksgiving dinner for family in her tiny New York apartment. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong, as poor April finds herself dragging in neighbors and friends to help her pull off the perfect Thanksgiving. Luckily, there is a heart-warming happy ending to leave everyone smiling, and there is nothing better than watching someone else’s disastrous Thanksgiving dinner to make you feel better about your own.
You've Got Mail (1998)
Many people forget that the classic Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail is actually set around Thanksgiving – though it is the kind of timeless movie that can be watched all year round.
Although the film doesn’t revolve around the holiday, there are a couple of key scenes and quotes which make it just enough of a Thanksgiving movie to feature on this list. But really, who needs an excuse to watch Hanks and Ryan do what they do best on the big screen?
Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow (2015)
Released in 2015, Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow is a proper family Thanksgiving movie, set in a quaint town with no internet which is also populated by quirky furry creatures. There is even a relatively exciting plot, which revolves around some local villains who want to try and steal the family farm. Turkey Hollow isn’t a Thanksgiving movie for families who want to find themselves challenged, but it is perfect for some escapist fantasy fun after the family has filled the turkey hollows in their stomachs!
The Ice Storm (1997)
At the other end of the spectrum is the Ang Lee drama The Ice Storm which stars Joan Allen and Kevin Kline as an unhappy couple forced to spend Thanksgiving with relatives, and Christina Ricci as their teenage daughter. The movie also features Sigourney Weaver, the neighbor who’s having an affair with Kline. There are few moments of levity in The Ice Storm, which is set in the 70s when the original novel was published. It did win recognition at the Cannes Film Festival, however, so if you’re willing to sit through some 70s melodrama, it is well worth watching.
Addams Family Values (1993)
Also starring Christina Ricci, in one of her most famous roles as Wednesday Addams, Addams Family Values might at first seem to be more of a Halloween movie than a Thanksgiving film. But that would be doing a disservice to the hilarious Thanksgiving play at Camp Chippewa.
Wednesday Addams playing Pocahontas puts her own Addams Family spin on the Thanksgiving story in a children’s play which turns decidedly bloodthirsty, as she announces to the assembled parents that she has decided to scalp the invaders and burn their village to the ground.
Scent of a Woman (1992)
The Oscar-winning Scent of a Woman is not so much a Thanksgiving story as a story that happens to be set at Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, there are some important lessons about love and family to be learned from this touching drama about a young man who is charged with looking after a retired blind soldier, played by Al Pacino, for the holiday weekend. Pacino won an Oscar for his performance, and he was so dedicated to the role that he relied entirely upon his co-stars to lead him safely around the set, and a take in which he accidentally fell over a trash can was kept in the final film.
Home for the Holidays (1995)
As the name suggests, Home for the Holidays is the story of a woman who reluctantly decides to head back to the family home for the holiday weekend after her life in Chicago falls apart. Directed by Jodie Foster, the film has an all-star cast including Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr, Anne Bancroft, and Clare Danes, and yet it was a flop at the box office when it was released in 1995. The great thing about Home for the Holidays is that you don’t have to think too hard to enjoy it, which makes it an ideal choice for a sleepy post-dinner movie.
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Despite boasting a back catalog of extraordinary movies, it is probably not too controversial to say that Hannah and Her Sisters is one of Woody Allen’s finest works. The three sisters in question are Mia Farrow (Allen’s wife at the time), Barbara Hershey, and Dianne Wiest, and the film follows their highs and lows as the sisters and their families meet up for Thanksgiving dinners over three years. Wiest won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the film which was one of Woody Allen’s biggest box office successes.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
It may only be 25 minutes long, but few people would argue with the claim that A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the best family Thanksgiving movie ever made. Whether young kids are discovering it for the first time, or adults are earnest in rediscovering their youth, Charlie Brown and Snoopy’s animated holiday celebrations have been screened on ABC every year since 1973 and also in Canada every year for their earlier Thanksgiving in October. This year, however, the rights to this classic have been obtained by Apple TV.