6 black-and-white Christmas films to watch this year
Fancy some alternative festive viewing? Here are the best Christmas movies – from the well-known to the overlooked – of Hollywood’s black-and-white era.
Image: 'It's A Wonderful Life' is widely regarded as one of the best Christmas films of all time | Allstar Picture Library Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
Many beloved Christmas traditions, from cards to carols, remind us why this time of year is so special. At some point, you are also bound to settle down on the sofa with loved ones to watch a heartwarming festive film together.
The magic of the season, however, isn’t just back at the family home – it’s also in glorious monochrome. Many of the best Christmas movies date from Hollywood’s Golden Age, when black-and-white filmmaking reigned supreme.
Here at Sky HISTORY, we thought we’d highlight some of our own favourites from this iconic era. Time to get out the popcorn and the mince pies.
1. A Christmas Carol (1938)
It feels like every generation gets its own cinematic retelling of the classic Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol. In the 1930s, Reginald Owen was the one slipping into Ebenezer Scrooge’s nightwear for this feature-length film adaptation.
In the iconic Dickens story, Scrooge famously sees the error of his miserly ways after being visited by a trio of ghosts. Owen’s Scrooge does embrace the Christmas cheer more easily than other versions of the character, but it appreciably adds to the film’s feel-good vibe.
2. Remember the Night (1940)
While on the subject of feel-good, what could be more so than an unexpected tryst? That’s what Lee Leander – played by Barbara Stanwyck – gets to enjoy in romcom Remember the Night.
Lee’s Christmas is seemingly ruined when, just as the season is approaching, she is arrested for shoplifting. Even the assistant district attorney meant to prosecute her, Jack Sargent, recognises the tragic timing of it all. However, after postponing the trial and getting to know Lee personally, he starts feeling more than just sympathy for her.
3. The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
Quite possibly one of the best Christmas movies you’ve never heard of, The Man Who Came to Dinner sees Bette Davis in winning form. Amazingly, though, her turn as secretary Maggie Cutler isn’t even the most compelling reason to watch this screwball comedy.
The most effusive plaudits instead go to Monty Woolley’s performance as the titular character, Sheridan Whiteside. After injuring his hip in a nasty fall, the acerbic radio personality spends his Christmas recuperating at a prominent family’s house, where chaos soon ensues.
4. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
James Stewart takes the lead role as George Bailey, an embattled banker contemplating suicide. On Christmas Eve, his guardian angel Clarence Odbody rescues George from despair by showing him how many people’s lives he has changed for the better.
Aptly, the film saw its own heartwarming turnaround in its fortunes. Though initially released to box-office failure and mixed reviews, It’s a Wonderful Life became popular through word of mouth decades later. It is now widely seen as one of the best Christmas movies ever made.
5. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Throughout history, Santa Claus has gone by various names, including Saint Nicholas and Kris Kringle. The latter name features prominently in another of the best Christmas movies, Miracle on 34th Street.
The plot follows Kris Kringle, an old man who gets a job as a pretend Santa in a retail store. Before long, Kris starts insisting that he is the real thing. As a result, he eventually finds himself in legal trouble, leading to some of the most memorable courtroom scenes in cinema history.
Edmund Gwenn won an Oscar for his performance as Kris Kringle, while Natalie Wood is also a standout as a little girl doubting Santa’s existence. Her scepticism melts as she forms an increasingly affectionate bond with Kringle.
6. The Apartment (1960)
Jack Lemmon stars as an insurance clerk helping his superiors to cover up their extramarital affairs. During Yuletide, he starts developing romantic feelings for an elevator operator (Shirley MacLaine).
This Billy Wilder-directed romcom isn’t just one of the best Christmas movies of the Golden Age – it’s also one of the last. Shortly after its release, the black-and-white era of Hollywood filmmaking finally came to an end. From that point on, colour was the norm, not the exception, on the big screen.
One nugget of pub-quiz trivia about The Apartment is that it was the last entirely black-and-white film to win a ‘Best Picture’ Oscar until 2012. That’s when The Artist picked up the same accolade.
After checking out these examples of the best Christmas movies, why not start planning ahead for the New Year? One resolution can be to subscribe to the Sky HISTORY newsletter. It’s the ideal way to ensure you’re among the first to hear of new shows as we line them up.
