# Anyone have some obscure Christmas movie suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967 "2007-11-18T23:47:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/81 "2007-11-20T19:22:48Z")
[Bernard and the Genie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101435/) Alan Cumming plays a young art dealer whose best day turns into his worst possible day, right before Xmas. Rowan Atkinson has a cameo as his boss. Lenny Henry plays the Genie from the title. Great fun! A rarity in modern movies - it had so little bad language that I recommended it to my mother-in-law. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/82 "2007-11-20T20:34:41Z")
I bought [Santa’s Slay](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393685/) two years ago when I saw it in the bargain bin at Walmart. I haven’t watched it so I can’t really recommend it, but it looks like it could be a laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/83 "2007-11-20T21:38:16Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] It’s NOT bad, but it’s no Alistair Sim or Patrick Stewart versions. Too me, a quality version has to include Marley’s restless phantoms. IIRC, though, the Scott version does include the two ghastly urchins, another mark of quality. Scott’s certainly better than the Reginald Owen was, of course. Of course, you can’t beat Mr. Magoo’s for the musical number with the ghouls at the pawn shop! 😃 [/QUOTE] I really detest the Alistair Sim portrayal of Scrooge. He seems to be playing it for laughs. Scott is all sneering meanness, his Christmas Day celebration exuberant, and Marley’s ghost is just terrific. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/84 "2007-11-21T02:28:54Z")
[QUOTE=FriarTed] But it’s better than The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold! What the hell is that?!?! [/QUOTE] Heh! I almost forgot about that one…apparently Rankin-Bass realized they’d never be able to market a St. Patrick’s day special, so they tacked on some Christmas stuff. Say—Anyone else remember Disney’s [_The Small One_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Small_One)? Kinda like _Nestor the [del]hapless pawn of a depraved god and a brutal, sadistic world[/del] Long-Eared Christmas Donkey_, only more depressing. And with less incongruous southern accents. ---
**Author:** ![Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olive_The_Other_Reindeer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/85 "2007-11-21T03:16:12Z")
A good one is [The Great Rupert](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042524/) starring Jimmy Durante. I got a copy of it at a dollar store (and it also had both “Santa Clause Conquers the Martians” AND that Mexican “Santa Claus” movie, besides). Pretty funny, especially on a snowy Sunday afternoon while sipping a martini or three. Olive ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/86 "2007-11-21T04:56:24Z")
Reindeer Games ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/87 "2007-11-21T17:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] [sub]…pssst… it’s “Wings”…[/sub] [/QUOTE] Holy Crap! I honestly never realized that all this time I had the title wrong, even when looking it up on IMDB that just blew right by me. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/88 "2007-11-21T18:19:35Z")
“Christmas in Connecticut” - [Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - IMDb](http://imdb.com/title/tt0037595/) Barbara Stanwyck writes a Martha Stewart-ish column. As a publicity stunt, a heroic soldier gets invited to her home for Christmas. Unfortunately, our “Martha” can’t even boil an egg…hilarity ensues. VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/89 "2007-11-21T18:36:12Z")
[QUOTE=Veuve\_ClicquotNJ] “Christmas in Connecticut” - [http://imdb.com/title/tt0037595/](http://imdb.com/title/tt0037595/) Barbara Stanwyck writes a Martha Stewart-ish column. As a publicity stunt, a heroic soldier gets invited to her home for Christmas. Unfortunately, our “Martha” can’t even boil an egg…hilarity ensues. VCNJ~ [/QUOTE] Much much better than the remake. (I see they have another remake scheduled for 2009) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/90 "2007-11-21T19:09:09Z")
I didn’t want to start a brand new thread. Even though the Jim Carrey version of The Grinch isn’t an obscure movie, is it really as bad as the reviews made it out to be? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/91 "2007-11-21T19:53:59Z")
I was very excited about it when I heard it was coming, but I ended up hating it. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/92 "2007-11-21T19:57:00Z")
“Olive, The Other Reindeer” is a pretty good Christmas show, too 😃 VCNJ~ [QUOTE=Olive, The Other Reindeer] A good one is [The Great Rupert](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042524/) starring Jimmy Durante. I got a copy of it at a dollar store (and it also had both “Santa Clause Conquers the Martians” AND that Mexican “Santa Claus” movie, besides). Pretty funny, especially on a snowy Sunday afternoon while sipping a martini or three. Olive [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/93 "2007-11-21T21:30:37Z")
The Poseidon Adventure. (Actually, I think it was New Year, but it did have a great big Christmas Tree in it) ---
**Author:** ![WilhelmGefallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@WilhelmGefallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilhelmGefallen)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/94 "2007-11-22T02:22:47Z")
[QUOTE=Typo Knig] [Bernard and the Genie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101435/) Alan Cumming plays a young art dealer whose best day turns into his worst possible day, right before Xmas. Rowan Atkinson has a cameo as his boss. Lenny Henry plays the Genie from the title. Great fun! A rarity in modern movies - it had so little bad language that I recommended it to my mother-in-law. [/QUOTE] I have to second Bernard and the Genie, and to really get into Christmas you then follow it up with Rowan Atkinson in Blackadders Christmas Carol 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/95 "2007-11-22T05:00:10Z")
[QUOTE=WilhelmGefallen] I have to second Bernard and the Genie, and to really get into Christmas you then follow it up with Rowan Atkinson in Blackadders Christmas Carol 🙂 [/QUOTE] Blackadder - um I mean Rowan Atkinson - is why we watched Bernard and the Genie in the first place. Then I wanted to know what else this Lenny Henry guy has done (Non-holiday related answer: [Chef!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108723/) which ranks among the funniest Britcoms ever. Read the memorable quotes in IMDB if you don’t believe me.) Yup, **Mama Zappa** and her triple-husbandoid (well, triple-sized husbandoid) lurves us some Blackadder. ---
**Author:** ![WilhelmGefallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@WilhelmGefallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilhelmGefallen)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/96 "2007-11-22T05:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Typo Knig] Blackadder - um I mean Rowan Atkinson - is why we watched Bernard and the Genie in the first place. Then I wanted to know what else this Lenny Henry guy has done (Non-holiday related answer: [Chef!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108723/) which ranks among the funniest Britcoms ever. Read the memorable quotes in IMDB if you don’t believe me.) Yup, **Mama Zappa** and her triple-husbandoid (well, triple-sized husbandoid) lurves us some Blackadder. [/QUOTE] Same here for Bernard (although I knew who Lenny Henry was), I’m so glad I made that decision. Chef is an excellent series, although the third season was a let down. I really didn’t need the image of Baldrick in a posing pouch though, oh and I guess we should end the hijack before being asked to Bugger ye off [Bottle]. ps: I’ve just passed my secretary and she looks rather harrassed, sexually. ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/97 "2007-11-22T06:52:40Z")
Most of mine have been mentioned so I again recomend **The man who came to dinner** **The Ref** **Desk Set** **The Thin man** and I didn’t see **Period of adjustment** **The Bishop’ Wife** or **While you were sleeping** mentioned ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/98 "2007-11-22T08:03:36Z")
_The Sound of Music_, apparently. Not an obscure movie, _per se_, but whatever relevance it has to Christmas is so obscure I’ve never been able to detect it. Still, if it wasn’t a Christmas movie, that damned song wouldn’t be on so many Christmas albums, so Q. E. D. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/99 "2007-11-22T17:21:43Z")
**Joyeux Noel**. Set in WW1, it tells the true story of Scottish, French and German soldiers who put their weapons aside on Christmas Eve and celebrated the holiday together in the trenches. There are some battle scenes, so it’s not exactly family fare. Also, it’s in three different languages, so you will need to do some reading as you watch. A great story, though. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967/100 "2007-12-01T02:50:08Z")
“Auntie Mame” has a Christmas scene. And the Chicago Tribune has some other suggestions (most from the 40s). [http://www.chicagotribune.com/shopping/custom/holidaily/chi-1130\_holidaynov30,0,1142048.story](http://www.chicagotribune.com/shopping/custom/holidaily/chi-1130_holidaynov30,0,1142048.story) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-some-obscure-christmas-movie-suggestions/426967.md?page=6)