# Does every holiday have a movie in which it gets celebrated in? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109 "2005-02-03T03:52:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/21 "2005-02-03T14:31:42Z")
St. Patrick’s Day: “The Fugitive”! Remember how they’re coloring Lake Michigan green, and how Dr. Kimble escapes from the marshals by donning a green bowler and joining the St. Patrick’s Day parade? Thanksgiving: “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is all about Steve Martin’s quest to get home for Thanksgiving. New Year’s Eve: In “The Poseidon Adventure,” the tidal wave strikes just as everyone is sipping champagne and singing “Auld Lang Syne.” Easter: “Steel Magnolias” ends with a big Easter egg hunt. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/22 "2005-02-03T15:18:36Z")
A couple of days ago it was “National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day”. [No, I ain’t kidding](http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/1/prweb99308.htm). I defy anyone to make a movie around that. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/23 "2005-02-03T15:39:21Z")
Oh, I see. No room for non-Christian-American holidays in your worldview. How about a movie set during Passover? Ramadan? Tu B’Shevat? Maybe I’m just not understanding the parameters of the OP, especially since he said that the holidays _couldn’t_ be part of the title. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/24 "2005-02-03T16:14:10Z")
> [@av8rmike](#): > > Oh, I see. No room for non-Christian-American holidays in your worldview. > > How about a movie set during Passover? Ramadan? Tu B’Shevat? > > Maybe I’m just not understanding the parameters of the OP, especially since he said that the holidays _couldn’t_ be part of the title. Uh… several non Christian-American holidays have been mentioned. Halloween, Groundhog Day, Thanksgiving, Lughnasah and Beltaine among them. Feel free to add yours after you switch to decaf. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/25 "2005-02-03T16:55:27Z")
[It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074697/) I think [Full Court Miracle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382142/) has a seen where they are celebrating Passover, but I’m not sure if I’m thinking of another film. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/26 "2005-02-03T17:31:15Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > SPOILSPORT: I’m not aware of any movies for Juneteenth, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday or Kwanzaa — yet. Well, there was the biographical “King”, but it was a TV miniseries way back before the holiday was established. I’ll leave you to guess on which hoilday it is usually played. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/27 "2005-02-03T17:34:59Z")
Well for Passover you have The Ten Commandments. You know they play that every year on TV at Passover. When Harry Meet Sally has New Year’s Eve. What about Flag Day? Mother’s Day? Father’s Day? Does Saving Pvt. Ryan count for Memorial Day? What day is it supposed to be at the very beginning (and ending) of that movie? ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/28 "2005-02-03T18:10:35Z")
Don’t forget Labor Day, as in the movie “Picnic”. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/29 "2005-02-03T18:19:41Z")
I’m not aware of any movie set during Yom Kippur. Not that that’s too surprising. Ed ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/30 "2005-02-03T18:19:54Z")
One of the Bond movies is set in New Orleans on Mardi Gras. So if 007 stays overnight in the film, that covers Ash Wednesday. And _Doc Hollywood_ has a good portion of it during July 4, since we haven’t had any 4th of July suggestions not mentioning the holiday in the title yet. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/31 "2005-02-03T18:43:11Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I’m not aware of any movie set during Yom Kippur. [Kippur](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218379/combined). Ramadan: [Maine Dil Tujhko Diya](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/combined). Flag Day: [Un amour de sorcière](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120404/combined) apparently has quite a bit to do with the 14[sup]th[/sup] of June. Arbor Day: [Arbor Daze](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388732/combined). Passover: in the upcoming movie [The Jew on Trial](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416877/combined), a Jewish Russian is accused of killing a 13-year-old Christian and using the boy’s blood in Passover matzos. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/32 "2005-02-03T18:56:50Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > One of the Bond movies is set in New Orleans on Mardi Gras. So if 007 stays overnight in the film, that covers Ash Wednesday. Oh, _man_. Ash Wednesday is one of my favorite holidays. My friends and I used to all get together and, uuhhh, not eat meat, and, uuhhh, not drink lots of beer. Ash-colored beer. 😛 Actually, even if Bond went up to Baton Rouge the following day, there is a Liz Taylor movie called _Ash Wednesday_. > [@Munch](#): > > And _Doc Hollywood_ has a good portion of it during July 4, since we haven’t had any 4th of July suggestions not mentioning the holiday in the title yet. Another movie that incorporates the 4th of July is _Leaving Normal_, starring Meg Tilly and Christine Lahti. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/33 "2005-02-03T20:35:41Z")
Passover is featured in [_Family Business_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097328/). The cycle of holidays notes the passage of time in [_About Last Night_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090583/). It’s been a long time, but isn’t [\*Miss Firecraker \*](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097892/) set at a 4th of July celebration? In the book, [_Gremlins_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087363/) happens at Christmas time, but I don’t recall if that was explicit in the movie. The opening and closing of [The Wiz](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078504/) takes place at a family gathering in winter, but I can’t recall if it’s a particular holiday or not. [\*The Hebrew Hammer \*](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317640/) fights to save Hanukah in the movie of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/34 "2005-02-03T22:35:58Z")
Doesn’t some of Woody Allen’s movie “Radio Days” take place over Yom Kippur? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/35 "2005-02-03T22:45:20Z")
**Bastille Day** (July 14) is featured in _[A Tale of Two Cities](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052270/)_, though as the original, it is less celebration, and more riot. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/36 "2005-02-03T22:59:09Z")
> [@The Devil's Grandmother](#): > > In the book, [_Gremlins_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087363/) happens at Christmas time, but I don’t recall if that was explicit in the movie. Yep, it is. Gizmo is Billy’s early christmas present, Corey Feldman’s character walks around in a tree costume delivering Christmas trees and Phoebe Cates doesn’t celebrate because of… the incident… I know the Sandlot takes place over a summer and includes a scene that happens on the 4th of July. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/37 "2005-02-03T22:59:48Z")
Is there a specific Jewish holidy (or observance) for which it is traditional to have a cantor singing _Kol Nidre_? If so, i think _The Jazz Singer_ qualifies for that one. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/38 "2005-02-04T01:26:07Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Is there a specific Jewish holidy (or observance) for which it is traditional to have a cantor singing _Kol Nidre_? If so, i think _The Jazz Singer_ qualifies for that one. Kol Nidre is the beginning service for Yom Kippur, the Day Of Atonement. Yom Kippu and Rosh Hashannah (the Jewish New Year) are the two big holidays of Judaism. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/39 "2005-02-04T01:39:26Z")
**End of Days** is all about New Years Eve. ---
**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109/40 "2005-02-04T01:57:27Z")
Some non-Western holidays that haven’t been mentioned yet:[ul][li]Tet gets a fireworks display in [_Full Metal Jacket_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/).[/li][li]A child is orphaned as a result of a mishap during a Diwali celebration in [_English Babu Desi Mem_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0136153/).[/li][li]Eka Dasa Rudra[Sup]\*[/Sup] gets an entire documentary in Michael Ambrosino’s film _Three Worlds of Bali_ (which–surprisingly–doesn’t seem to be listed on the IMDB)[/ul] [/li]\*Does a festival that only gets celebrated once every hundred years qualify as a “holiday”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-every-holiday-have-a-movie-in-which-it-gets-celebrated-in/288109.md?page=3)