film
December 17, 2025
‘A festive tour de force’: Guardian writers on their favorite underrated Christmas movies
From a John Cusack 80s teen comedy to the other Frank Capra Christmas crowd-pleaser, here are some seasonal picks you might not have seen
TL;DR
- "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" (1947) is a semi-romantic farce about a vagrant who invites others to winter in a vacant mansion, creating a found-family dynamic.
- "Tokyo Godfathers" (2003) is a tragicomedy about three homeless people in Tokyo who find and search for the parents of an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve.
- "Meet John Doe" (1941) centers on a "forgotten man" who becomes a national hero through a fabricated protest, exposing societal ills and corporate greed.
- "The Silent Partner" (1978) is a criminal thriller featuring a "criminal Santa" attempting to rob a bank, disrupted by an opportunistic teller.
- "Almost Christmas" (2016) is a comedy about a dysfunctional family reunion during the holidays, filled with humor and dramatic conflict.
- "Go" (1999) is a Christmastime caper with interconnected crime storylines and notable performances, despite its dated humor.
- "The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek" (1944) is a bawdy wartime comedy that playfully subverts Christmas tropes by reframing the nativity story.
- "Better Off Dead" (1985) is a teen comedy starring John Cusack, featuring dark humor and surreal scenarios set during the holidays.
- "Hell's Heroes" (1929) is a Western fable about three outlaws tasked with protecting a baby after its mother dies, exploring themes of redemption.
- "Some of My Best Friends Are…" (1971) offers a glimpse into a gay bar on Christmas Eve before Pride, highlighting atmosphere and camp with a notable performance by Candy Darling.
- "Christmas, Again" (2014) is a low-key indie film about a somber Christmas tree salesman in Brooklyn dealing with a broken heart.
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