Christmas Movies Off the Beaten Path

This time of year, there are many choices for holiday movie viewing. From the bigger budget productions on outlets like HBO Max to the many Lifetime/Hallmark formula Christmas movies, there is definitely no shortage of options.

I thought I'd go looking for some Christmas movies off the beaten path. Perhaps a film that's been forgotten or one that didn't get the attention it deserved. Around our house, we like to watch one Christmas movie per day for seven days leading up to Christmas.

So here are my 7 choices for harder-to-find Christmas movies, with a little bit of a skew toward honest portrayals of real people in realistic situations during the holidays, often with performances by some of our best actors.

I've also included a couple of animated films with more of the magical aspects of the holidays. All are available to view for free (some with short commercials at the beginning) on Youtube.

7. Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory (49 minutes)

There is a good reason this film won an Emmy (and Peabody Award). Captivating performance by Geraldine Page.

A Christmas Memory originally aired on December 21, 1966, on ABC TV, and is an adaptation of Truman Capote's semi-autobiographical novella with a teleplay by Eleanor Perry.

6. The Walton's Christmas movie, the homecoming (1:38 minutes)

Yes there is a new version, which I have yet to see, but I'm going to go with the original that aired on CBS in 1971 and acted as the pilot for the long-running series.

5. A Christmas To Remember (1978) (1:29 minutes)

AS the YouTuber describes it: "Filmed in 1976 and released in 1978, this now-overlooked and forgotten TV movie was based on an outstanding novel named The Melodeon by Glendon Swarthout."

This is a very sincere and honest portrayal of farm life in Minnesota (actually filmed in Rush City, Minnesota). Novelist Glendon Swarthout is known for such novels as Bless the Beasts and Children, The Shootist, Where the Boys Are, and The Homesman. All of which were adapted to successful films. The teleplay for A Christmas to Remember was adapted by Stewart Stern and Miles Swarthout (Glendon's son and my college screenwriting teacher, thus a sentimental pick for me). Add in performances by Jason Robards, Eva Marie Saint, and Joanne Woodward in small part, you really can't go wrong. Note the copy is not the greatest, but I think that adds to the nostalgic feel of the film.

4. A Child's Christmas in Wales (54 minutes)

Another film that you really can't go wrong with, first it's inspired by the classic poem from Dylan Thomas, then you have Academy Award nominee Denholm Elliott as Geraint, who tells his grandson a Christmas tale of a past Christmas.

3. The Snowman (1982) with Original Introduction (27 minutes)

The complete 1982 video with the original introduction narrated by the author Raymond Briggs, (NOT the one with David Bowie intro for TV broadcast).

Based on the book The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.

Yes, there are animated Christmas classics like The Grinch, Frosty, and Charlie Brown, but there is just something simply magical about this film.

2. The Velveteen Rabbit: Told by Meryl Streep (Official Rabbit Ears Video) (6 minutes)

A great Christmas movie doesn't need to be long in length to be great. Add the narration by Meryl Streep for another winner.

Music by George Winston Illustrated by David Jorgensen

1. 1912 A Christmas Accident Harold M Shaw Thomas Edison (15 minutes)

The copy is not of the best quality, yet it is fascinating to watch people from 110 years ago doing the Christmas movie thing. Very much in the classic scrooge tradition of the grumpy old neighbor and a family in need at Christmas time. And another sentimental pick since I grew up not too far from the Thomas Edison labs in New Jersey.

Happy Holidays and happy viewing!