Adapted from Words Like That S1 Ep. 5: “Christmas Movie Special + End of Year Story Updates," originally released December 19, 2023.
For this list of Christmas movie recommendations, I wanted to showcase films that are maybe a little bit under the radar, at least for some people. Consequently, you shouldn’t expect to see the likes of Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, or It’s a Wonderful Life. Instead, expect picks like a lesser known Jimmy Stewart Christmas flick:
The Shop Around the Corner
If you’re a film buff like me or of a certain age, you may have heard of this movie. If not, you’re probably familiar with its remake, the 1998 smash hit You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Released in 1940, the original version stars Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan.
*SPOILERS* If you’ve seen You’ve Got Mail, the premise is the same: Two bitter rivals, working in the same industry, unwittingly fall in love with each other as pseudonymous pen pals. The setting, however, is completely different.
Set in Budapest around 1940, the film casts Stewart and Sullavan as Krylek and Novak, two arch-nemeses clerks working together at Matuschek and Company, a successful leather goods store.
Next: 5 Christmas Movies You Should See, Pt. 2: A Christmas Carol (1984) >
Cole Powell is an arts and media commentator and award-winning singer/songwriter from Jayess, MS, USA.