When a decent and compassionate man despairs and ends up on the verge of suicide, an angel is dispatched to show him how life in his town would have turned out if he never had been born. In the course of the movie, the frustrated hero learns how his actions achieved precious, yet intangible, consequences. The movie was released in 1946 and stars James Stewart as the hero in distress. Even though it initially was not a huge box office success, the black-and-white feelgood movie became a hit on the small screen and was in 2006 chosen as the most inspiring movie ever by the American Film Institute (AFI).
"Miracle on 34th Street" also made it onto the AFI's list of 100 most inspiring films. The movie tells the story of Santa Claus who to begin with works for Macy's, but ends up in court having to prove that he is the real Saint Nicholas and not some department store lookalike. The movie was made in 1947 and starred Maureen O'Hara as Santa's unwitting helper and Edmund Gwenn as the beleaguered Santa Claus. The movie was a box office hit upon its release and has remained an international family favorite on the television at Christmas time. It was remade in color under the same title in 1994 with Sir Richard Attenborough playing the role as Santa.
While most Christmas movies earn their fame due to spiritual messages and cozy family fun, "Holiday Inn" has been made famous as a seasonal movie by a song featured in the movie. Bing Crosby's rendition of "White Christmas" and Fred Astaire's tap dancing made the movie an instant classic, even though the storyline about two men competing for the attention of a woman is rather thin and worn. The movie was released in 1942 and is a frequent chart holder on AFI lists.
Barbara Stanwyck plays a single woman who invents a hectic family life for herself to succeed as a food writer. However, when her boss invites himself and a war veteran for Christmas dinner, the stage is set for a popular Christmas farce. "Christmas in Connecticut" was made in 1945 and even though it received the title "Indiscretion," outside the U.S., it is an international TV classic at Christmas time.
Just like "It's a Wonderful Life," in "The Bishop's Wife," an angel has to be hastily dispatched when a bishop loses his sense of direction while relentlessly trying to raise funds for a cathedral. The angel's plans, however, seem to differ greatly from the bishop's, who is going through great discomfort until reaching the right conclusions. "The Bishop's Wife" was released in 1948 with David Niven playing the bishop and Cary Grant filled the wings of the angel. The movie is an annual event on TCM's Christmas movie schedule and was remade as "The Preacher's Wife" in 1996 with Denzel Washington playing Cary Grant's part.