The reel X-mas
Some memorable films capture the spirit of Christmas that pervades the air during the season, writes Ervell E. Menezes as he walks down celluloid lane

IN the air there’s a feeling of Christmas," go the words of a well-known carol and that is important. The approach is even better than the actual day, like Paulo Coelho’s adage "The journey is more important than the arriving." And songs like the evergreen Bing Crosby’s "I’ll be home for Christmas" ring a bell, nay, gong.

Putting up decorations is a part of the enjoyment and David’s stars start appearing in the locality, X-mas trees sprout like mushrooms and green is the "in" colour of the festive season. There are also a host of Christmas films that have gathered over the years. In the bygone days, these films were released during the X-mas season but that trend seems to be missing today in this busy world of ours. The emphasis is more on money and marketing than providing that feel-good ambience.

For me, White Christmas comes first. Even today when I hum the tune, the hair on my hand rises and one gets nostalgic. To think of it, we, here in India, have never experienced a real white Christmas and snow is as alien as the sands of the desert. Still we feel that tingle in the spine as Bing Crosby’s voice echoes in our ears. May be it also harks back to our salad days, and who doesn’t want to be young again?

The co-stars in White Christmas are Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and singer Vera Ellen, and what a delightful entertainer it was. Kaye came to India in the 1950s and is believed to have said: "Here you lie on the sand and watch the stars, in America we do the opposite," but for me his portrayal of storyteller Hans Christian Anderson is unbeatable. Vera Allen is known for her World War II songs and Rosemary Clooney, an aunt of Hollywood hunk George Clooney, was known for her feisty songs like "Never mind the noise in the market, only mind the price of the fish." That’s nostalgia for you, loud and clear. And for more: "Remove your nose from the grindstone, just do the things that you wish." A latter-day Carmen Miranda, undoubtedly.

Then there is The Christmas Tree, not exactly in the spirit of Christmas, about a young boy stricken with cancer and how his parents react to the changed scenario. Weepy, even over-emotional, it was probably an earlier-day Anand and had two big stars in it — an ageing William Holden and Italian beauty Virna Lisi. The boy was played by Broke Fuller, a newcomer who came and went almost unnoticed, as so many do in that great dream factory that is known as Hollywood.

There is an innovative film called The Christmas Toy (1986), directed by Eric Till, which later gave rise to the series The Secret Life of Toys that tries to enter the persona of Christmas toys and their closeness to the children that own them. A good idea, no doubt, but there’s a big gap between concept and conclusion, a likely void that many directors fall prey to. Still, the effort must be commended, as these filmmakers were bold enough to try something in contrast to the play-safes who increase and multiply and make the system what it is. Despicable.

For the movie, I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998), the title was taken from a Bing Crosby song of the same name, sung way back in 1943. In those distant years it was Bing and Bing Crosby all the way. They speak of the "silky smooth voice" of Nat King Cole but Bing was not far behind and may be the writing may not have developed so well then to invent such terms.
The film is directed by Arlene Sanford and deals with the exploits of Jake, a shallow huckster, who goes to college in Los Angeles and gets into all kinds of trouble but eventually finds redemption on the road, which was the plot of so many other novels called picaresque because these were based on "Picaro," the Spanish tramp. Jake is played by singer Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who is ably supported by the pretty Jessica Biel. It is a light-hearted but enjoyable ride with that Christmassy feeling going deep within.

But the same cannot be said of Christmas with Cranks (2004) made by Joe Roth and has a renowned cast of Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis and comedian Dan Dykroyd, but it never really takes off. May be, it tries too hard and gets into "sweet nothings", which are meant to pass for humour. Basically, the script is poor, and the big stars do not seem to get their teeth into their much too shallow roles.

Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence is a serious drama set during the World War II and deals with the travails of a British prisoner at the mercy of the cruel Japanese army. The hero, Mr Lawrence, is played admirably by American singer David Bowie, and the ‘Merry Christmas’ is more by way of sarcasm. It was screened at the IFFI, 1983, in Bombay, and its director accompanied the film when he was in his prime. Quite often, the IFFI managed to bring to India stars well after their prime but that trend, thankfully, is changing. Good for the cinema connoisseur who only waits to lap up good cinema.

Hence, when all is said and done, one can look forward to a great festive season and if these films are not available in the cinemas, these can easily be obtained on DVDs that are so accessible these days. See them at home, on a one-to-one basis or with the family. After all, Christmas is a season to be enjoyed with the family.

Merry Christmas and happy
viewing!