By John C.

It’s a little hard to believe that December 25th is now just a week away, but we hope you’ve all been enjoying our Christmas Countdown by decade.  Yesterday we profiled two enduring classics from the 1940s, and today we are talking about two from the next decade, the 1950s.

The third of several adaptations of the beloved masterpiece by Charles Dickens to appear on our list, A Christmas Carol (1951) has a fully realized performance by Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge that is still just as powerful.  Known by many simply as Scrooge, Brian Desmond Hurst’s film gracefully shows us the visits of the three ghosts, without ever losing sight of the quieter and more poignant moments in the story.  Although the most complete version only runs for a brief 86 minutes, Alastair Sim’s brilliant performance makes this an absolute classic.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (1954) is the sort of entertaining holiday musical that lends itself well to being watched on a Sunday afternoon or evening.  The film stars Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as two men who team up after the war to become one of the biggest musical acts.  Joining forces with an equally strong sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen), the four performers make their way to a hotel in Vermont, before realizing that they have to put on a show to help their old army general save his inn.  White Christmas is perhaps best known for the beloved title song, but the film itself is also a classic worth seeing.

Both of these films are worth adding to your list of what to watch throughout the Christmas season, and check back tomorrow when we take a look at three TV classics from the 1960s…