5 Christmas movie classics that were celebrated at the Oscars
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Christmas movies are one of the most beloved genres in cinema history with every film fan having their own select favorite that they watch and rewatch every year. However, while the genre is treasured, the Oscars haven’t rewarded it as much as you might think or hope. There are several movies, however, that have found their way into Oscars lineups. We’ve detailed just five of those Christmas movies that have managed Oscar nominations or wins.
By the way, “The Apartment” is not included on this list (but might be in a future article). The Billy Wilder movie won five Academy Awards including Best Picture (1961) but there seems to be debate around whether it actually qualifies as a Christmas movie or not. It’s set during the holiday period, but some feel that isn’t enough for it to be an out-and-out Christmas movie. Perhaps that’s one for our forums. In any case, here are five Xmas flicks that were nominated for or won Oscars.
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“Miracle on 34th Street” — Three Oscar wins, four nominations
This 1947 film stars Edmund Gwenn as a man hired to play Santa Claus at Macy’s by Maureen O’Hara‘s New York mother. However, she is startled to hear that he believes he is actually the real Father Christmas. As people question his sanity, a lawyer defends him court to prove that he is the real Santa. Many may know the 1994 remake (starring Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle and “Matilda” actress Mara Wilson in the lead role) more than this original, but this one made a splash at the 1948 Oscars. Gwenn won Best Supporting Actor while it also won two awards for its writing: Best Original Story for Valentine Davies and Best Screenplay for director George Seaton. It was also nominated for Best Picture but it lost to “Gentleman’s Agreement.”
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — One Oscar wins, three nominations
Based on Dr. Seuss‘ children’s book of the same name, Ron Howard directs Jim Carrey as the titular Grinch in this Christmas classic. The story follows the hateful Grinch who lives in a cave near the town of Whoville, which is getting ready for Christmas. He plans to destroy their Christmas plans and end the holiday celebrations once and for all. Carrey may have spent five hours (plus) in makeup for the role but the results paid off as it has remained a beloved Xmas entry by many. Meanwhile, Gail Rowell-Ryan and the legendary Rick Baker won Best Makeup at the 2001 Oscars. The film was also nominated for Best Costume Design for Rita Ryack (she lost to Janty Yates for “Gladiator”) and Best Art Direction for Michael Corenblith and Merideth Boswell (they lost to Timmy Yip for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”).
“It’s a Wonderful Life” — Five Oscar nominations
Perhaps the most famous of and well-respected all of Christmas films. Frank Capra directs James Stewart in this story about an angel who is sent from Heaven to show a frustrated businessman what his life would be like if he had never existed. It’s a beautiful tale and one of the true classics — not just in the Christmas film genre but in cinema history. The film snagged five nominations at the 1947 Oscars but failed to convert any of those bids into victories. John Aalberg lost Best Sound Recording to John P. Livadary for “The Jolson Story” while it lost the other four Oscars to the same film: “The Best Years of Our Lives.” Daniel Mandell beat William Hornbeck for Best Film Editing, William Wyler beat Capra for Best Director, Fredric March beat Stewart for Best Actor, and “The Best of Years of Our Lives” also beat “It’s a Wonderful Life” to the top prize of Best Picture.
“The Polar Express” — Three Oscar nominations
The first of two animated movies on this list. This experimental Robert Zemeckis film stars Tom Hanks in multiple roles. The tale follows a young boy who goes on an adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express train on Christmas Eve. The film did well at the 2005 Academy Awards, earning three nominations. Again, however, it didn’t win any of these nominations. Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri were nominated for Best Original Song for “Believe” but lost to Jorge Drexler for the song “Al Otro Lado Del Río” from “The Motorcycle Diaries.” William B. Kaplan, Randy Thom, Tom Johnson, and Dennis S. Sands were nominated for Best Sound Mixing but lost to , , , and Randy Thom and Dennis Leonard were nominated for Best Sound Editing. Leonard lost but Thom won this category for “The Incredibles” with Michael Silvers.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” — One Oscar nomination
Speaking of experimental films, Henry Selick‘s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is perhaps one of the most striking, influential animated films of all time. Tim Burton produced the film but is often mistakenly credited for directing it, too. He didn’t — Selick did, and he did a fantastic job that he doesn’t often get the credit he deserves. The story follows Jack Skellington — the ruler of Halloween Town — who undergoes something of an existential crisis and loss of identity, which leads him to discover Christmas Town and bring chaos and confusion to his world and the real world. The film only landed one Oscar nomination, although surely it deserved a bid for at least one of its fantastic songs. Instead, it was nominated for Best Visual Effects for Pete Kozachik, Eric Leighton, Ariel Velasco-Shaw, and Gordon Baker. Sadly for them, however, it was up against the might of Steven Spielberg‘s “Jurassic Park,” which, of course, won this award for , , , and
These are just five of our favorite Christmas movies that have been nominated for Oscars. There are sure to be more. Let us know in the comments how your favorite Christmas film did at the Oscars. And is “The Apartment” a Christmas film? What classifies as a Christmas film? Let us know.
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