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This is the best Christmas movie of all time – and it was originally a flop
In Frank Capra’s “Isn’t Life Beautiful?” from 1946 an angel saves the life of George Bailey (James Stewart) on Christmas Eve
© ARD / DPA
The readers of the British program guide “Radio Times” have chosen the best Christmas films of all time. The winner is a classic today – but it caused the studio losses back then.
What’s the best Christmas movie ever? For many German viewers, there would only be one answer: “Three hazelnuts for Cinderella”. The Czech-German coproduction from 1973 has been a long-running hit for many years and is broadcast over and over again on countless channels during the Advent season.
In the English-speaking world, on the other hand, other classics that are also well-known in this country dominate. The British program guide “Radio Times” has just surveyed its readers and voted for the best Christmas film of all time.
The clear winner of the survey is Frank Capra’s “Isn’t life beautiful?” from 1946. James Stewart plays the kind-hearted banker who is facing ruin and wants to take his own life on Christmas Eve. When the angel Clarence shows him what the world would be like if he hadn’t lived, it awakens his will to live – and he finds his way back to his family.
The Christmas classic with James Stewart
It is hardly surprising that the black and white film occupies the top spot: The tragic comedy is also at the top of other rankings, for example at the industry magazine “Esquire”. “Isn’t life beautiful” has long won the hearts of the audience. The film was actually a flop when it was released in 1946. The critics were only moderately enthusiastic, and the film by the immensely popular director Frank Capra only landed 26th among the most successful films of the year. Due to the high production costs, the film even caused a loss of more than half a million dollars.
Popular films in Germany also landed on the other places: “The Muppets Christmas Story” with Michael Caine as the nasty Ebenezer Scrooge made it to second place, ahead of “Buddy – The Christmas Elf”, which was filmed this millennium.
With “Die Hard” and “Kevin – Alone at Home”, two mainstream-compatible Christmas films came in fourth and fifth. The modern classic “Actually … Love”, which for many younger people is the ultimate, only landed in sixth place Christmas classic is. With Heike Makatsch and Claudia Schiffer, two Germans are also involved. And so the country somehow made it into the top ten – without any Cinderella.
The ranking of the best Christmas films:
1. “Isn’t life beautiful?” (16 percent)
2. “The Muppets Christmas Story” (12 percent)
3. “Buddy – The Christmas Elf” (11 percent)
4. “Die Hard” (10 percent)
5. “Kevin – Home Alone” (8 percent)
6. “Indeed … love” (7 percent)
7. “Nice presents” (4 percent)
8. “White Christmas” (4 percent)
9. “Scrooge” (4 percent)
10. “The Miracle of Manhattan” (3 percent)
Source used: “Radio Times”