This year, after three years of Trump in office, I couldn't help but get some holiday cheer from the fact most of these movies have a plot where my personal political opinions were in line with the moral of the story. As a matter of fact, these ideals being displayed over the years in these films highlights how the masses have always been treated poorly by the upper class, something we seem to only acknowledge during this time of the year.
Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' was published in 1843, a ghost story wrapped in Christmas spirit. A wealthy upper class person not only hoards all his money, but he goes out of his way to torment the people unfortunate enough to be within his sightline. It's only after being visited by four spirits, being taken on a tour of his life, where he faces his own personal failures which have driven him to be so awful, he realizes and accepts the pain he's currently dishing out to those around him, and, after he sees how everyone will cheer his eventual demise (along with his eventual destination in the afterlife), he decides to change who he is, intending to treat his fellow humans better.
One hundred and seventy six years after the book was published, and after numerous film, TV and book adaptions, we still see the horrific behavior of Scrooge in our modern society. Not only is Scrooge's evil persona far more present today, I'd even point out the Republican Right mantra from the 80's (greed is good) is a validation of Scrooges pre-ghost mentality. Let's face it, Scrooge today would be bankrolling Republican politicians to ensure he gets even more money, while he gleefully rips away Bob Cratchit's health care, evicting him from his home. He'd then scream at the Cratchits they're lazy moochers. Most wealthy Republicans today seem to bank upon the question 'What Would Pre-ghost Scrooge Do?'
I wish we had more Democrats who were willing to stand up to the ugly power elite like George Bailey does in It's a Wonderful Life from 1946. The speech he gives to the Building and Loan board after his father's death is the stuff of legends. I've written before of how the political Right in this country has railed against the film over the decades, insisting it's anti-American to not make the greedy banker trying to own the entire town the hero. I think one of the reasons this movie resonates today is because this 'have and have not' struggle in Bedford Falls is one that exists today in all communities. Unfortunately, for most of us, there aren't a throng of friendly neighbors waiting outside the door to help us with our plights. In today's America, the Building and Loan would've been long killed off by the wealthy, threatened by their mere existence, done in with the assistance of bought and paid for politicians.
Our modern political and class struggles are featured in many of the holiday specials. Merry Christmas Charlie Brown from 1966 (and many of the Peanut's specials) has Charlie Brown fighting against commercialism and consumerism. Judging by the way Christmas season is begun seconds after Halloween with demands of 'BUY, BUY, BUY,' we come to realize this is a fight Charlie Brown has lost, badly. It's like Charlie Brown got hit by a line drive on the pitchers mound.
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer features Rudolph and Hermey, two individuals being deemed misfits by their own, forced out of the community. They stumble upon a man who's foolishly looking for wealth (Yukon Cornelius), and eventually end up in a magical place where all the misfits are welcome. They then head back to prove they were right to be different all along. Today, Rudolph and Hermey would still be mocked, but as opposed to heading off on their own, the confines of modern society, namely a lack of affordable options and available funds, would limit the distance they could put between themselves and their inhospitable lives. They'd be forced to conform to the status quo. If they did somehow make it out, and did find a community where they were welcome, would they ever go back? And Yukon would be blamed for not working hard enough if he died poor (to be fair, his mining method of licking the pick axe might not be the soundest).
Name the holiday movie: Elf (fighting against corporations and pre-conceived negative impressions), The Grinch (The evil guy whose house looks down upon all the minions in Who-ville, like a wealthy person in the 1880's, deciding to go and take away the joy and happiness from the good people below) Santa Clause is Comin' to Town (Powerful entities cracking down on anyone trying to have joy and happiness in their lives while bellyaching about their 'difficult responsibility'), National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (Clark just wants to get his holiday bonus check he desperately needs).
Heck even Die Hard (which some people consider a Christmas movie) is built upon the ludicrous idea that a single guy can take on an army of terrorists armed to the gills, managing to save the day. John would've likely died in one of the many scenes where he's running unscathed through a hail of bullets, and he'd also get the living daylights sued out of him by EVERYONE by the end of that film.
For the record, Sound of Music does stand up to the Nazis...(insert your own modern Trump politics parallel here).
There are two movies which buck this trend, to a point. Home Alone is pure John Hughes, a story built around wealthy white people in the suburbs (mostly Chicago) and Hughes' attempts to make these people relatable (watching that movie I asked how much it must've cost the McCallister family to have someone put up all those lights in 1990). Not only does the movie iron over upper class horrific parenting, it makes it seem like the wealthy white 7 year old is the smartest guy in the film. Now before anyone accuses me of bashing too hard, the movie is fun, especially the Loony Tunes violence he hands down on the burglars, but it's the other scenes, where he fast talks the people at the pharmacy (before stealing the toothbrush) and the grocery store, or when he offers worldly advice to his elderly neighbor which seem like 'thank God the wealthy white folk are here!'. And the mother clearly talks down to the airline personnel and John Candy's polka band character as they help her try to get home (were airline employees EVER as nice?). The message here, beyond the importance of family, seems to be 'what can't wealthy white people do! Even their kids are brilliant!' Once again, I think the movie is fine, but it's not one I watch every year.
But Polar Express might be the only neutral holiday movie released in the last 40 years. It's about believing in the spirit of Christmas, and the message is delivered to both wealthier and poorer kids without too much animosity. There's one wealthier kid who's taught the importance of humility and patience, a kid who seems to have forced his way onto the trip, but the other characters are all treated the same. They do point out the one kid comes from the poorer side of town and doesn't usually have a great holiday, but those plot points seem to be there to remind us the train is there for all people, with no differences on account of your parents monetary status.
Every holiday season we watch these film and feel good. Then we forget, silently reentering the bleakness, trudging back into the world where Scrooge is evil, Potter owns the town, commercialism rules us all, the misfits are shunned, your job owns you, and if you dare get out of line you will pay the price! For 11 months, we all have to deal with this massive pile of crap, building up resentment, building up anger, building up sadness, until it's time for us to watch these movies again. Until it's time for us to look for hope and ask the question 'is it worth it?' If you're Bob Cratchit, George Bailey, Charlie Brown or any of the other holiday heroes, yes, but not for most of us.
Maybe we should take the lessons of these films and transfer them to the real world. Should we tolerate cruelness for cruelness sake? Should we allow a handful of individuals unbridled power? Should we allow people who are different to be shunned and mistreated? Should we allow workers to be abused for the pleasure of their bosses? Should we allow the powerful to threaten us? Should we allow consumerism and commercialism to be the only things available to fill our empty hearts? Do we allow Natakomi Plaza to be robbed by Hans? HECK NO!!! We should have the Christmas miracle of inspiration, compassion, warmth and happiness all year long.
Maybe someday we can all live in a Polar Express world, where we call can get on the train, regardless of who we are, and we all get to go see Santa. That would be nice.
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