A Beautiful Sight: The Men of My Favorite Christmas Movies

It’s December 1st! Our family usually doesn’t watch Christmas movies until after Thanksgiving. So now that the time has arrived, I’m very happy to declare Christmas movies officially legal!

Coincidentally, all my favorite Christmas movies have a leading man I’m extremely fond of. So I wanted to pay tribute to those men this week. Here they are, in no particular order. Because I refuse to choose a favorite.

John Payne

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Even as a little girl, I found Mr. Gailey to be quite handsome. (I must say, I had good taste as a kid.) I love the way he interacts with Natalie Wood. His sweetness blends perfectly with his cheek and wit, making him a perfect foil to Maureen O’Hara’s cold Doris Walker.

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Danny Kaye

White Christmas (1954)

Another childhood favorite (both the movie and the man). Danny and Vera-Ellen are so cute together, and I’ve always thought Vera was so lucky! Phil Davis is funny, handsome, adorable, and a gentleman. The whole package.

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Dennis Morgan

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Speaking of the whole package, here’s another movie suitor who has ruined me for all other men. Jeffrey Jones really had the nerve to show up at “Elizabeth Lane’s” door and, within 30 seconds of being in the house, roll up his sleeves and bathe a baby. The man intentionally went there to steal hearts, including mine, and it’s not fair.

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Jimmy Stewart

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

In my Philosophy and Ethics of Media class in school, we had to write a paper that listed examples, both in real life and in media, of people who personified “good” and people who personified “evil.” One of the people I put under the category of “good” was George Bailey. George is certainly not perfect—no-one is—but he is to me the very essence of good. 

Jimmy was in The Shop Around the Corner as well, which is a delightful Christmas movie. But his performance in It’s a Wonderful Life is truly iconic. (He should have won an Oscar.)

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Of course the movies themselves are wonderful—the men are just an added bonus. This holiday season, I’m adding two "new" movies to my watchlist: It Happened on 5th Avenue and Holiday Affair. I have a feeling that Don DeFore and Robert Mitchum will be joining the ranks of swoon-worthy Christmas men very soon!

Who's your favorite "Christmas leading man?" Let me know in the comments!

Keep living vintage,

Becca