Christmas Season, BFI

What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to go and experience some of the festive season’s most iconic movies? With feel-good factor worthy of the season to be jolly, the BFI displays cinema’s heartwarming masterpieces of the post war era.
An extended run of the joyous Guys and Dolls (1955), we are told, will be sure to ‘keep the winter blues at bay’. The iconic musical, following the story of a New York gambler, challenged to take a cold female missionary to Havana. Sure enough, the pair fall for each other and comedy, along with catchy songs, ensues.
Next on the schedule is 1947’s It’s A Wonderful Life. Widely considered to be American cinema’s most loved movie, this uplifting story begins with the imminent suicide of George Bailey (James Stewart). When his guardian angel Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) intervenes, Bailey is soon shown all of the lives he has touched over the years, and the consequences of what reality would be like had he not had such a positive effect.
Another 1940s classic on the bill is Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien and Mary Astor. Director Vincente Minnelli’s movie is one that’s fun for all the family. Four daughters prepare for a reluctant move to New York and in the process learn lessons of life and love.
What’s more, the BFI also present their new monthly slot in which audiences are offered the chance to pick their favourite film under a theme related to the programme, in this instance anyone’s favourite Christmas film. Earlier on in the month, there will also be a quirky celebration of notable screen puppets. The short season, entitled Puppets at Christmas: Celebrating Puppets With Attitude, will include clips from the likes of Pinky and Perky, Basil Brish, Lamb Chop and Lord Charles.