Studer Community Institute

Christmas movies inspire, entertain

December 19, 2014
/ Mike Ensley
/ training-development

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is the classic Christmas movie for many people, but it holds an even more special meaning for Pensacola’s Chip and Mary Chism. “We both love the movie,” Chip Chism said. “It’s a staple around our house at Christmas.” The film, which tells the story of banker George Bailey’s reconsideration of his life with the help of an angel named Clarence, won seven Academy Awards in 1947 and sits at number 26 on IMDB.com’s top 250 films of all time. The Chisms will be among many Pensacolians seeing the film on the big screen at the Saenger Theater as part of the Classic Movie Series on Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m. When Chip proposed in 2012, “It’s a Wonderful Life” played a part. “320 Sycamore is the address of the old Granville house in the movie,” he said. “Donna Reed’s character, Mary, sets it as their wedding house after Jimmy Stewart’s character, George Bailey, gives away their honeymoon money to satisfy customers after the money panic at the bank.” Chism changed the address plate on his own house to 320 Sycamore, so that it greeted his Mary when she came home. “I also decorated the house with posters of places Mary and I want to go, just like the cop and taxi driver do for George in the movie,” Chism said. “And I had the same song, “I Love You Truly, Truly Dear,” playing as well.” It all worked. Mary said yes. “It really is a special film to us,” Chism said. Not all holiday films have to be of the heartwarming variety, however. For Autumn Giberson, there’s only one Christmas movie she needs to get into the spirit, the 1988 action film, “Die Hard.” “I love action movies, I love Christmas time and I love Bruce Willis,” Giberson said. “Die Hard takes three of my favorite things and puts them together." While not traditional, the film about Willis’ character John McClain single-handedly stopping a terrorist takeover, is set during Christmas and for Giberson, that makes it holiday film. “It’s becoming a tradition for me,” Giberson said. Brian Johnson’s favorite Christmas film is a holiday mainstay on cable, now entering its eleventh year as a 24-hour marathon starting on Christmas Eve on TBS, 1983’s “A Christmas Story.” Set in the 1940s, and based on the books by humorist Jean Sheppard, the film tells the tale of a young boy named Ralphie who is desperate for a Red Ryder bb gun for Christmas, despite resistance from his parents, teacher and even Santa himself. “The movie is about the wonder and excitement of Christmas that has kind of been fading in our society. The big, elaborate window displays,” Johnson said. “ And the desire for that one thing you simply can't live without.” Johnson says that aging has changed his perspective on the film. “You can see the dynamics of Christmas in different age groups and the film grows with you,” Johnson said. “Watching it as a kid I focused on Ralphie's desire for a bb gun; getting older I identify with his old man.” But Johnson said one thing that hasn’t changed is how much the film still means to him – no matter his age. “I still love the film just as much,” he said.

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Christmas movies inspire, entertain

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