Christmas Romantic Comedies From the 1940s

Although most people associate the romantic comedy with the latter part of the 20th century, this film genre has actually had a long life in the cinema. It was particularly popular during the 1940s. Several films from that period make great Christmas viewing, combining the pleasures of the romantic comedy with the feel-good atmosphere of a holiday film.

"Christmas in Connecticut"

You know mayhem is going to ensue when a newspaper writer whose housekeeping columns have become enormously successful (despite the fact that she is not a homemaker) is asked to host a war veteran at her "family home." Of course, all sorts of hijinks ensue, including a feigned marriage, a case of a missing baby, and everything else that can be thrown into a romantic comedy of the 1940s. Of course, it also has a happy ending (as all romantic comedies should), so you'll emerge from a viewing feeling good about the holiday and life.

"The Shop Around the Corner"

Starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, this is certainly one of the quirkiest Christmas romantic comedies from the 1940s. When two people begin a correspondence, they end up falling in love with each other, even though they hate each other in real life. Of course, they end up coming together, as one should expect from a romantic comedy from this period of Hollywood. The acting here is superb, as one would expect from a Hollywood great like Jimmy Stewart, so you'll definitely be in for a holiday treat with this romantic film.

"Remember the Night"

Finally we come to this film, which also packs some star power with two of the well-respected stars of the classic Hollywood period, Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. When a young woman is arrested for stealing and subsequently prosecuted, a romance begins to emerge between defendant and the attorney responsible for prosecuting her case. The ending, although somewhat bittersweet, is still happy enough to make this a great addition to a holiday viewing list.

If you're interested in watching holiday movies that combine everything we love about Christmas with the joy of a romantic comedy, then these films are an ideal choice. These films, as cheesy as they might appear to our modern movie-watching sensibilities, have nevertheless aged well and still make for a wonderful, touching, and heart-warming way to spend a chilly winter evening this holiday season.

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