Think back on your favorite Christmas movies. The list looks something like this:
- “Miracle On 34th Street." (1947)
- “It’s A Wonderful Life”
- “White Christmas”
- “A Christmas Carol”
- “The Santa Clause"
- “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
- “Home Alone”
- “Die Hard" (…don’t argue with me 🤫)
…I could go on ad nauseam with the permutations of feature films in this genre. Two major aspects of these movies stood out to me:
- They were released in movie theaters;
- The stories are focused on mainstream white families;
From these two points, I can only determine that Hollywood assumed for decades that the African-American community doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Of course, this isn’t the truth. Instead, that truth is enveloped in the mindset that facilitated the establishment of Jim Crow laws in the Southern US states, as well as the overall disdain of interactions with African-American citizens throughout the United States during this period.
Life for African-Americans was difficult due to the denial of upward socioeconomic opportunities and hostility towards them even on Christmas Day. Holidays, especially Christmas, were hard to manifest for many families of color in the flashy style Hollywood depicted. Still, this circumstance likely produced real-life moments that showed the true meaning of Christmas: faith in God and the church, love for family and friends, and gratitude for possessions attained.
While this narrative, without the thread of racism, makes an ideal holiday plot, Hollywood had one more prejudice in their business model: overseas draw. The Hollywood studios would often insist that they couldn’t invest in Black films because their appeal wouldn’t “translate" to audiences in foreign markets. Taraji P. Henson discussed this myth in a recent interview. The investment in a holiday movie was considered a greater risk since the film would be viewed only during a particular time of year.
Due to these reasons, among others, the number of African-American Christmas feature films can be counted in low double digits. “Friday After Next" is like the Black “Die Hard" in that it takes place over the Christmas holiday but conveys little in the spirit of the season. For this piece, I’m primarily considering movies that have a rating from the Motion Pictures Association Of America (MPAA). The five ratings (G, PG, PG-13, R, & X) determine the economic viability of many movies by advising families and theaters of the content of the movies they rate. The rating tells me that the movie was considered for release in theaters if not that it had a theater run.
As I searched the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB), I discovered relatively few African-American Christmas feature films that the MPAA has rated. This tracks with the two issues that I’ve previously mentioned regarding the historical prejudice and racism in the show business of Hollywood. As evidence of this prejudice, it was reported that a studio executive suggested Julia Roberts play Harriett Tubman. This was a serious suggestion from a business executive. Imagine what conditions they require creatives to meet to greenlight an African-American Christmas movie. The ones that have passed through this gauntlet are marvels of the season.
The IMDB list was about 250 movies, but this includes made-for-TV properties, which are heartfelt but lower-budget media. I filtered the IMDB Black Christmas Movies List on the criteria for theater-run, MPAA-rated films, which whittled it down to 20 results. Mind you, I didn’t timebox the search, so the results cover a century of creative pursuits. I have to discard films that have circumstantial Christmas references, like “Friday After Next", “Trading Places" & “The Wiz". Also, results with no African-American lead are out “Black Christmas” (a horror movie) and “Bad Santa." I’m left with 16 movies.
Most of these movies are familiar to the African-American community. They were avidly supported when they were released in theaters. They are staples of the Black TV stations every year in November & December.
“This Christmas” (2007) is the ideal Black holiday season film. The cast is chock full of chocolate-loved stars of stage and screen. R&B singer Chris Brown performs the title song as the youngest child in a big family. True to form, his performance blows his siblings’ minds like they ignored him until that moment. There are also undercurrents of family drama hinted at throughout the film that erupt during the climax. Ultimately, the dysfunction gets easily healed through love, understanding, and acceptance.
This family drama theme is common in many of the Black Christmas movies. “Almost Christmas” (2016) bathes in that drama with several stories running in parallel that build the main plot through secrets of siblings slipping out at the wrong moments. The climax at the family Christmas dinner (another recurring theme) is a master class in dramedy. Somehow, though, the Meyer family never spirals into permanent dysfunction as problems are faced head-on and resolved.
Is any Black movie genre legitimate without an entry from Madea? Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Christmas” (2013) makes the list because it addresses family drama a la the “Romeo & Juliet" format. A star-crossed, interracial couple tries to have a loving relationship while dealing with their parents' biased influence. Madea, as her usual meddling self, steps in to offer homespun advice to the parents at key moments while hilarity ensues with her deadpan delivery. Sometimes, people need tough love talk from a fresh, spiritual perspective to move forward in a healthy way.
Since the church is so critical to the African-American community, “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996) covers that angle. Denzel Washington plays an angel who is the answer to a pastor’s prayer near the Christmas holidays. A real estate developer threatens to buy the pastor’s church property from under him. Because of this risk and other pastor duties, the preacher neglects his family obligations. Due to the angel’s influence, the pastor’s focus returns to the right priorities in his life. This star-studded Black cast has made this film a perennial favorite of the Christmas season.
“Last Holiday” (2006) flipped the script where the main character “Georgia”, played by Queen Latifah, is one of the few African-Americans in the bulk of the movie. She is a fish out of water as she experiences a life she only imagined, which is prompted by some bad news. Georgia becomes a no-limit “soldier” whose bravado stuns those around her. Each bold decision builds on the previous one as Georgia comes to know her true self. This comedically inspires those white folks she meets to pursue their dreams. The joke is on the folks who refuse to be something better than they were before meeting her.
Even with the successes of these films, Hollywood has been a dam that only allows a trickle of ethnic Christmas creativity to flow through. Thanks to streaming technology, feature-film quality, MPAA-rated content is becoming available for viewer consumption. As of the time of this piece, two films have debuted on streaming platforms to mixed reception. Part of that reception is tainted by rude and heartless online comments and reviews.
“Candy Cane Lane" (2023) is a Netflix offering that stars Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross as a couple who is enthralled with Christmas. Part of their heavy interest in the holiday is due to an intense decorating competition on the street where they live. Every year, neighbors try to outdo each other for bragging rights. This year, however, participants learn that a monetary prize and national TV exposure are given to the winner. Murphy’s character goes above and beyond in his efforts to win. This involves some magic in a binding contract to which he agrees without understanding the small print. The ensuing hijinks to restore his normal life are imaginative and entertaining. In addition, the business side of this venture probably was more profitable to Murphy, Ross, and the rest of the cast & crew than if it had been ground through the Hollywood distribution mill.
Another movie released through the streaming model that is Christmas-based is “Dashing Through The Snow," starring Ludacris and Lil Rel Howery. This offering on Disney+ is a lighthearted comedy fantasy. In full transparency, this is still on my must-see-movie list for the season. However, a brief peek at the comments on the trailers tells me that it triggers racist responses from trolls…or should I say grinches…across the internet. I’m sure the movie’s stars are laughing at comments like these all the way to the bank!
As advances in technology widen the lane of media channels that consumers can access for quality entertainment that celebrates holidays their way, the entertainment business will wake up from decades-old formulas that are outdated and demeaning to communities of color. As African-Americans enjoy their custom slice of delicious Christmas pie for the holidays, that pie will only get bigger with expanded offerings to socioeconomically accommodate everyone. Those who fail to open their minds to the new order will simply have to eat crow…until society sees the new tradition of diverse Christmas movies as normal.