I am always on the lookout for Christmas scenes in non-Christmas movies. One of my favorite is in Major Dundee (1965), Sam Peckinpah’s flawed master piece, which depicts a raid into Mexico by a mixed force of Union and Confederate troops to track down a band of Apaches. The Christmas Eve scene, sadly, alas, not online, is an oasis of peace in the film until the Apaches stage a skilled ambush:
It is Christmas Eve,
the year of our Lord, 1864…
and there is a deep and reverent sense of
peace and tranquillity in the camp tonight.
Mr. Potts and Riago, the Apache…
indulge in a high-spirited,
brotherly bout of wrestling.
At stake is Mr. Potts’ gold railroad watch…
and the Apache’s shotgun
It is a friendly contest.
Come on, Injun, get up.
There he is over there, go get him!
- That one brought him.
-
Get up!
I think he’s going to take you, Samuel.
You know why?
Because the artillery’s betting on you.
Do you know Lt. Graham’s bet $5 on you?
Artillery and a lieutenant, to boot.
Did you ever hear of an artilleryman
winning a bet, or a girl…
or a war when there was cavalry about?
- Who bet against me?
Me.
Just one, Major. He wants to talk.
Bring him in.
He says he’s a good Apache,
and he’s peaceful…
and for nobody to shoot at him.
- Is he a Chiricahua?
He surely is.
Why would an old man like that
be raiding with Charriba?
He says, why not? It’s their land, all of it.
Now he’d like a little soft food
as his teeth are no longer with us.
Why did he quit?
Charriba kicked him out.
He says he’s too old,
much too old to fight anymore.
Ask him why I should believe him.
Well?
He says Charriba’s camp is across the river.
He’ll lead us there. They’ll be asleep.
Does he expect me to believe that?
Let him lead us into an ambush?
He says his heart is true, Major…
and he brings proof.
What kind of proof, Mr. Potts?
The children.
He’s brought the children.
Pretty good.
Go on, sing up.
Soup’s on.
Here’s one for you, shorty.
Come on, buck, get around here
where you can eat.
- Can I have seconds?
Get in here.
Don’t we get any?
Don’t look to me like them gut-eaters
has been feeding them very good.
- Did you ever see a fat Apache?
I ain’t yet.
This is good.
You’re going back now that you’ve got
what you came for, Major?
Everything points to that old man
talking straight.
Potts is half convinced.
I’m more than half.
Did it ever occur to you
that Charriba gave us what we wanted…
because he intends to take it back again?
It’s occurred to me.
I want two of your best men
to help Sgt. Gomez take the children home.
We’ll still outnumber you, Amos.
You surely will, Ben.
Now go do as you’re told.
Yes, sir.
But only until the Apache is taken
or destroyed.
Sgt. Gomez headed back to safety
while we followed the old Apache
toward Sierra Charriba.
Lieutenant,
take 12 men across as skirmishers.
First 12 men, follow me.
- Sergeant Chillum, take them through.
Yes, sir.
Get them back to the far side of the river!
Back to the river!
- Try and regroup on the far bank!
Hadley, run them out!
Keep moving, Lieutenant Graham,
there’s nobody left to shoot at out here.
Merry Christmas.
He was making a doll for his girl child.
Riago!
How did they know?
They’re Apache.
Just what in hell is he?
I’m a tame Apache.
A camp dog.
Christian Indian.
Charriba is Apache.
Sam, you take this camp dog
and go find me Charriba.
That’s what you pay us for, Amos.
- Wiley, did you get hit?
No, sir.
One of them damn mules kicked me.
Fourteen men killed, sir. Thirteen wounded.
Four critically.
and 60% of livestock either killed or stolen.
Name non-Christmas movies with Christmas scenes below in the comboxes.
Last weekend I watched “Star Trek Generations”. There is a Christmas scene where Picard has a wife and five small children.
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” has a Christmas gift giving sceen on Christmas Eve.
Donovan’s Reef
Ben Hur (1959)
“Penny Serenade” (1941)
“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)? (Most of the movie takes place outside of the Christmas time)
“Gremlins” (1984)
“Battleground” About Bastogne. .
(Don’s wife Cathy here:) The first Harry Potter movie – Harry has to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas break, but the Weasleys make sure he gets lots of presents, including a hand-knit sweater from Mrs. Weasley. (The Dursleys send him a cheap, piece-of-garbage present.)
Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell singing “Silver Bells” in the Lemon Drop Kid (1951), as well as a bunch of crooked Santas raising money for a fake charity.
The Bone Collector.
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned Die Hard. Although, I don’t guess there’s a Christmas scene, as such, it’s just set at Christmas. As is Lethal Weapon, Last Boy Scout, Iron Man 3 (Shane Black seems to have a thing for setting action films at Christmas) This year’s Emma. has a Christmas dinner scene.
Most people just “accept” that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie so it doesn’t count in this category. 😀
Steel Magnolias (1989) has an extended Christmas sequence in addition to two Easter sequences, a Fourth of July scene and a couple of Halloween scenes. The Christmas sequence, by the way, carries a significant pro-life theme (it’s where Julia Roberts explains to her mom, Sally Field, why she and her husband chose to concieve a child despite the health risk to her as a diabetic).
More like Christmas mentions that Christmas scenes:
Knights of the Round Table Arthur and Lancelot take a moment of Silence on Christmas Eve.
Ghost and the Darkness Remington wishes Patterson a Merry Christmas.
Not sure if Three Godfathers counts as a Christmas movie or not. I say it does. For those that don’t, Bob Hightower (John Wayne) stumbles into the saloon with the baby he and his (now deceased) outlaw partners promised a dying mother they’d save. The piano player plays “Silent Night.”
Love Actually is set during the Christmas Season, but I wouldn’t call it a Christmas movie myself. I may have to think about that more.
Holiday Inn covers every holiday in a year, so is it really a Christmas movie?
The English Patient has a scene set during a Christmas celebration, but I’m reluctant to call it a Christmas scene.
Tangenital to the main topic: are any of Sam Peckinpah’s movies not “flawed masterpieces”?
Ride the High Country I’d say.
Agreed as to Ride the High Country being simply a masterpiece:
https://the-american-catholic.com/2013/08/24/whatever-happened-to-randolph-scott/
Although not my cup of tea, it is hard to deny The Wild Bunch that accolade also.
The Three Godfathers is a pure Christmas movie, and one of Wayne’s best performances.
“Although not my cup of tea, it is hard to deny The Wild Bunch that accolade also.”
The Directors/Special Edition (whatever they’re calling it) I agree. (It’s actually one of my favorite movies, and I wish William Holden had had the good sense to retire after it –even though The Towering Inferno is a guilty pleasure, like a third slice of cheesecake.) The theatrical version though, is a hot mess, just like Major Dundee
The Towering Inferno a Christmas movie! Who Knew?!?
“The Bells of St. Mary”
Trading Places.
( This is not a good reflection on Christmas however a portion of the movie takes place during Christmas.)
Dan Aykroyd’s character looses all control after being set up.
I recall the Santa suit, smoked fish and a bottle of..spirits.
https://youtu.be/5BjtPU4PE2I
Dan Aykroyd’s character looses all control after being set up.