Howdy, I was looking through yer “Christmas” tag. I found 6 noirs for which I can find no reference to Christmas, using a popular search engine, other than your website. These are Hatter’s Castle (1942), Salon Mexico (1949), Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957), Stain on the Snow (1954), Once a Sinner (1950), and Nowhere to Go (1958). Would you be able to clarify how Christmas is used, or where the holiday scene appears in these films? While I trust your website, I just like being certain before including them in my own lists.

Thank you!

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[Kevin DC]

I watch The Night of the Hunter every year as a Christmas film, maybe even more as a Christmas Octave Holy Innocents movie (Dec. 28)

[Mike Bayer]

Thinking about the films you mentioned, a few very vague recollections come to mind, but they might be completely wrong, so don’t bet on them. I seem to recall in “Salon Mexico” that the older sister visits the younger sister when she’s on Christmas break from school? In “Hatter’s Castle,” some of the characters may have attended a Christmas ball? And in “Nowhere to Go,” the main character might have gotten a Christmas gift from the older lady he was shaking down in the first act of the film? Like I said, these could all be in my imagination, but that might be something to go on at least.

[CantelopeSkiz]

I totally understand! It’s a very specific detail to answer off the top of your head. It looks like I have some films to add to my watch list! As long as it’s something explicitly Christmas/Holiday related, no matter how brief or minor, than I think we’re on the same wavelength. Lists and tags aren’t always reliable. Sometimes, you’ll come across a list that includes any snowbound film as being Christmassy. There’s snow in Odd Man Out (1947), but I wouldn’t qualify that as a holiday film. I’ve seen Crime Wave (1953) tagged with Christmas, and there is a Christmas reference in the script, but only in a sarcastic quip made by Sterling Hayden’s character.

[Mike Bayer]

Hi there. I love that someone is checking my work on the tags! I appreciate it. : ) Unfortunately, without watching the films again, I couldn’t necessarily tell you what the Christmas connection for each film is, but you should know it might be very subtle. That tag doesn’t mean that Christmas has anything to do with the plot or even that Christmas is explicitly mentioned, but it could be a film where a brief Christmas scene occurs in a montage of time/seasons passing, or a scene with a Christmas tree in the background, or characters taking a trip for the holiday season. What I mean is for many (most?) of the films with this tag, even a detailed plot synopsis wouldn’t necessarily mention Christmas. That’s how subtle it might be. Sorry I can’t give you the details for each film, but maybe that’s a good reason to look them up and watch them! : )

[Author]

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