Tonight, I was enjoying a read of some other bloggers and came across an entry on another site. The entry was debating whether Die Hard is really a Christmas film. To be honest, I didn’t even realise that was a question…
I guess the argument that it isn’t, is based on someone thinking that it is an action film about an attempted theft of millions of dollars, from a skyscraper, that just happens to be taking place at Christmas.
My love for Die Hard (the 2nd best Christmas film going) is well documented, but having ranted on the blog, I thought I should share my thoughts here as well.
So…
Without a shadow of a doubt, Die Hard is a Christmas film. And I’ll go you one further…It is the 2nd best Christmas film around. (Film Geeky Top 10 Christmas Films).
So let’s get into it.
Yes, it is set at Christmas. Yes, it features a Christmas party. Yes, he writes ‘Now I have a machine gun. Ho Ho Ho’ on that fella’s jumper.
But it also most certainly a Christmas film in spirit. The film isn’t about some German guys trying to steal a load of money. That’s just whats going on during the real story of the film.
What it’s actually about is the redemption of a man visiting his wife (whose name by the way is Holly. HOLLY!) and re-discovering what is really important in his life. Not the cases backing up in New York, but the love for his wife.
Lets look at the quote from when he thinks his time is up…
Tell her it took me a while to figure out what a jerk I’ve been. But that when things started to pan out for her, I should have been more supportive, and I just should have been behind her more. Tell her that she is the best thing that ever happened to a bum like me. She’s heard me say “I love you” a thousand times. She never heard me say “I’m sorry.” And I want you to tell her that, Al, I want you to tell her that John said that he was sorry.
So it’s a man reflecting on his life and realising that it is Holly that is the most important, indeed best thing that has happened to him.
Next thing, he makes and heavily leans on his new friend. That quote at the end of ‘Its a Wonderful Life’ (The best ever Christmas film)? “No man is a failure that has friends“. And what a tale of friendship that Die Hard is. Al who arrives at the building becomes the best friend for John McClane during that night (Welcome to the Party Pal!). The moments when they are on the radio together become genuinely sentimental moments. Al talks about his accidental shooting of a young man by accident, and John is sharing his feelings about his wife.
What else do we need in a Christmas film? Of course we need Good vs Bad. We need George Bailey vs Mr Potter. We need the Griswolds vs that couple next door. We need Will Ferrell’s Elf vs James Caan’s cynicism. And we get one of the best, John McClane vs Hans Gruber. Both incredibly charismatic individuals stealing scenes from each other.
So in summary your honour. My argument is 3 fold. Die Hard IS a christmas film because…
1. It is a tale of love and redemption
2. It is a tale of friendship and reliance
3. It is a tale of good vs bad
…all set around AT Christmas, AT a Christmas party.
Argument rests. Yippee -Kay-Aye.