Window No. 2

There's something about Christmas that breaks down the most cynical of film-makers to emotional blubberers. Not that there's anything wrong with being emotional or having a weep. I can weep and blubber with the best of them at a good film. Only last night, I got tearful over the happy ever after of Shrek 2. I'm blaming it on hormones but I secretly suspect that the festive season is the culprit. If you think about Christmas films, for the most part you'll find them to be about good will to all men. Even 'Home Alone' (demonic yet angelic looking child tortures idiotically inept burglars) is really about family and home. Let me know if you can think of a Christmas film that is truly cynical and doesn't offer up some kind of message about coming together and forgiveness and just generally loving mankind.

One of the best Christmas films that I've seen is It's a Wonderful Life with the brilliant James Stewart in the lead role. If you haven't heard of this film, it tells the story of a good man, brought to his knees by worries, who considers committing suicide just before Christmas. Life grinds George Bailey down to the point where he thinks that everyone would be better off if he'd never been born. An angel called Clarence shows him how important he is to all those who lives he has touched. I love the ending and yes, it is incredibly soppy and emotional but if we can't get like that at Christmas when we have our loved ones around us, then when can we?

I've always liked the thought of angels looking after us, popping by now and then to make sure we're okay. The longer I live, the more I think that angels exist, if not in spirit then in the people around us, even the strangers who steady us if we trip. Maybe George is as much an angel as Clarence is.