Our top 10 Santa movies

Here’s a Christmas teaser: which historical figure has featured in the most movies? The answer is … Santa Claus. And to those of you who say he isn’t an actual historical character, well, bah humbug. He is based on the mediaeval bishop St Nicholas, the patron saint of children, after all.

According to Wikipedia, Santa, aka Father Christmas, has been a main character in more than 120 movies – ahead of Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon, Britain’s Good Queen Bess, her dad Henry Vlll, even Hitler or Napoleon. Wikipedia lists 26 movies about Jesus, which probably makes him the runner-up.

And one thing is for sure: unless you go camping for the entire festive season, or make a conscious decision to be a grinch, you’ll find it hard to avoid hearing ho ho ho on your telly.

So here is Stuff’s run-down of the top 10 movies featuring Santa.

1. The Santa Clause. Starring Tim Allen.

This was Allen’s first movie after his long-running gig as Tim the Toolman in the sitcom Home Improvement. He plays Scott Calvin, a divorced toy salesman who has to become Santa after accidentally causing the incumbent to fall off a roof and die. Scott’s transformation into a whiskery fat man causes complications with his ex-wife, who tries to stop him seeing his son. Followed by two good sequels.

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2. Miracle On 34th Street. Starring Edmund Gwenn.

In this 1947 comedy, Kris Kringle – the Germanic figure who morphed into our Father Christmas – takes over as Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Santa because the man hired for the job is a drunk. It eventually ends up in court with Kringle having to prove that he is, in fact, the real deal. It was faithfully remade in 1994 with Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle.

3. Elf. Starring Will Ferrell.

Ferrell is Buddy, one of Santa’s elves. Trouble is, he’s a lot bigger than the rest of them. It turns out he was an orphan, who crawled into Santa’s sack on Christmas Eve in New York, and was unwittingly taken back to the North Pole. When he grows up, Santa (Ed Asner) suggests that Buddy go back to New York and help his selfish biological father become a better person.

4. The Polar Express. Starring Tom Hanks.

Hanks voices seven characters, including Santa, in this movie. It’s a live action/motion capture animated film about a boy who has stopped believing in Santa. Then, on Christmas Eve, a mysterious train stops at his house and whisks him off on a thrill-packed ride to the North Pole to meet the man himself. It is slightly dark in parts and probably not suitable for very young children.

5. The Christmas Chronicles. Starring Kurt Russell.

This 2018 Netflix movie has a contemporary theme. In a bid to save Christmas, Santa teams up with a troubled teen and his sister whose firefighter dad died in a blaze. Santa has his issues, too. Mrs Klaus (Goldie Hawn) has left him and he desperately wants her back. Followed by a similar 2020 sequel.

6. Bad Santa. Starring Billy Bob Thornton.

Is this the best Santa film? It’s not, because Santa should not be portrayed as an alcoholic sex addict. Willie T. Soke is a criminal who takes a job as a store Santa to rob the place, being helped by Marcus, a dwarf who poses as his elf. It is brilliantly done, but for adults only. The sequel was a dud.

7. The Grinch. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

Santa doesn’t actually make an appearance in this animated movie based on a Dr Seuss children’s book. Rather, Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Grinch, a grumpy, lonely cave dweller who impersonates Santa so that he can wreck Christmas.

8. Fatman. Starring Mel Gibson.

Well, the title doesn’t mince words – talk about body shaming. But, of course, it’s Mel Gibson so cuddly was out of the frame. He plays Chris Kringle, a Christmas toy maker who accepts a contract to make arms for the US military after children lose interest in his products. But one kid wants revenge and hires a hitman to kill Kringle. Oddball, but interesting.

9. Get Santa. Starring Jim Broadbent.

An underrated British comedy featuring Jim Broadbent as a Santa who gets locked up after he crashes his sleigh in London. Rafe Spall plays a former getaway driver who helps him try to escape.

10. Fred Claus. Starring Vince Vaughn.

Sibling rivalry here. Vince Vaughn plays Nick Claus, the bitter older brother of Santa Claus (Paul Giamatti). But when his brother has an accident, Nick has a change of heart. It has a great supporting cast, but Vaughn is an unlikely Santa, which is a major flaw.