Billy Bob Thornton and Brett Kelly in a scene from film Bad Santa.
Old Saint Nick is no stranger to the silver screen, having appeared in hundreds of films over the years.
But not every iteration of the traditionally “jolly big man” has been what you would call textbook, with plenty of Hollywood stars making their take on Santa Claus a memorable one.
Mitchell Hageman takes a look at five iterations of the iconic Christmas character, who stuck in our memories for being both naughty and nice.
Magical, mysterious, and heartfelt are suitable words to describe the iconic Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street, and Edmund Gwenn’s Oscar-winning performance as Kris Kringle only solidifies its status as one of the greatest of all time.
At face value, it seems like a rather depressing Christmas movie. A kindly old man who stepped in for a drunken Santa at Macy’s New York ends up claiming he really is Santa, eventually earning him a possibly permanent spot in a mental health facility.
But a series of miraculous events and special encounters tell a different story, with the audience left wondering by the end whether Kris really was the fabled man in red.
Gwenn’s touching performance ticks all the boxes. Not only does he nail the traditional look, complete with a realistic beard and kindly eyes, but he also embodies the soulful, hearty persona that’s been long associated with the character.
From his scenes with 4-year-old co-star Natalie Wood (like the iconic “pull my beard” moment) to the gleeful realisations in court, Gwenn’s performance set the standard for years to come, with plenty of others following suit.
Richard Attenborough later portrayed Kringle in the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th, and hints of Gwenn’s charm can clearly be seen in his performance of the character.
What happens when Santa dies? That’s the darkly comedic question posed in The Santa Clause film series and expertly explored by 90s everyman Tim Allen.
Allen’s Scott Calvin is a divorced dad, trying to keep the Christmas dream alive by telling his son Santa is real.
Turns out Santa is in fact real and dies falling off the roof of Calvin’s house, binding the father with a Santa Clause to become the new Santa.
Like many of the other Santas on this list, Allen excels in the role because his portrayal of Calvin/Santa has an unmistakably human element to it.
He’s got marital struggles, burns family dinners, and ultimately wants to do what’s best for his young son.
Whether it’s hesitancy about donning the suit, the cheeky sly asides and sarcastic jokes, or even the in-your-face physical comedy, Allen’s Santa is the perfect balance for kids and adults alike.
The success of the first film spawned two sequels, proving there was an appetite for the character.
Believe in the big red man or don’t, either way Scott Calvin will have you thinking about the wonder of Christmas and why it’s always important to hold on to a little bit of magic this festive season.
While Santa is traditionally associated with children and family, Billy Bob Thornton’s portrayal couldn’t stray further away.
Despite its unusually heartfelt message and warm undertones, the original Bad Santa took Miracle on 34th’s drunk Santa at the start of the film and personified him times a thousand.
Willie, a sex-addicted alcoholic conman, poses as Santa in order to rob a department store, but his plans are foiled after he unwittingly befriends a young boy.
While the film has plenty of bad behaviour from Willie, who plays Santa in anything but the traditional way, it also has its heartfelt moments, with the conman acting almost as a father figure to the young boy as the robbery plans suddenly go awry.
Thornton, renowned for playing gruff and uncompromising characters, nailed his unflinching take as Santa with a sense of sarcastic irony and dry wit.
His character was so well received that a 2016 sequel was also made.
Unshaven, dirty and foul-mouthed, Willie’s uncompromising caricature of Saint Nick for adults is exactly the kind of antidote to the sterile Christmas tales often churned out in Hollywood today.
Despite being in the film for a very short time, the Tom Hanks-voiced Santa in the hit animated film The Polar Express dominates every scene he’s in.
If we’re looking for classic Santa, this is it. Dressed in his trademark hat and suit, Hanks voices the character with an unmistakably deep, yet warm tone.
Ready to embark on his round-the-world trip to deliver presents, he gives the young male protagonist a sleigh bell in a symbolic and touching moment.
There are no hidden motives or backstories here, just the joyful, jolly man with more festive aura than you can shake a stick at.
Our hero character starts the film not believing in Santa, but seeing all the classic Christmas tropes in action pushes him to believe.
Plenty of excited kids in cinemas around the globe would’ve left staying believers after their screening of The Polar Express, no doubt.
What made Paul Giamatti’s Santa performance so memorable was the fact that it was the first time we got a good look into the domestic life of Saint Nick.
Fred (Vince Vaughn) is the troublemaker and polar opposite of his saintly sibling, Nicholas aka Santa (Giamatti).
One day, Fred gets in trouble with the law, and Nick bails him out and brings him to the North Pole to work off the debt by making toys.
After a brief fight between the brothers because Fred’s young friend is on the “naughty list” Nick injures his back, meaning Fred has to step in to deliver the presents for Christmas.
Giamatti plays the character in a rather straightforward way while still bringing some of his trademark humour to the role.
He embodies the Santa tropes and traditional stoic manner while also revealing a more human and casual side, as shown through his interactions with his immediate family.
He clearly loves his brother despite his shortcomings and wants the best for him. There are crude gags, bad jokes and lots of dry humour in the film, but Giamatti still puts a great modern spin on a classic character.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
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