Last Lines of Christmas Movies Quiz

Answer: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

This movie has been re-made several times. The central theme is believing in things even when common sense says otherwise. Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), an older man with a white beard, is hired as Macy's store Santa by Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara), then he starts acting like he IS Santa, much to Doris's consternation. Doris, a single mom living in a NYC apartment, has raised her young daughter, Susan (Natalie Wood) to be very practical and unimaginative.

When Susan sees the new Santa, she starts to have doubts and asks Kris to get her a real house for Christmas to prove he is actually Santa. Also on hand is John Payne as Fred Gailey, an attorney and neighbor of the Walkers who is hired to defend Kris in court when his sanity is called into question. Fred is successful in defending Kris and cleverly proves he is the real Santa.

At Christmas morning party, Kris directs Fred to drive with Doris and Susan in a neighborhood where Susan sees the house of her dreams. When they enter the house they find a cane very much like Kris's. Fred then realizes he may not have really pulled off the miracle of proving Kris is the real Santa.

Answer: A Christmas Carol (1938)

This familiar Dickens tale has been remade many times, but some movie buffs consider this the "definitive" version. It was the first major American effort to dramatize the novella. In this MGM movie, Reginald Owen portrays the miserly Scrooge with Gene Lockhart as his put-upon clerk, Bob Cratchit.

At the end, Scrooge visits the Cratchit home with his nephew in tow (which did not happen in the original story). He proposes a toast to which Tiny Tim (Terry Kilburn) adds his sentiment as the last line.

Answer: A Christmas Story (1983)

This story revolves around young Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. However, he meets objections from most of the adults in his life - mother, teacher and even Higbee's store Santa ("You'll shoot your eye out.").

While waiting for Christmas to come, Ralphie has to deal with schoolwork, his whiny little brother, bullies, and a parental conflict involving a risqué-shaped lamp Ralphie's father (Darren McGavin) won in a contest. In the end, he does get his gun and as he lays in bed on Christmas night, thinks how wonderful a gift it was.

Answer: The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)

This vehicle for Bob Hope had him playing Sidney, a.k.a The Lemon Drop Kid, a lovable Runyonesque type con man, who uses the Christmas spirit and an old ladies home to bilk money from people to pay off a gambling debt. In the pursuit of money, he crosses paths with "Brainy" Baxter (Marilyn Maxwell) who becomes his romantic interest.

At the end, as he embraces Brainy, a cow walks on the scene and moos, to which Sidney says the final line (an inside joke as Hope worked frequently in movies with Bing Crosby).

This movie also introduced the holiday song "Silver Bells" which is now a standard.

Answer: It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

This movie was not well received when first released, but over the decades, has become one of the most popular Christmas-themed movies. The plot centers on George Bailey (James Stewart) who becomes despondent at Christmas when his loan business goes bankrupt because his uncle loses $8000 of the company's money (which would be over a million today) just as a bank examiner arrives for an audit. George laments what a waste his life had been, and a well-meaning but somewhat bumbling angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), is sent to show George what things would be like in town had he never been born. If Clarence is successful, he will earn his wings.

When George then sees how his life had touched others, and how his hometown changed from a homey place to a Las Vegas type community, he is happy to go back and face his troubles.

However, when the townspeople hear of his predicament, they feel grateful and all chip in to save George's solvency. As he stands watching the cash pile up, a bell on the Christmas tree rings.

His daughter Zuzu (Karolyn Grimes) says that every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings to which George responds with the last line.

Answer: Remember the Night (1940)

This charming movie stars Fred MacMurray as John Sargent, a New York DA called on to prosecute a shoplifter, Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck). The case is held over the holidays and John feels sorry for Lee who would be kept in jail on Christmas. He offers to post her bail and take her to her mother's home for Christmas since they are both from Indiana and it would be on his way to his own homestead. Lee is reluctant to face her mother since she did not leave home under happy circumstances.

Her feelings are realized when she gets a very chilly reception form her mother. John then decides to take Lee to his home where his mother (Beulah Bondi) gives her a very hospitable welcome. Over the holidays, John and Lee find themselves falling in love. However, John must return Lee to jail when they arrive back in New York.

The case continues, but John starts acting very rough on Lee in court, but is actually trying to throw the case so she will be found innocent. However, she ends up pleading guilty and as she's led away to await sentencing, they embrace and Lee says the last line.

Answer: The Bishop's Wife (1947)

Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) is a cleric obsessed with building a cathedral, however, securing the much needed funds is proving quite difficult. His preoccupation has put a strain on his marriage. Adding to his misery, the wealthy parishioners he had counted on for generous donations are just not giving, including a rich widow, Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper).

She is withholding her money unless the cathedral is dedicated to her late husband which Henry feels is wrong. He prays for help and Dudley (Cary Grant), an angel, arrives, whose real identity is known only to Henry. Dudley seems to take an interest in Mrs. Brougham (Loretta Young) which starts to irk Henry, especially when Dudley takes her to a restaurant, goes ice skating with her, attends a choir rehearsal, and visits Mrs. Hamilton in his place. Dudley advises Henry that all that money could be put to better use than building one large church and that he is very lucky to have such an understanding and loving wife.

The Bishop has his Christmas sermon written, but Dudley had secretly re-written it.

When Henry starts to read it he realizes it isn't his message, but something with a much higher theme. The last line is from the sermon.

Answer: Scrooge (1970)

This adaptation of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" has Albert Finney as a singing, dancing Scrooge. The score and screenplay were written by Leslie Bricusse and include the songs "December the 25th", "I Like Life" and "Thank You Very Much". At the conclusion, Scrooge leads a group of Londoners in a rollicking production number, then returns home to get ready to go to his nephew's home.

He pauses in his doorway and speaks to the knocker where he had first encountered the likeness of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, to which he says the last line.

Answer: White Christmas (1954)

"White Christmas" has Bing Crosby playing Bob Wallace, who teams up after WW2 with his army buddy, Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) and they become a popular song and dance act. They meet the Haynes sisters at a night club, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), who are also entertainers and trying to break into show business.

The girls have been hired to perform a Christmas show at a resort in Vermont. Phil persuades Bob to go along with them thinking it will spark some romance with Betty, but when they arrive learn that the inn is near bankruptcy. On top of that, is owned by their former commander, General Waverly (Dean Jagger).

The boys decide to put on a extravagant show and get soldiers from their old unit to come to the inn for Christmas and honor General Waverly. During rehearsals, Bob does fall for Betty and Phil for Judy, but a misunderstanding puts a strain on Bob's and Betty's budding romance.

She leaves to get a job in a night club, but later learns her assumptions were wrong and returns to the inn. During the final production number, Bob embraces Betty and Phil utters the last line as he hugs Judy.

Answer: Holiday Inn (1942)

Frustrated in romance and the grind of show business, song and dance man Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) buys a country resort/nightclub that he will only be open on holidays. His agent, Danny (Walter Abel), meets an ambitious up-and-coming starlet, Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) and gives her Bob's business card.

She gets to the inn and is hired. When the inn opens on New Year's eve, Jim and Linda entertain, but Jim's former partner, Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), whose female partner, Lila (Virginia Dale) has just left their act, arrives intoxicated and dances with Linda. Danny, wants Linda to become Ted's new partner, but neither man can identify her - Ted was too drunk and Danny only saw her from the back. Jim is worried Ted will steal Linda away as he had Lila.

He tries to keep her identity a secret, but on Valentine's Day, Ted finds her at the inn and takes her to Hollywood where they are a sensation. Jim does not give up and on Christmas eve, visits them on the set of their latest movie where he locks Ted and Danny in a dressing room, then is reunited with Linda who realizes she really loves Jim.

As they embrace and kiss, Ted and Danny finally escape and arrive on the set. Danny sees them (off camera) and asks,"How'd he get that far in five minutes?" to which Ted replies with the last line.