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Norwegians call it, Tre nøtter til Askepott
It’s that time of the year when Christmas or holiday movies are everywhere. Often, these films came with hidden meanings. A few of them feel surprisingly relevant to the contemporary political climate.
The movies I chose to represent here were both causing political issues at the time. The authorities had ‘redlisted’ the screenwriter of one of these movies for being too liberal. The other movie was suspected of being too communist.
America’s Favorite Christmas Movie
One film that fits this time exceptionally well is It’s a Wonderful Life. The film contrasts two forms of capitalism through two bankers. Henry F. Potter, the ruthless owner of the big local bank, represents the profit-driven, monopolistic “dog-eat-dog” version.
The true main character, though, is George Bailey – also a banker, but one closer in spirit to a credit union manager. His customers are members and co-owners; they borrow and lend within a cooperative system. George Bailey doesn’t oppose competition. He is an apostle of ‘a rising tide raises all the boats’ – even before JFK ever said it. In his world, capitalism helps the whole town to succeed. In today’s America, George Bailey would be called a “socialist” for wanting to share the wealth.
Current discussions of “capitalism” often echo Potter’s worldview. He’s the embodiment of monopoly power. In that world, winners don’t need to care about fairness. But Potter isn’t an actual capitalist at all; he is a cronyist. Capitalism without competition is the opposite of the free market. Potter is what happens when you let Milton Friedman and Ronald Reagan run wild. In the absence of regulations, illegally obtained monopolies thrive. As the film shows, Potter hoards his wealth; it doesn’t trickle down.
“You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn’t, Mr. Potter. In the whole vast configuration of things, I’d say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider!” [George Bailey]
Fortunately, the movie provides a happy ending. Divine intervention helps the ‘socialist’ banker to beat the anti-capitalist. The message seems clear: God wants a fair, regulated market that truly works for everyone. The End.
Europe’s favorite Christmas Movie
To anyone who knows Charles Dickens, the theme of the mean and greedy (anti-)capitalist looks pretty familiar. That is deliberate, as Hollywood’s It’s A Wonderful Life was inspired by the British classic A Christmas Carol. It’s not too hard to see the parallels. Potter resembles Ebenezer Scrooge before the three ghosts visit, while Bailey reflects the progressed version of Scrooge.
Arguably, the best version of Dickens ‘ tale is The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), which is a US film. And the UK – by its own vote – has chosen to step back from Europe. Therefore, we need another contender from the Continent.
In the 1970s, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (CSSR) was well known throughout Europe for its outstanding children’s television programming. Productions from the CSSR, Poland, and East Germany (GDR) were widely exported across Eastern and Western Europe at the time.
One such movie – still broadcast every Christmas season – is Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella (1973). It became immensely popular across Central Europe. It also apparently had a large fan base in Norway. Norway was the country helping with digitizing the film. They even remade it. Their version was called Tre nøtter til Askepott or in the English version Three Wishes for Cinderella (2021).
Now there have been plenty of versions of the classic Cinderella story before this one: Rhodopis, Cendrillon, Cenerentola, Popelka, Askepott, Aschenputtel, Aschenbrödel, Yeh-Shen, and Mahpishooni. None of them became associated with Christmas, though.
Unlike Disney’s 1950 version, which casts the story in simple good-versus-evil terms, Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella offers humor, cleverness, and independence. The stepmother and stepsister are more comical than cruel. No fairy godmother is guiding her.
And sure, this Popelka is especially cute, but she is also quite capable and very smart. She likes the prince before learning his identity; she tests him with riddles; she makes her own choices with only light magical guidance from three enchanted hazelnuts. Critics often regard the film as portraying feminist elements.
“The cheeks are stained with ash, but it is not the chimney sweep. A little hat with feathers, the crossbow over the shoulder, but it is not a hunter. Thirdly, a silver-woven dress with a train for the ball, but it is not a princess” [Cinderella]
The CSSR film began as an ordinary fairy-tale adaptation, but heavy snowfall during production gave it a wintry atmosphere. As a result, television networks began airing it regularly during the winter holidays, helping it become an unexpected Christmas tradition.
What makes a Good Christmas Movie?
Whether American or European, some enduring classics share certain traits that seem to make them better than others. Is it the moral struggle of good-versus-evil? The promise of a happy ending? Do we need a subtle lesson about generosity, capitalism, or even feminism? Does it require a Santa, Kris Kringle, or Saint Nick? Does it require a tree and a gift exchange?
The one thing It’s a Wonderful Life (US 1946), Scrooge (UK 1951), Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella (CSSR/GDR 1973), and Three Wishes for Cinderella (Norway, 2023) all share is simple but powerful: winter itself. The magic ingredient of every great holiday movie might just be snow.
Final Thoughts
While still on the topic of feminism:
The fictional town of Bedford Falls, where George Bailey lives, may have been inspired by Seneca Falls, NY. The town certainly embraces the connection with yearly festivals. One of its bridges closely resembles the movie’s famous bridge scene with George Bailey and Clarence Odbody, Angel Second Class.
Although the link between these two cities has not been officially confirmed, the historic Seneca Falls is known to be the site of the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention, the first of its kind in the U.S.
While women’s suffrage doesn’t appear as a theme in the film, feminism – at least through geography – lingers nearby. And while George is clearly the main character, one might say it’s Mary who saves the day.
More Information
- Youtube: 19 Weird Facts about it’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
- FBI investigated movie for communist propaganda
- Seneca Falls and Women’s Suffrage
- Wikipedia: Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella (1973)
- Wikipedia: Three Wishes for Cinderella (2021)
Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed in all blog posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Redwood City Pulse or its staff.
