‘I Heard the Phone Ringing’: The $10,000 Miracle Behind ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and Other Christmas Movies Based on Books
From the $10,000 self-published card to Jim Carrey, the books behind the holiday hits!
The classic tales we enjoy from underneath a blanket, with a cup of hot cocoa and a fireplace going, are what make the holiday season go around. From classics like It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) to 21st-century hits like Christmas with the Kranks (2004), there are hundreds of hits to enjoy on those cold winter nights.
But did you know that some of your favorite festive films are based on novels that are just as warm and cozy? Find out which of these Christmas classics are derived from successful books.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)
It’s a Wonderful Life was actually based on the short story, The Greatest Gift. Philip Van Doren Stern was randomly sparked with the idea to write a story about a man considering suicide but deciding to embrace life after seeing how it could have turned out if he had never been born. It took Stern five years to actually write the story, and after all that time, he discovered that nobody was interested in buying it. Instead, Stern decided to self-publish in a uniquely personal way. He had 200 copies printed as a 21-page booklet and mailed them out as his family’s 1943 Christmas card. Those booklets circulated among friends and acquaintances, eventually catching the right people’s attention.
“One evening [a few months later], just as I arrived home, I heard the telephone ringing,” Stern shared in 1946. “It was Western Union calling to read me a telegram from Hollywood, announcing that the story had been sold for $10,000.”
The short story was adapted as It’s a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, but it was a box office failure, despite being nominated for five Academy Awards. However, over the years, the film has become a Christmas classic and one of the most beloved holiday films ever.
‘A Christmas Story’ (1983)
The 1983 film A Christmas Story, starring Peter Billingsley, is directly based on the book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, a collection of stories by Jean Shepherd originally published in Playboy magazine and later compiled.
The movie was not a success upon release. It did alright relatively speaking, but thanks to VHS rentals and the 24-hour marathon on TBS and TNT, the film’s popularity grew significantly. In 2022, a second film, A Christmas Story Christmas, was released.
‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (1966) and (2000)
The 2000 film starring Jim Carey—as well as the 1966 animated television version—was based on the children’s book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. The book was first published in 1957 and soon after, Dr. Seuss was approached by animation master Chuck Jones to turn it into a TV special. Both the book and the special were extremely successful.
After the passing of Dr. Seuss (whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel) in 1991, his wife, Audrey Geisel, decided to allow film adaptations of the story, which led to Ron Howard’s vision for the 2000 take on the material.
‘Christmas with the Kranks’ (2004)
The holiday film starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis was based on the 2001 novel, Skipping Christmas. Both the book and film follow an empty-nest couple that decides to forgo the holiday season and head on a Caribbean cruise. But things go awry when their daughter decides to come back home for Christmas and they need to enlist their upset neighbors for help. The film was a box office success and has since become a holiday staple.
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