Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
Opinions Differ - Even in My Own Family
It’s a yearly debate, starting around Thanksgiving. Most of the Fam is solidly behind the idea that Die Hard - at least I and II - are Christmas movies.
They are set at Christmas time, and the first shows an office party of the old-school type (loud, garish, and filled with inappropriate ‘adult’ activities).
But I believe that John McLain represents the American take on Christmas better than many of the more traditional movies.
In Die Hard, John has to sort out his conflicted feelings about his marriage, his identity as a cop, and what, ultimately, is the most important thing in his life.
That last value is crystallized quickly, as his protective instincts are roused by the violent takeover of the Nakatomi Plaza. He doesn’t immediately start fighting back, instead escaping to another part of the building and spelling out his options in an intense monologue.
Each interaction with the terrorists is precipitated by the other side. McLaren REACTS, rather than acts.
Mind you, his reaction is more than a little over the top, but he does not start the fight. That’s in the time-honored tradition of Westerns. The Code of the West is to seek peace.
However, if the peace is broken by others, then it’s fair to bring in all the guns and ammo you are able to scrounge up.
On the frontier, help is far away. The official protection can’t be depended on to save the day, so, often, it’s the settlers against everyone else.
Which is the situation McLane finds himself in.
Now, how does this relate to Christmas?
Christmas is traditionally the season of Good Will to Men who deserve it (so, okay to cross the Delaware River on Christmas Eve to take out the soldiers who had been attacking the colonials). We’re fine with putting down arms to properly celebrate the birth of Our Savior, as long as the other side is, too. When they are not, it’s back to war.
McLane is fighting - literally - to be able to spend time with his family at Christmas. Many men do the same in a figurative sense, traveling long hours to get home on time to be with the family on Christmas morning. One of the most poignant holiday songs is “I’ll be home for Christmas”, made popular during WWII, a time when many men - and women - were far from home.
McLane works hard to keep innocents from dying, including the one he calls The Jerk, Ellis. When the sleaze is executed after he cannot deliver McLane, John is crushed.
Yes, this is a Christmas movie.
Christians try hard to act peaceably.
When that fails, and innocents are put at risk, they can, and often do, deliver Hellfire.
That is Justifiable Warfare, and completely in line with Christianity. And, for that matter, Judaism.
Don’t want none? Don’t start one.
One last point. The linked article suggests that the movie is a fight against feminism. I disagree. Holly McLane, in her job as corporate executive, is forced to deny her status as a wife (the Japanese, at that time, saw working women as Office Wives, who were relegated to supporting roles, for the most part).
John didn’t object to Holly working, he objected to a move that disregarded his location-based employment as unimportant. Holly’s decision to take the kids away was a move for self. Families don’t have the members make unilateral decisions that will only benefit one of them. Marriage is a partnership.
I think it's a Christmas movie. A good movie too.
Have a blessed day and Thanksgiving. ♥