George Vale Melton (Harry Carey), Allan Chadwick (C. Aubrey Smith) and Michael O’Brien (Charles Winninger) are rich but lonely, so they invite a pair of strangers, schoolteacher Jean Lawrence (Jean Parker) and cowboy James Houston (Richard Carlson) to their house for dinner on Christmas Eve. Both James and Jean seem to hit it off, but the next day the three old men are killed in a plane crash. Now ghosts, the three work from the afterworld to make sure the young couple stays together. A latter-day Christmas Carol, told with tenderness and warmth.
Beyond Christmas is a rare holiday treasure. This is the uplifting story of three elderly gentlemen who become the guardian angels of a kind couple they met at Christmastime. Before proceeding to Heaven, the spirits work behind the scenes to ensure that the couple’s love will endure forever. Filled with heart and soul, this charming 1940 holiday classic is perfect for the Christmas season — and beyond. This is a beautifully colorized version of this heartwarming holiday film.
Sensitive little drama of three wealthy men sharing Christmas with down-and-out Carlson and Parker, who fall in love. – Turner Classic Movies
This is one of the most wonderful and unusual movies ever produced by Hollywood. Three elderly men make friends of a lonely young man and woman who fall in love and become engaged. The three men die drastically in a plane crash, but become spiritual guides for this young couple as ghosts. The young man becomes a success as a singer, and soon lets success get to his head and ignores the girl he was going to marry. The young man gets shot and dies. The elderly ghost asks God to give the young man a second chance to live, to make amends with his true love, which God grants. As you can tell, this is not a typical Hollywood movie. It deals with heaven, hell, and purgatory without mentioning the words. It’s a very entertaining, sometimes humorous, and moving movie. This movie isn’t for everybody, but this movie has a deep spiritual meaning that will touch many. – David Erhardt
Starring Harry Carey, Charles Winninger, Aubrey Smith.