9 Un-Orthodox Christmas Movies To Liven Up Your Holiday

5. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

I might be alone in this, but On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my favorite James Bond film. Sure, George Lazenby wasn't a particularly good 007, but the 1969 flick is probably the best-written in all the Bond franchise, it has the most heart-rending ending of all the films, and it boasts the best villain of the franchise with Telly Savalas' portrayal of Ernst Stavro Blofeld. On top of all that, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a fantastic holiday film. In fact, Richard Maibaum and Simon Raven utilized so many parts of the Christmas season when writing their screenplay that it would have been impossible to set the film at any other time. For starters, Blofeld's headquarters is a ski resort/"private clinic" that sits at the top of the Alps. Maybe it's just me, but skiing just seems like a classic holiday activity. There's no denying, however, that snow carries holiday connotations. The Christmas-related plot elements continue. Blofeld's scheme for world domination revolves around a group of women who Blofeld has hypnotized into being his "angels of death." He gives each woman an arsenal of lethal Christmas gifts and advises them, through hypnosis, on how to use them. On top of all that, one action sequence takes place during a Christmas parade. On Her Majesty's Secret Service uses so many holiday elements that it almost qualifies as a full-on holiday perennial. However, its relative obscurity (compared to the rest of the Bond franchise) and its arguably un-kid-friendly action scenes have robbed it of its glory. However, it still makes perfect holiday viewing, especially for Bond buffs.