Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- NR
- 1966
- 26 min
-
8.3 (59,865)
Set in the whimsical town of Whoville, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a heartwarming holiday classic that has enthralled generations since its creation in 1966. This animated film follows the story of a grouchy and hateful creature â the Grinch, who despises Christmas with a deep passion. Voiced by the legendary Boris Karloff, the Grinch develops an evil scheme to ruin the festivities of the cheerful Whos by stealing all of their Christmas presents and decorations.
Despite his nasty behavior, the Grinch is not entirely heartless. A flashback sequence reveals the traumatic experience of the Grinch in his childhood, where he was ridiculed and isolated for being different from the other Whos. This rejection fuels the Grinch's hatred towards the townsfolk, and he retreats to a mountain to avoid any further contact with them.
The story gets a boost of excitement when the Grinch decides to put his plan into action on Christmas eve. He puts on his Santa suit and heads into Whoville, where he steals everything that he can get his hands on â from toys to food, Christmas trees to stockings. However, the Grinch's actions do not go unnoticed, as a young girl named Cindy Lou Who (voiced by June Foray) spots him in the act.
While Cindy Lou Who is the only one to catch the Grinch red-handed, the people of Whoville soon realize that something is amiss. Despite losing all of their material possessions, the Whos congregate in the center of the town and begin to sing a joyous Christmas song, demonstrating that Christmas is not just about gift-giving and decorations but rather about community and being with loved ones.
The Grinch, listening from afar, experiences a profound moment of empathy. Suddenly, he realizes that his actions were not justified and decides to return all of the Christmas loot to the people of Whoville.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a timeless classic that teaches the importance of the holiday spirit, forgiveness, and acceptance. The film's animation is charming and whimsical and is accompanied by a memorable score and songs by the masterful musicianship of the late Thurl Ravenscroft.
Boris Karloff's voice acting is brilliant, bringing depth to the Grinch's character, which is both humorous and poignant. The character's transformation from a hateful creature to a kind-hearted one is genuinely heartfelt.
June Foray's voiceover work on Cindy Lou Who injects a much-needed sense of innocence and sincerity into the story. Cindy Lou, the only character who sees the good in the Grinch, becomes the catalyst that enables the Grinch's change of heart.
In conclusion, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is an uplifting and heartwarming family movie that never fails to inspire holiday cheer. The film has become a beloved classic with its universal messages of love, acceptance, and kindness. With its wonderful animation, memorable songs, and exceptional voice acting, How the Grinch Stole Christmas remains as relevant and enchanting today as it was nearly sixty years ago.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a 1966 family movie with a runtime of 26 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.3.