Twelve Films At Christmas - 4 & 5

Is Die Hard A Christmas film? You do not have to delve too deeply in the interweb thingy to hear both sides of this debate. So here is the definitive answer: of course it is not. That settled, is it actually any good? Yes it is - a thriller full of great effects and with a modicum of comedy that reassures you it is not taking itself too seriously. Bruce Willis in his vest (clever how the plot is framed to rid him of his shirt - and his shoes) is cool and Alan Rickman is a scene-stealing villain. 68/100.

But now for something altogether on a different plane. My old office wall was dominated by my poster of Bogart as Rick in the final scene of Casablanca. That picture now stands at the top of our stairs, and a print of the movie poster is above my desk as I write this. If Willis is cool in Die Hard then Humphrey Bogart is off the scale in this his most famous role. This is a great film - tightly scripted and never a moment too long. It has melodrama, cynicism, style and, of course most memorably, redemptive honour. 93/100.