Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

overthetopandhappybso i came across this film one rainy November afternoon in the days when an afternoon matinée was standard practice. sadly those afternoons are lost to TV movies, often Canadian and often mind numbingly bad. however, i digress, the holly and the ivy is a rarely seen British film from the days when a woman was considered middle aged at 30, and men never set foot in the confines of a kitchen. it is a slice of kitchen sink drama that takes place amid a cosy rectory, with real coal fires burning and lots of snow falling outside. although the individual stories of the characters are now outdated, i can't help but get a warm, nostalgic feeling when the film starts. it is with a little sadness, in the sure knowledge that we can never return to those days, that i watch this seasonal gem of the fifties.celia johnson gives her usual, beautifully spoken performance, and margaret leighton is wonderful as her prickly sister. denholm elliott is rather good as the younger brother whom by today's standards would be considered saintly, but back then he managed to achieve the disdain of nearly all his relatives for making rather merry, even tho it was Christmas. ralph richardson was a little too young, and his part should have gone to an older actor in my opinion, but that said, he didn't detract from my enjoyment of the film.for managing to transport me back to a Christmas of long, long ago, and for giving me 83 minutes of sheer joy, i give it 10/10. if you're lucky enough to lay your hands on a copy of the DVD, i urge you to buy it, take it home, put your feet up, and sit back and enjoy - preferably with a crackling log fire, as snow falls silently outside

b-cottrill Christmas movies seem to multiply like the commercial world's "Season's Greetings"--and most of them are just as hollow and pointless. This is an exception, British cinema at its best. "The Holly and the Ivy" is an emotional roller coaster that leaves you wanting more.Members of a family assemble to celebrate Christmas in the home of their father, a widowed Anglican clergyman. Various ones have gone through painful experiences of one kind or another. And all have concealed the details from their father on the assumption that he wouldn't understand "because he's a parson." The shattering explosions that occur as bits of the truth begin to be revealed are memorable. Forget about the endless fantasies, flying reindeer and dancing snowmen. This is a real Christmas about real people. The resolution at the end may come a little too quickly, but it is satisfying. See this movie if you can find it--and urge the powers that be to re-issue it on DVD.

bdwittkamp It's too bad that this film is unavailable in the United States. Many years ago it was given to me by a friend who taped it off some obscure broadcast station. I've shown it every year since and have never grown tired of it. There is much truth in this film, and all of its characters reveal something of themselves that we can all identify with. And what a cast-- Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton, Denholm Elliot, and Hugh Williams! Richardson's parson is one, regardless of one's faith, we would all love to know. And Johnson and Leighton display acting of the highest order. Elliot is superb as the restless son, and Williams as a world weary but understanding and compassionate friend of the family has never been better. This is a film that deserves wide attention and should be a Christmas staple. It is not only my favorite Christmas movie, but also one my ten favorite films of all time.

Brigid O Sullivan (wisewebwoman) This movie is a little gem for the most part. And a welcome change from the usual Christmas fare. The only fault is with the ending which appears rushed and we are left to grieve the characters a little. Rather like a dessert that gets whisked away before one is quite finished. Unsatisfied. It tells the story of a widowed parson and the family members who come home for the holidays to a quaint old village. Father, played wonderfully by Ralph Richardson, has always been shielded from the facts of life by his three - now adult - children. For the era in which it was made (1952)the secrets one of the three carries is quite a shocker. A flaw is that Celia Johnson, an actress I enjoy, is far too old in this to play a thirty one year old. Margaret Leighton's brittle charm is never more appealing than here. However, the two aunts steal every scene in which they appear, two wonderful stage actresses, Margaret Halstan and Maureen Delaney. A great script, a little stagey, and ending far too swiftly, I gave it a 7 out of 10.