Whether or not smiling’s your favorite, there haven’t been many movies even half as holly jolly as the modern Christmas classic Elf. Released on November 7, 2003, it made more than $220 million worldwide, inspired a Broadway musical, and is considered essential holiday viewing for countless people around the globe every year. And did we mention it helped cement Will Ferrell as a beloved comedic superstar?
At the risk of being a cotton-headed ninnymuggins, it’s time to pay tribute to seven of the innumerable reasons why everyone loves Elf!
Will Ferrell
Elf ultimately is Will Ferrell and his manic, man-child energy — the poster image of the 6-foot, 3-inch star in yellow tights and a surprisingly revealing green coat sells the concept alone. But it wasn’t always planned that way. With the script originally written in 1993, some of the first choices for the role of Buddy were Chris Farley and Jim Carrey. While Farley had the sweetness and Carrey had the comedy, Ferrell just fits effortlessly: He’s able to anchor the movie with a real sense of innocence and enthusiasm while serving up a Candy Cane Lane version of his signature twisted sense of humor. While his triple box-office punch of 2003’s Old School and Elf and the following year’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy turned Ferrell into the world’s biggest comedy star, it was his innate vulnerability and kind nature that cemented his staying power, as evidenced by his very sensitive reaction to watching it.
Zooey Deschanel
Ferrell’s sugar needed the right spice to react with, and no one could provide it as masterfully as the world’s quirkiest girl, Zooey Deschanel, as cynical softy Jovie. Best known at the time for scene-stealing character roles in Almost Famous and The Good Girl, Deschanel — an old soul with the zing and snap of youth — proved the perfect jaded love interest for the naive Buddy … and that she also had a set of incredible pipes. Surprisingly, Deschanel’s character didn’t sing in the original script, but that was changed after filmmakers heard how talented the future Grammy-nominated musician was. Less adorkable and more acerbic, Jovie (you might even say) walked so that Jess Day could later run.
Mary Steenburgen and James Caan
Especially for a charming holiday confection, the level of acting talent in Elf is bananas — when even a film’s cameo roles are played by people like four-time Emmy-winner Peter Dinklage, you know it’s an amazing cast. Special yuletide shout-outs, of course, to Oscar-winning Mary Steenburgen and Emmy-winning James Caan, as Buddy’s stepmother and father, respectively. While Caan gets a lot of mileage (not to mention the film’s major emotional arc) as the grumpy publisher who has a lot to learn about being a parent, Steenburgen’s contributions can’t be overstated as the big-hearted, off-key-singing Emily, so kind that she even attempts to eat Buddy’s syrup-drenched spaghetti. She and Ferrell have such good chemistry that she even returned to play his mother in the beloved 2008 cult comedy Step Brothers.
Bob Newhart
Speaking of legendary talent involved with the film, it doesn’t get better than iconic under-reactor Bob Newhart, who plays Buddy’s adoptive father, Papa Elf. Using forced perspective and some additional movie magic, the filmmakers really sell the illusion that the Emmy and three-time Grammy winner is so tiny that human-sized Buddy sitting on him is a real hazard to his health, and Newhart squeezes every drop of comedy out of it. Also, as the film’s narrator, Newhart is the first voice we hear, and his deadpan, dry wit sets the stage perfectly for the warm wink that underlies all of the more colorful shenanigans later in the film. For the involvement of this incredible pillar of American comedy alone, Elf deserves to be a classic.
Jon Favreau
After notching some impressive screen credits both small (the millionaire boyfriend turned UFC fighter of Monica on Friends) and large (the writer/actor behind Swingers), Favreau proved himself an A-list director by helming Elf. (Oh, and he still found time to make a cameo as a doctor and to voice a couple tiny roles.) Guiding the film with a sure and sprightly hand, he showed a true mastery of craft. Although James Caan gave an interview where he claimed the reason the film never had a proper sequel was that star Ferrell and Favreau did not get along, the latter seems to have done quite well for himself, becoming a big-time Marvel director and executive producer. Not too bad for the clown who bedevils George Costanza on Seinfeld!
The Rankin/Bass inspiration
Even if you don’t know the names, you know the vibe of the Rankin/Bass animated holiday films, including Frosty the Snowman and the stop-motion classics Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Year Without a Santa Claus. So, it makes sense that Favreau was a fan himself, punching up the script to reflect the signature holiday vibe of those specials, including the oddly cute (and cutely odd) narwhal sequence. True animation powerhouses whose influence is still felt today, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass didn’t just make nostalgic holiday fare. They were also responsible for darker cartoon adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels, including The Hobbit, and the beloved cult classic The Last Unicorn. Their work is definitely worth seeking out, so do yourself a favor this holiday season and watch a couple of their projects. After all, for generations of kids of all ages, their work is synonymous with yuletide spirit.
The holiday feels
Speaking of, the true test of any Christmas movie is whether it leaves viewers with that cozy, festive feeling. Just close your eyes, and picture what it feels like to curl up and watch one of those ultimate classics, things like Home Alone, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and It’s a Wonderful Life. (Or if your taste runs a little edgier, festive flicks like Die Hard or Gremlins or even First Blood.) When it comes to serving up holiday magic, Elf definitely delivers, especially thanks to the climactic sing-along that powers Santa’s sleigh and the film’s Christmas charms. Here’s hoping you get all the warmest, most wonderful feelings when you rewatch!
Jonathan Riggs is a freelance writer and former managing editor of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle magazine Instinct.
Get Shondaland directly in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TODAY
