‘Three Godfathers’ an unusual treat

Of the hundreds, if not thousands, of Christmas movies, few deal with the biblical Christmas story even as an allegory.

That’s what makes the 1936 parable “Three Godfathers” (10:30 p.m., Turner Classic Movies) so rare and special. In this movie, the third filmed version of a hugely popular 1913 Saturday Evening Post story by Peter B. Kyne, three thieves come upon a woman in the desert in the throes of childbirth.

Entrusted with the care of the newborn infant as the woman dies, the three “wise men” head for New Jerusalem and risk their loot and lives to protect their new responsibility.

Director John Ford remade “Godfathers” in 1948.

Tonight’s other holiday films include:

The 1938 adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” (5 p.m., Turner Classic Movies) stars Reginald Owen and Gene Lockhart. Look for young June Lockhart (“Lost in Space”), Gene’s little girl, in her screen debut.

Tim Allen plays a man legally obliged to become Santa in the popular 1994 comedy “The Santa Clause” (8 p.m., ABC). A singer (LeAnn Rimes) gets bad news from home just before her Grand Old Opry debut in the 1997 tearjerker “Holiday in Your Heart” (9 p.m., Lifetime).

An impressive cast includes Aidan Quinn, Bernadette Peters, Donald Sutherland and Ben Kingsley.

On a lighter note, the 1999 animated feature “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas” (8 p.m., Disney) features holiday tales from Mickey, Minnie and Goofy.

In another animated feature, “Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy’s Jingle Jingle Jangle” (8 p.m., Cartoon Network), Eddy’s cynical plan to get new and better gifts actually provides him with new insights into other families’ holiday traditions and teaches him the meaning of Christmas.

The Cartoon Network also affords viewers one of their final chances to catch “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (8:30 p.m.).

Sam Elliott, Rebecca Harrell and Cloris Leachman star in the 1989 fantasy “Prancer” (8 p.m., Family) about a wounded reindeer and a little girl’s sense of wonder.