Frank Capra\u2019s iconic 1946 drama starring James Stewart has consistently been named the winner of the poll in the many years that RadioTimes.com<\/a> has been running it, but has to settle for second place this time around, after securing 16 per cent of the vote \u2013 compared to 20 per cent for the winner.<\/p>\n Brian Henson\u2019s irreverent take on Charles Dickens\u2019s classic Yuletide yarn<\/a> \u2013 which famously starred Michael Caine as notorious miser Ebenezer Scrooge alongside a cast of Muppets \u2013 had previously finished runner-up, but now tops the poll one year after it celebrated its 30th anniversary.<\/p>\n As it was crowned, Henson spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com<\/strong> about topping the list \u2013 describing the result as \u201cwonderful\u201d news.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very proud of the movie and I\u2019m thrilled that people appreciate it so much,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a very special piece, it took a lot of people working really hard and we really put our hearts into it. And I\u2019m thrilled that it\u2019s so popular and it seems to be even building the popularity, which is great.\u201d<\/p> It\u2019s a fitting year for the film to have won the poll given Caine recently announced that he was retiring from acting, and Henson paid tribute to the star and his \u201cincredible body of work\u201d, calling him the \u201cquintessential working actor.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cIt was really fun doing Christmas Carol with him because he so appreciated all of the humour around him. But he played his part very, very seriously. He said to me, \u2018I\u2019m going to act as if I\u2019m working in the Royal Shakespeare Company and that\u2019s only going to make the Muppets even funnier and more delightful.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he was absolutely right. But it was wonderful because he\u2019d do a take where he\u2019s so severe and dark, and then I\u2019d call cut, and then he just start laughing at everything that was going on around him. So he was really just a delight to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, Henson also urged fans to watch one version of his film in particular \u2013 specifically the longer cut containing the previously lost song When Love Is Gone, which was added to Disney Plus for UK viewers a few years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen [the song] is in the movie, the structure of the movie is much, much better,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the emotional arc for Scrooge and Michael\u2019s performance is much, much better. He tuned his entire performance going into that moment and coming out of it and then to sort of cut the meat of it was a real shame, so it\u2019s great to have it back in!\u201d<\/p>\n In total, there were 27 films on our shortlist \u2013 from classic Hollywood fare such as White Christmas all the way up to last year\u2019s Spirited<\/a>.<\/p>\n The third place position went to 1990\u2019s Home Alone, which gained 8 per cent of the vote, while Love Actually came in fourth \u2013 also with 8 per cent, but marginally fewer votes \u2013 and Die Hard rounded out the top five with 7 per cent of the vote.<\/p>\n Interestingly, Elf, which has regularly been a fixture in the top five and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, dropped down to eighth position, with Miracle on 34th Street and animated gem The Snowman both coming ahead of the Will Ferrell<\/a> classic in the final results.<\/p>\n [squirrel-affiliate-playlist squirrel_playlist_id=\u201d608\u2033 \/]<\/p>\n You can find the full results of the poll below:<\/p>\n\n
![\"Kermit](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2019\/12\/Muppet-Christmas-Carol-2-1261aee.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"Muppets")
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