“The Crooner is Now Becoming the Comic.”
I think I’d seen White Christmas once many years ago, but I’m not completely sure about that. Last year, I decided it was time to sit down and watch it again, so I recorded it from TV and did just that. I immediately fell in love with it.
The story revolves around Bob Wallace and Phil Davis (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye), friends from World War II who have become successful song and dance performers turned procuders after the war ended. There’s just one problem – Bob is driven to keep the show fresh and keep bringing in a new audience while Phil would like a little down time to enjoy life. Phil’s plan involves getting Bob married.
Enter the Haynes sisters, Betty and Judy (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen). Through a series of events, the two duos wind up meeting and traveling to an inn in Vermont, which is having an unusually warm December. The Haynes sisters have been booked to perform at an inn there, but there is no one around since there is no snow on the ground. The inn is owned by Bob and Phil’s old commanding officer (Dean Jagger). Will the seeds of romance bloom while they try to help the general?
Really, I could summarize my review with one sentence – this is a musical romantic comedy set at Christmas. If that sounds appealing to you, you’ll probably love it. If the idea makes you shudder, you should probably skip the movie.
Fortunately, that sounded like fun to me, because I really enjoyed it. Yes, the plot is fairly predictable, including the usual misunderstandings and people jumping to conclusions. Yet it is fun. I really liked the characters, which helped. I was rooting for all of them to end the movie happy. A few things seemed to be wrapped up rather quickly. Out of left field in some cases. But since I was expecting the endings the characters got, I’m not that upset by it. Honestly, I found some of the tropes are still around today in modern Christmas movies. Again, that’s not a bad thing if you enjoy them and know that’s what you are getting going in.
The actors are all wonderful. You can tell they are clearly having a great time working on this picture. Whether it is a serious scene or a comedic moment, they hit all the beats perfectly.
And the songs and dance numbers! The movie was built around the music of Irving Berlin, which included the already popular title song. Since the leads are all involved in show business, some of the numbers are just us watching the rehearsals for the show they are planning to put on. That’s right, not every song contributes to the story. Those numbers can be a bit out there, but that’s okay overall because the choreography is fun and well worth watching.
This movie represents the kind of big budget musicals that aren’t made any more. No, it isn’t filled with special effects or stunts, but it is filled with lavish costumes and sets. Yes, you can tell the outdoor sets are really in a studio somewhere, but they still look wonderful. The details are just fantastic. Yes, the styles are from the 50’s, but they still look great.
I’m glad I gave this film a second chance. I’m definitely interested in watching White Christmas again in the future. It might even become a movie I look forward to viewing each December.
Probably my favorite Christmas movie, although The Muppets' Christmas Carol is right up there. I'm a sap for the song, "We'll Follow the Old Man", and I always cry during it.
ReplyDeleteI saw this movie and enjoyed it, but the live theater version was even better. If you haven't seen the live version and you ever get the opportunity, you should go. :)
ReplyDeleteWe watched this movie as a holiday tradition for a couple of decades. We skip it most years, now, because we have the dialogue memorized! Still, I consider it a favorite.
ReplyDeleteI love this movie. It's definitely in my Top 5 of Christmas movies. Have you watched It Happened On 5th Avenue? Not a musical but a good one - and it features a very young Skipper from Gilligan's Island!
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