White Christmas (1954)

“I got along very well in the Army without you.” – Gen. Thomas F. Waverly 

“It took 15,000 men to take m’ place.” – Emma Allen

Number of Times Seen – 1 (2 Jan 2019)

Brief Synopsis – Two entertainers team up with two singer sisters in order to save the inn of their former army commander.

My Take on it – This is a film that surprised me a bit by the fact that I had never seen it before.

Yes, it’s a classic film that is titled and features one of the most famous Christmas songs ever written.

I’m glad that I finally had the chance to check it out.

The cast is great and that has a lot to do with the pairing of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in this film.

They seem like naturals together and they help keep this film so much fun.

The song and dance numbers of the film are great and they are choreographed to near perfection which also helps.

The story itself seems a bit on the simplistic side yet they find a way to keep things fun the entire time especially at the junctures where the blend the army and entertainment worlds together.

The characters have a great camaraderie and the way they are able to connect with their fellow former servicemen is extremely moving and understandable because it helps show the idea of the brotherhood between bands of soldiers even years later which is quite moving to watch.

Th songs of this film are great to listen to but obviously the title song is the most poignant of them all and stands out as being the very best which helps explain why it is still so popular after so many decades.

Bottom Line – Much more enjoyable than I had expected. The cast is great and Crosby and Kaye are naturals together.  The song and dance numbers are great and they are choreographed to perfection. The story itself is a bit simple yet still manages to stay fun along the way especially when they find a way to make the army and entertainment world together.  The camaraderie of the characters and their extended servicemen is quite moving and helps make the film more poignant in its message about brotherhood.  The songs are great and obviously the title song stands out among the rest as being the very best. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – According to Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye’s “Sisters” performance was not originally in the script. They were clowning around on the set, and director Michael Curtiz thought it was so funny that he decided to film it. In the scene, Crosby’s laughs are genuine and unscripted, as he was unable to hold a straight face due to Kaye’s comedic dancing. Clooney said the filmmakers had a better take where Crosby didn’t laugh, but when they ran them both, people liked the laughing version better. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)

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