WHITE CHRISTMAS

The 1954 movie WHITE CHRISTMAS is a timeless classic Christmas musical which remains entertaining for all ages. Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen, this winner is set in green Vermont after musical duo Wallace and Davis follow the Hayne Sisters to a hotel in Vermont run by Wallace and Davis’ General from World War II. WHITE CHRISTMAS is enchanting and filled with beautiful dance numbers, fabulous color photography, and gorgeous singing from the full cast.

Bob Wallace (played by Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (played by Danny Kaye) are two veterans of World War II in Europe. Phil saves Bob from a falling wall in an air raid, but injures his arm. Bob later visits Phil at the field hospital and thanks the private for saving his life. When Bob offers a favor to repay the debt, Phil shows him a duet he wrote and asks to perform with Bob back in New York City. Feeling obligated by Phil’s heroism, Bob agrees. Soon, their act makes it big in nightclubs, radio and then on Broadway, and they become producers.

Fast Forward several years. Bob and Phil are performing when they receive a letter from an old army buddy who wants them to see his sister’s act. Davis and Bob watch the Haynes sisters, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), perform. Phil sees an opportunity to acquire some new talent for their act as well as get Bob hitched.

The Haynes sisters were on their way to Vermont after the performance until they forget to pay their landlord for an alleged stain on the carpet in their hotel room. Phil bails them out by giving them their tickets to New York. Phil manages to weasel his way onto the train and convinces Bob to perform with the Haynes sisters in Vermont. When they arrive at the hotel, Bob and Phil are surprised to find out the hotel’s owner is Bob and Phil’s old General, Thomas Waverly.

Since there’s no snow in Vermont at the time, that means there is no business. Because of this, Bob and Phil decide to run their own act at Christmas to pull in audiences for the Haynes Sisters Act. As Bob speaks on the phone with his producers in New York, Betty, the older sister, misunderstands their conversation and takes it for something else. Betty grows upset and Judy thinks it’s because she feels guilty for speaking to Bob after she herself has not yet gotten engaged with a man.

Meanwhile, Bob learns the Army has rejected the General’s request to reenlist. So, he decides they need to show the General that he isn’t forgotten.

WHITE CHRISTMAS is enchanting and filled with beautiful dance numbers, fabulous color photography, and gorgeous singing from the whole cast. The movie is magnificently shot with Irving Berlin’s classic score setting the tone. Bing Crosby’s crystal blue eyes and crooning voice still captures the hearts of audiences decades later. The movie is very patriotic and uplifting, and is set in an age where people refuse to compromise their moral standards. The choreography is reminiscent of Hollywood and Broadway choreographer Bob Fosse’s style of dance, which can be seen in many movie musicals. Although WHITE CHRISTMAS is a Christmas movie, it truly can be enjoyed at any time of year. MOVIEGUIDE® suggests Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS for media-wise families with children of all ages.