White Christmas (1954)

White Christmas (1954)

One thing I love about having taken on this attempt to keep up a blog, is that not only am I doing something I wish I did formally long ago (reviewing movies) but it also forces me to step out of my normal "comfort" zone and watch movies I would normally be dismissive of. Case in point. White Christmas. A 1954 flick starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and one Vera-Ellen (seriously that's her name). This is one of those films I have known about forever, but whether the underwhelming synopsis or my disdain for certain "classics" I was gun-shy about ever giving this film a reasonable chance. I am happy to say that it was a grievous error on my part for ever thinking such ridiculous thoughts.

The premise, while still underwhelming at first glance, is simple. A couple of army mates become famous.... um... variety musical broadway acts after the war, and they meet up with two sisters who also have an act. There is some chemistry and before we know it, we find ourselves in Vermont in a distinctly non-white (no snow) Christmas. Shenanigans ensue, everyone sings about it, and Vera-Ellen dances because she can't do much else. But really who cares about the story, this film is about a bygone era. Though the world itself may not have been as idealistic as it is in films of the time, but there is still a wonderful sense of whimsy and fantasy that escapes even the most visually advanced special effects of today's movies. These kind of films reassured the idea of hope and dreams that cynicism today is prevalent in media and saturates so much of our "escapism".

I will undoubtedly prove myself a hypocrite however, as it is the very same cynicism that made me irritated with such films as Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." Sacrilege to many who may consider it to be the quintessential holiday film, I personally find it frustrating and.... wait for it.... annoying. Crazy right? I mean you can't get more whimsical or sappy as that flick right? Well except that it is way too neatly wrapped up and way too fantastical. I am all about adding the magic and whimsy that is lost in real life to folks in need of cheer, but films like Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" irritate me because you have a self-involved deadbeat who doesn't think about the atrocity he'd cause to his family by committing suicide, regardless of the divine intervention.

As per usual I digress....as I was saying, I enjoyed White Christmas. I still wasn't sold on the premise as I began watching it, but what actually sold me on it was a co-worker who explained that she was excited to see the stage version which is sort of the regular Christmas event in the city where I live. For her, it was a part of Christmas memories, a tradition. For me and my wife, the closest would probably be the stage version of A Christmas Carol, which has been a long running annual event where we are originally from. Hearing my co-worker talk about it made me want to give the film an honest effort. Still I was cautious given how many people unabashedly love "It's a Wonderful Life."

The good: The whimsy. The dance numbers. The song numbers. Unlike usual musicals where people just burst into song and dance in mid-conversation, that only happens once or twice here. The rest of it is explained away and justified by the variety show they are trying to put on to save the Vermont lodge their old retired general is running. Bing Crosby was surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because he started off a little wooden and I worried he was just going to be a crooner "acting" in this. But he was very enjoyable as the strongest singer of the cast. Danny Kaye who I can only describe as a mix between a member of the Weasely family from the Harry Potter books and Kramer from Seinfeld, is the all around singer/dancer combo. Romemary Clooney was fantastic. She portrays her character with mannerisms and nuance way ahead of her time compared to her peers. She's also pulls off the whole attractive but not in a classical sense form of beauty. You might describe it as an unconventional beauty that is beyond mere cosmetic appearances. Vera-Ellen is undoubtedly the weakest member of the cast. She's attractive in the standard Barbie-esque sense, but forgettable when she is not dancing. Like Brittney (the ditsy cheerleader in Glee), her personality only really comes out when she is dancing, in which she is obviously way more comfortable than acting or singing. Honourable mention goes out to Dean Jagger who plays the "General" for which the entire film revolves plot-wise. Watching this flick in HD and seeing the scene when everyone surprises him with the event to honour him (watch the movie, you'll understand what I am talking about), you can see him tear up and having witnessed him be such a strong confident male figure, getting misty at the show of affection, you'd be hard to not get a little misty yourself.

The bad: The little plot "contrivances" in which oh-so-many narratives revolve around. I mean I get it. I know why stories have to revolve around little miscommunication routines, but it is always rather tedious seeing drama for the sake of drama. Knowing that a simple pointed question can clear up all the confusion and yet we must bear witness to characters acting irrationally. Disregard my concern though, I think it stems from having watched one too many "Gossip Girl" episodes (my wife loves that show) which basically only has that one premise as a plot device.

Final Thoughts: To reiterate, I am very happy I had the opportunity to watch this show. I learned a valuable lesson of not treating all classics the same as any Frank Capra film. There is a lot to enjoy here, and only a few parts that aren't as fun. Definitely give it a go if you are looking for expanding your repertoire of classic film knowledge or you want another flick to enjoy with the family. Not a lot for kidlings to appreciate but still a good tale.

Add to the Vault? At this time, I don't think it needs to be added to the vault. It definitely has repeat merit but I am not to the point (like my coworker) where this is an essential Christmas tradition just yet. I definitely appreciate the film and will undoubtedly give it another gander in the future, but with it's "classic" status solidified long before I ever reviewed it, I highly doubt I will be under any pressure to add it to the vault before it disappears.


Look for it in your channel listings this holiday season, and brew up a nice cup of hot cocoa to enjoy while you watch. Without waiting for next Christmas, here is the trailer for Irving Berlin's White Christmas.