White Christmas (1954)

A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Norman Krasna (written for the screen by), Norman Panama (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bing Crosby	...	Bob Wallace
Danny Kaye	...	Phil Davis
Rosemary Clooney	...	Betty Haynes
Vera-Ellen	...	Judy Haynes (as Vera Ellen)
Dean Jagger	...	Major General Thomas F. Waverly
Mary Wickes	...	Emma Allen
John Brascia	...	John
Anne Whitfield	...	Susan Waverly

Storyline

Having left the Army following W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, as the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | sister sister relationship | color in title | snow | train | 

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Taglines:

IRVING BERLIN'S WONDERFUL "WHITE CHRISTMAS" (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the "Wish I Was Back In The Army" number, when the civilian costumes raise up, Danny Kaye's outfit is that of a cobbler (shoemaker). Two years earlier in 1952 Kaye played the title role as a cobbler in Hans Christian Andersen (1952)

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Goofs

The enormous chorus of singers and dancers in the musical numbers, not to mention the army of technicians and musicians required to put on the "little show" at the General's inn, are nowhere evident in the story scenes. It would obviously take an immensely larger accommodation than the inn to house them, anyway.

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Quotes

[first lines]
General Harold G. Carlton: Stop the jeep, Sergeant. What's this all about, Captain?

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Crazy Credits

This film was the first feature to use the VistaVision Paramount logo. A new logo, created especially for wide-screen, this logo appears more realistic and features a shot of a canyon with trees around it. The sky is more distant in depth and is full of contrast. The Paramount logo is pretty much the same as before here. The screen credit "Paramount (with the "P" written in their corporate font) proudly presents the first picture in" first appears over the mountain, and then the VistaVision logo appears, then the Paramount logo plays as usual (with the final notes of the Paramount on Parade march, followed by a bell sound). The Paramount mountain, with minor variations until 1986, served as the basis for the company logo for more than 30 years.

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Connections

Referenced in Melrose Place: Under the Mistletoe (1993)

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Soundtracks

Heat Wave
(uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Performed by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in the montage

User Reviews

Magic !

I have watched this movie countless times over the years and it remains my all-time favorite.. Even now I cannot watch the last scene - when General Waverley enters the dining room and sees his old troop - without becoming teary-eyed. It is a great shame that Hollywood no longer makes movies of this quality .

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1954 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Irving Berlin's White Christmas

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$566,045, 9 December 2018

Gross USA:

$928,298

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,097,995

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording) Perspecta Stereo (optical prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1