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 | train | war veteran | hotel | ski lodge | 

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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:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the movie, the four main characters take the train from Florida to Vermont, which in 1954 would have required changing trains in New York. This is alluded to during the "travel sequence," by showing stock footage of two different trains in subsequent shots. However, the trains seen in these shots in the film are both West Coast trains! The first train is the Santa Fe Railroad 'San Diegan' (note the palm trees in the background), followed by the Southern Pacific's 'Coast Mail', a local coach train. Neither railroad ran trains on the East Coast.

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Goofs

When Clooney confronts Vera-Ellen in the dressing room, about the bogus letter that Vera sent, falsely using their brother's name, Clooney says that the brother got a job in Alaska. She goes on to say that "he has been out of the country for three months". Alaska has been part of the USA since it was purchased, March 30, 1867. A check for $7,200,000.00 was issued on August 1, 1868 and made payable to Edouard de Stoeckl, the Russian Minister to the United States. Alaska has been part of the USA ever since, and was admitted to the union as the 49th state, Jan 3,1959.

"Freckle face" was not out of the country at all.

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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 Louder with Crowder: Ben Shapiro, Milo and Iowa Coin Toss Czar (2016)

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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

Who hasn't herd about this film?

I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 400 (C H R I S T M A S ) MOVIES AND SPECIALS.

BEWARE OF BOGUS REVIEWS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE NO AGENDA! I AM HONEST! I REVIEW MOVIES & SPECIALS AS A WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN!

Can you believe it? I have seen over 400 "Christmas Movies" and I finally saw "White Christmas" last night. I know that after "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol" "White Christmas" must be one of the best known Christmas theme movies.

For some reason I avoided this movie. I think I did see parts of it over the years but it never held my interest. It had to be 30+ years since I last saw clips from the film. Now in 2017 I finally saw it all the way through and I am glad I did. Its a fun film but, not great film. I think however the older you are the more you will enjoy it.

On Christmas Eve, 1944, somewhere in Europe, two World War II U.S. Army soldiers, one a Broadway entertainer, Captain Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby), the other an aspiring entertainer, Private Phil Davis (Danny Kaye), perform for the 151st Division. But, word has come down that their beloved commanding officer, Major General Thomas F. Waverly (Dean Jagger), is being relieved of his command. He arrives for the end of the show and delivers an emotional farewell.

Years later they run into the General who now own & runs a resort. The resort is struggling. They vow to help save his resort.

The film is well worth seeing. Rosemary Clooney was a great singer and she shines in this. Watching Vera Ellen dance is worth the purchase of a DVD.

Now if you are under 30 you might not like this. However the older you are the more you understand the motives of the people in the film.

Don't miss this!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1954 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Noël blanc

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