Do you have that nice warm fuzzy feeling? If you do then you must be watching Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.White Christmas was released in 1954 and stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. Set in the years following World War II, it tells the story of two old army acquaintances who team up in show business and become successful Broadway producers. In fact, Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye) are so wrapped up in their careers that they never can find time to meet any women and settle down. But after receiving a tip from an old army buddy, they go to see the Haynes sisters’ act. After the act, Betty Haynes (Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Ellen) meet the great Wallace and Davis and no one’s life is ever the same.
After a very brief period of excitement and confusion, all four end up in a snowless Vermont, just weeks before Christmas. They arrive at the Pine Tree Inn, where the Haynes sisters are scheduled to perform for the holidays. Wallace and Davis soon learn that this inn is owned by their former commanding officer, General Tom Waverly. After learning of the “Old Man’s” troubles, they team up with the girls to give him the greatest Christmas present ever.
I love this movie. It’s tied (with The Muppet Christmas Carol) for the title of my favorite Christmas movie. I love musicals (and I’ve been in quite a few), so this movie naturally speaks to me. Everything about it is wonderful. The songs are magnificent and so are the singers (though Ms. Ellen did not actually sing for the film). Whether they are singing of the fun they will have in snowy Vermont or the cruel nature of the thing we call love, I cannot recall a single musical moment I didn’t enjoy.
This production also contains awesome dancing! The dancing is so great that I can even forget the fact that Ms. Ellen was not able to vocally perform. (I can also forget my extreme jealousy of her and her size -1 waist, but I digress). The movie is filled with such energetic dancing that you can’t help but watch and wish you could do that too.
But my favorite part of the movie is the characters, from Bob Wallace to Gen. Waverly’s nosy maid. They aren’t in the least bit fake; at no point did I look at the film and think, “Gee, those people are acting well.” Instead, I thought, “Wow, those people really care about the general.” That’s extremely rare to find in a movie. I may just be jaded, but I can’t fully express how refreshing it was to not see one person overact.
I would like to get one thing off my chest, however. I know there are some out there who don’t feel that this movie qualifies as a Christmas movie. While I respect everyone’s right to their own opinion, in this case they are wrong. The Christmas season is defined by the selflessness and the generosity that the spirit of giving engenders in everyone. This is clearly shown in White Christmas. Wallace and Davis have so much admiration for their former commanding officer that they incur the cost of bringing their entire show up to Vermont to attract business, and also arrange an amazing surprise for the general in the process. After all, Christmas is the time when we think of those we care about and what would make them happy instead of ourselves. OK, my rant is done now. Back to the review.
As I said before, I love this movie. I have only good memories of sitting with my dad and watching it at Christmastime, both of us singing along. While that fact probably increases my love of the movie, it would still be a great movie even without that. That’s definitely an honor: to be able to take away all good memories associated with a film and still end up loving it, simply because it’s a great film. This shows the caliber of film that White Christmas is and why it deserves a 22. That’s right! I gave a movie a 22! I would like to thank Santa for bringing me such a wonderful Christmas present every year.
PLEASE NOTE: Today, 7/10/08, I was having a conversation with our own Dr. Worm about whether our ratings are based on enjoyment of the film or if it is good or not. With this conversation in mind I would like to give a slight amendment to this post. While I definitely enjoyed this movie to the 22 level, I feel I must give it a second rating for the goodness of the film. White Christmas receives a very respectable 10 in that area.
Now if Particle Man doesn’t mind, I’m going to borrow his iconic lines segment.
Iconic Lines:
Phil: My dear partner, when what’s left of you gets to what’s left to be gotten, what’s left won’t be worth getting, whatever it is you got left.
General Waverly: I got along very well in the army with out you.
Emma (the maid): It took 15,000 men to take my place!
After a very brief period of excitement and confusion, all four end up in a snowless Vermont, just weeks before Christmas. They arrive at the Pine Tree Inn, where the Haynes sisters are scheduled to perform for the holidays. Wallace and Davis soon learn that this inn is owned by their former commanding officer, General Tom Waverly. After learning of the “Old Man’s” troubles, they team up with the girls to give him the greatest Christmas present ever.
I love this movie. It’s tied (with The Muppet Christmas Carol) for the title of my favorite Christmas movie. I love musicals (and I’ve been in quite a few), so this movie naturally speaks to me. Everything about it is wonderful. The songs are magnificent and so are the singers (though Ms. Ellen did not actually sing for the film). Whether they are singing of the fun they will have in snowy Vermont or the cruel nature of the thing we call love, I cannot recall a single musical moment I didn’t enjoy.
This production also contains awesome dancing! The dancing is so great that I can even forget the fact that Ms. Ellen was not able to vocally perform. (I can also forget my extreme jealousy of her and her size -1 waist, but I digress). The movie is filled with such energetic dancing that you can’t help but watch and wish you could do that too.
But my favorite part of the movie is the characters, from Bob Wallace to Gen. Waverly’s nosy maid. They aren’t in the least bit fake; at no point did I look at the film and think, “Gee, those people are acting well.” Instead, I thought, “Wow, those people really care about the general.” That’s extremely rare to find in a movie. I may just be jaded, but I can’t fully express how refreshing it was to not see one person overact.
I would like to get one thing off my chest, however. I know there are some out there who don’t feel that this movie qualifies as a Christmas movie. While I respect everyone’s right to their own opinion, in this case they are wrong. The Christmas season is defined by the selflessness and the generosity that the spirit of giving engenders in everyone. This is clearly shown in White Christmas. Wallace and Davis have so much admiration for their former commanding officer that they incur the cost of bringing their entire show up to Vermont to attract business, and also arrange an amazing surprise for the general in the process. After all, Christmas is the time when we think of those we care about and what would make them happy instead of ourselves. OK, my rant is done now. Back to the review.
As I said before, I love this movie. I have only good memories of sitting with my dad and watching it at Christmastime, both of us singing along. While that fact probably increases my love of the movie, it would still be a great movie even without that. That’s definitely an honor: to be able to take away all good memories associated with a film and still end up loving it, simply because it’s a great film. This shows the caliber of film that White Christmas is and why it deserves a 22. That’s right! I gave a movie a 22! I would like to thank Santa for bringing me such a wonderful Christmas present every year.
PLEASE NOTE: Today, 7/10/08, I was having a conversation with our own Dr. Worm about whether our ratings are based on enjoyment of the film or if it is good or not. With this conversation in mind I would like to give a slight amendment to this post. While I definitely enjoyed this movie to the 22 level, I feel I must give it a second rating for the goodness of the film. White Christmas receives a very respectable 10 in that area.
Now if Particle Man doesn’t mind, I’m going to borrow his iconic lines segment.
Iconic Lines:
Phil: My dear partner, when what’s left of you gets to what’s left to be gotten, what’s left won’t be worth getting, whatever it is you got left.
General Waverly: I got along very well in the army with out you.
Emma (the maid): It took 15,000 men to take my place!
12 comments:
"I know there are some out there who don’t feel that this movie qualifies as a Christmas movie."
(smiles awkwardly as every finger in the room is pointed right at him)
;-)
seriously, SP, you make a very good point. the selfless an generous spirit is a major theme of Christmas movies, and this one hits the nail on the head. my problem is this: one has to think a little bit to make the connection between "free show at a snowed-in lodge" to "Christmas spirit." i like my Christmas themes to be a little more obvious, like in Scrooged or It's a Wonderful Life. as far as Christmas movies go, this one is pretty anemic and crippled. there are literally dozens of Christmas movies that bring out the themes of Christmas stronger and more explicitly. also, i don't really like musicals, so the exceptional dancing and the great songs were totally lost on me. the scene where they're practicing for the show was one great big yawn-fest for me.
oh well, though. different strokes, i guess.
I have no idea what you are talking about Particle Man ;). I appreciate you seeing my point I know it took some thinking. For me this movie screams christmas. It must be the music and dancing. All of that appeals to my emotional and mushy side, which is ok during christmas. Music is my way of showing emotion so I cannot think of a better for the characters to show theirs.
I also love this movie, though not as much as you, SP. It's a good story, though I think that it's mostly just a backdrop to show the audience some really good singing and dancing. The four main characters are not only actors, but great entertainers. Especially Crosby and Kaye.
I definitely agree that it is a Christmas movie. I think the disconnect that you're talking about, PM, comes with the fact that the characters' primary concern isn't Christmas. All the other elements exist: spending the holidays together, goodwill, gift-giving, getting stuff ready in time for Christmas day, blah blah blah. But the characters aren't running around saying "We need more goodwill! It's Christmas!" or "Whatever will we do if something bad happens on Christmas!?" Their primary concern is to help a good friend, and also to work out their own relationships. The fact that it's Christmas is frosting on the cake.
Btw, no over-acting? I think Danny Kaye qualifies for category a few times in this movie...
I don't think Danny Kaye overacts. His character calls to be ou there and I think he achieves that. He also makes me laugh.
well, i guess that depends on your definition of "overact," WLC. if a role calls for an actor to be ridiculously over the top, it's not overacting. look at Will Ferrell in Elf, to cite another Christmas movie.
that brings up another point. i guess there are a lot of Christmas movies that take place during Christmas, but don't really deal explicitly with Christmas. White Christmas, Love Actually, and even It's a Wonderful Life could fall into this category. i guess my definition of a Christmas movie needs to be a little broader.
You know, the whole Christmas movie vs. non-Christmas movie debate is fascinating. As is the overacting vs. non-overacting debate. But why aren't we discussing the fact that STORMY PINKNESS GIVE WHITE CHRISTMAS A 22!!?? White Christmas, of all movies!
Granted, SP has a right to rank a movie however she wants to, but is there really nothing about this movie that might bump it down to, say, a 21? No imperfection whatsoever?
Maybe it's just me, but I hold the prized 22 ranking in much higher esteem. I've watched hundreds of movies in my life, many of which have stretched for and nearly reached the brass ring that is 22, but none that have been able to capture it.
So I guess for me, to extend the carousel/brass ring analogy, it's as though I've been watching the carousel go round and round, as plenty of willing candidates have tried and failed to capture it. Then, inexplicably, someone's mom just walks up to the brass ring holder, takes out the brass ring, and hands it to her chubby little spoiled kid. (The kid being White Christmas in this analogy, the mom being SP.)
Am I crazy here? Perhaps a little. But I can't bear to see the 22 given away so wantonly without us even having a discussion about it.
in my opinion, no movie can EVER garner a 22, just like no movie can reach he depths of a -22. 22 represents complete perfection, and frankly, that's not possible in this fallen world. and even the worst movie i have ever seen only got a -20, because that represents a complete lack of ANY redeeming qualities, as well as an abundance of negative aspects. i think it's pretty vulgar of SP to give a 22 to White Christmas, a movie that in my mind gets a -9. but hey, she's entitled to her opinion, even if we all know it's totally wrong. :-D j/k
I'd like to suggest that maybe SP rate the movie twice: once as just a general movie rating, and once as a personal preference rating. Sometimes we lose the fact that these ratings can be seen as both subjective and objective.
Which type of rating was this 22 for you, SP? Was this a rating of actual objective movie quality? Or just the amount that you enjoyed it? That should make a bit of difference...
Allow me to ruin the party and suggest that if you do establish a two ratings mechanism you'll also have to establish the relationship between the two, and that could be a headache. A sort of a too tangled a web to deal with.
I think it's much easier to accept that certain films have a very emotional impact on people, and that's it.
No way. Why would there be any headaches? Rating #1: Objective rating; what is the movie quality, taking into consideration the acting, plot, sound, visual effects, etc? Rating #2: subjective rating; how much did I personally enjoy the movie, taking into account my personal tastes?
I think it's very simple. For example, I know that there have been plenty of films that I have loved, but that wouldn't stand a chance next to most other quality films.
What's the point of having a 22 in the rating scale if you're not even going to use it? It has to be used at some point... it's actually nice to see it used and on an older movie. Quite frankly, there are very few movies out there today that deserve the 22 rating.
I guess the point is, technically speaking, a 22 is movie perfection. I don't necessarily have a problem with someone giving a widely recognized great movie a 22...but White Christmas? I think that's why I said that it might be a 22 to SP personally, but I don't necessarily think she'd say that objectively, White Christmas qualifies as a 22. But she's welcome to correct me. :) We need to protect the integrity of the scale.
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