"Anything else?"
"Yes, I wish I'd thought of it first."
While in the army, entertainer Bob Wallace (Crosby) is almost crushed by falling rubble, but is pushed aside by Phil Davis (Kaye) who gets injured in the process. After the war, Bob and Phil join forces to become a successful song-and-dance team. They are constantly working and planning for the next show, and Phil longs for Bob to settle down so they can have some down time,
As a favor to an old army buddy, they take time to view the sister act of Betty (Clooney), the singer, and Judy (Ellen), the dancer, Haynes. The men are smitten and end up accompanying the girls to their next job, at an inn in Vermont. The inn is run by their former commanding officer, General Waverly (Jagger), who has invested everything into the inn. The inn is in trouble because of the lack of customers and snow. To help business, Bob and Phil arrange to have their entire company come to the inn, and have the Haynes sisters join the act. With romance in the air, they strive to drum up some business for "the old man."
A great holiday classic (even though it didn't make my Top 10 List)... This film was the third film (of 3) to star Bing Crosby and include the song "White Christmas" ("Holiday Inn" in 1942 and "Blue Skies" in 1946 starred Crosby and Fred Astaire). Many critics find this film to be a poor follow-up to "Holiday Inn," but I enjoy both films... I haven't seen "Blue Skies" yet.
Bing Crosby makes this movie... whether by singing the title song, or by matching wits with Danny Kaye, or wooing Rosemary Clooney, he shines. Danny Kaye manages to keep up with Crosby, but I wonder what Fred Astaire would do with the part... I think Kaye is wonderful in general (see "The Court Jester" or "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" to see his best), but at one dance number seemed more fit for someone like Astaire (or Donald O'Connor who was originally hired, but pulled out due to illness). The women are good as well... Rosemary Clooney gets her own ballad "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me" and killer dress (Edith Head was the costume designer... she is amazing, true story. To see other costumes she designed go here for her IMDb page), and Vera-Ellen gets a few dance numbers (you can't take your eyes away!). Besides the leads, the other stand-out player is Mary Wickes as the General's busybody housekeeper. She was often cast in this kind of roles, and she gets some great lines.
White Christmas is a beautiful song, when Bing Crosby is the singer, and this film is the perfect showcase for it.
White Christmas (1954) 120 minutes
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace
Danny Kaye as Phil Davis
Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes
Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes
Dean Jagger as Major General Thomas F. Waverly
Mary Wickes as Emma Allen
"I want you to get married. I want you to have nine children. And if you only spend five minutes a day with each kid, that's forty-five minutes, and I'd at least have time to go out and get a massage or something."
As a favor to an old army buddy, they take time to view the sister act of Betty (Clooney), the singer, and Judy (Ellen), the dancer, Haynes. The men are smitten and end up accompanying the girls to their next job, at an inn in Vermont. The inn is run by their former commanding officer, General Waverly (Jagger), who has invested everything into the inn. The inn is in trouble because of the lack of customers and snow. To help business, Bob and Phil arrange to have their entire company come to the inn, and have the Haynes sisters join the act. With romance in the air, they strive to drum up some business for "the old man."
A great holiday classic (even though it didn't make my Top 10 List)... This film was the third film (of 3) to star Bing Crosby and include the song "White Christmas" ("Holiday Inn" in 1942 and "Blue Skies" in 1946 starred Crosby and Fred Astaire). Many critics find this film to be a poor follow-up to "Holiday Inn," but I enjoy both films... I haven't seen "Blue Skies" yet.
Bing Crosby makes this movie... whether by singing the title song, or by matching wits with Danny Kaye, or wooing Rosemary Clooney, he shines. Danny Kaye manages to keep up with Crosby, but I wonder what Fred Astaire would do with the part... I think Kaye is wonderful in general (see "The Court Jester" or "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" to see his best), but at one dance number seemed more fit for someone like Astaire (or Donald O'Connor who was originally hired, but pulled out due to illness). The women are good as well... Rosemary Clooney gets her own ballad "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me" and killer dress (Edith Head was the costume designer... she is amazing, true story. To see other costumes she designed go here for her IMDb page), and Vera-Ellen gets a few dance numbers (you can't take your eyes away!). Besides the leads, the other stand-out player is Mary Wickes as the General's busybody housekeeper. She was often cast in this kind of roles, and she gets some great lines.
"I got along just fine without you in the Army."
"Yeah. It only took 15,000 men to take my place."
"Yeah. It only took 15,000 men to take my place."
White Christmas is a beautiful song, when Bing Crosby is the singer, and this film is the perfect showcase for it.
White Christmas (1954) 120 minutes
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace
Danny Kaye as Phil Davis
Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes
Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes
Dean Jagger as Major General Thomas F. Waverly
Mary Wickes as Emma Allen
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