Each year I try and highlight a holiday classic that I think deserves more attention than it usually gets. For me the thing I notice is that the classic holiday films that I recall all had positive messages in them without making fun of people, harming people or trying to make light of the holiday. That seems to be the way things go these days.
Everything from Bad Santa’s to holidays people hate to spend with family is fair game in the holiday films made these days. It kind of makes you wonder just what kind of holidays the folks in Hollywood had when they were kids. Mine were all filled with the joyous wonder of a child that believes in that magic of Santa Claus. Today’s film makers all rely on the Grinch.
But occasionally the powers that be on the west coast decide to bring back the classics. Such is the case with the blu-ray release of the Bing Crosby hit WHITE CHRISTMAS. I’ve watched this film every year for some time now (it’s my wife’s favorite) and enjoyed it each time. But this new blu-ray release made me feel like I was seeing a whole new movie.
For those who’ve never seen the film it follows the careers of two entertainers who met up during the war, a seasoned stage vet played by Bing Crosby and a partner he picks up while in the service played by Danny Kaye. After the war they pair up and become quite successful as a duo, so much so that Kaye longs for the days when Crosby will find a woman and settle down so he’ll have some time to himself.
Enter the Haines sisters, sisters of an old Army friend looking for advice. More than advice the elder of the two (played by Rosemary Clooney) catches the eye of Crosby while Kaye gets the younger one (Vera Ellen) to assist him in keeping it going. Soon the whole group heads to Vermont where the girls have a gig at a resort inn.
Low and behold the owner of the inn is the general that Crosby and Kaye served under and admired. With no snow on the ground and all the general’s money tied into an inn about to go under, Crosby decided to bring the cast and crew of his show to the inn under the guise of a rehearsal. Point of fact he’s hoping the appearance of the show will draw people in.
Mix up and overheard phone conversations lead to a misunderstanding in the romance department but all is solved by film’s end. And along the way we’re treated to some fantastic dance and musical sequences with songs by the outstanding Irving Berlin.
So what makes this movie feel so special now? Paramount has done an amazing job of revitalizing this film. The restored print looks amazing with colors that seem to pop off the screen and dazzle like never before. The classic end sequence with the title song and the four main stars decked out in red Santa outfits offer some of the brightest reds I’ve seen onscreen.
But more than, that this film has more heart than anything made in recent times. We’re at a mid point in the history of this country. WW II gave us a war where we had clear cut heroes, a war where we were doing the right thing. Vietnam gave us an undefined war that resulted in protest and a completely different treatment of the soldiers who returned home. The soldiers depicted here in the film’s opening and the respect they offer the man they served under in the film’s finale show a different time and a different attitude.
Perhaps there were well deserved moments of disrespect to be aimed at career military strategists at one time, but they were few and far between and the entire group didn’t need to be lumped together. And sadly it seems that happened and continues to this day. But the tide is finally turning and a newfound respect for those in the military is growing. Too bad Hollywood is more focused on the things they do wrong than the things they do right. Perhaps there’s some justice though in the fact that films dealing with how bad the military is these days seem doomed at the box office.
So where does this tie in with WHITE CHRISTMAS? The story. The tale of two men affected by the war, brought together by the war and who offer up their services and admiration for a man they followed in the war. You can’t help but watch the final sequence of this film and not swell with pride at the reunion of soldiers there to honor a man who commanded them in battle. But enough with the military.
The film is filled with some of the best music and dance seen on screen. Watching Kaye and Ellen glide effortlessly while the tune “The Best Things Happened When You Dance” or listening to Crosby sing “Counting My Blessings” to a Clooney as they fall in love continue to entertain to this day.
As I said earlier, while watching this new blu-ray release of the film I was stunned by the appearance. I found it breathtaking to see the colors pop, the crispness and clarity of the picture and the sound that filled the screen bringing this classic back to life.
So often we forget those wonderful movies we grew up with, those that came to life on a one night each year around Christmas. With new technology we have the opportunity to not only relive those great movie moments, we have the chance to share them with an entire new generation. And with the restored versions, like this one, we have the chance to see them as they were meant to be seen.
The new blu-ray edition of WHITE CHRISTMAS has extras but those aren’t the important thing. It’s the movie that is. And if you receive a blu-ray player for Christmas, this is one film that you should definitely add to your collection. You can make the viewing of WHITE CHRISTMAS an annual event in your home just as we have. And you’ll find yourself singing one tune or another days after watching.
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