Comfort Classics: White Christmas {Movie Review}

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I’ve had so much fun sharing my favorite classic movies with you this year! These films are so precious and nostalgic to me, having grown up on them and having enjoyed them with the people I love most.

Wrapping up the year with a review of White Christmas is perfect, both because it’s December and because this is possibly my favorite movie of all time.

The traveling White Christmas exhibit came to our local history museum last winter! This collection of costumes, promotional posters, and memorabilia is normally housed in a museum in Kentucky. Paul and I had so much fun exploring the displays together.

“Vermont should be beautiful this time of year with all that snow.”

This is a pretty familiar movie and I don’t have loads to say about it, but let’s jump into the review anyway!

Rundown:

• Year: 1954
• Starring: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney

Synopsis from IMDB: 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.

Why I Love It:

• Movies set in the 1940’s and early 1950’s are some of my favorites. I love the clothes, the hair, and their etiquette.
• What’s not to love? It’s funny, quotable, and full of good feels and sentiment. The costumes are amazing. The songs are classic. The actors are perfect for their roles. The setting at Columbia Inn is so cozy. I could go on and on!
• Mary Wickes plays the housekeeper at Columbia Inn, and she has some of the best lines in the movie. She’s an incredible supporting cast member in several other classic movies like On Moonlight Bay and By The Light of the Silvery Moon (both with Doris Day). Her “abrupt, tell-it-like-it-is demeanor made her a consistent audience favorite on every medium for over six decades” (from IMDB). “If I wasn’t such a mean old biddy, I’d break right down and cry!”

See more of my White Christmas inspired decor on this post!

It’s Worth Mentioning That:

• This film features music by Irving Berlin, just as in There’s No Business Like Show Business, and is directed by Michael Curtiz who also directed Casablanca.
• Being a musical, there is one “weird” song that I always fast forward. Do you skip the “Choreography” number?
• If you’ve ever wondered about the random guy that dances with Vera-Ellen’s character but has no lines in the movie – here’s the explanation. Donald O’Connor was originally supposed to play Phil Davis, but had to pull out at the last minute due to illness. Danny Kaye replaced Donald O’Connor (and marvelously so, even though I’m a fan of both actors). The film was pretty far into pre-production, but Danny Kaye didn’t have the same dancing skills as Donald O’Connor. John Brascia was pulled from the ensemble cast to dance the more technical routines with Vera Ellen to avoid re-working all the musical numbers.

Here is a little taste of the movie:

Where To Watch It:

Currently it is available to rent on YouTube, Amazon and Netflix. If you have a DVD player you might be able to rent it from the library or grab it at Target!

You might even be able to find it for free on YouTube. Just search the movie title or “[movie title] full movie.”

If You Like This, You Also Might Enjoy:

• The Shop Around The Corner
• Miracle on 34th Street
• There’s No Business Like Show Business

Have you seen White Christmas? If not, have I convinced you to give it a watch?

This post is part of my Comfort Classics Series, where I review a classic film from my list of favorites.