December 3, 2013 – yadadarcyyada

Of all the Christmas movies this wins as cheese master. They make every effort to tug at every heart-string and be hepcats at the same time. It’s a rather odd mixture that strangely, works. I love this movie. The songs are embedded in my brain…“Snow” ,“Sisters”,“The Old Man”,“Gee I Wish I Was Back In The Army”, “Love You Didn’t Do Right By Me”,“The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing”,“Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep”, and of course, the title song, “White Christmas”.

I wish I could say I ever get tired of this movie, but I don’t. And it’s not like I sing and dance along with it, the entire time, every single song…

Amusing White Christmas trivia:

White Christmas was the first Paramount film released in VistaVision.

Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen only sang “Sisters” together (and most of Vera-Ellen’s part was dubbed by Rosemary Clooney). All other Vera-Ellen songs were sung by Trudy Stevens. But Vera-Ellen sure could dance (at only 18 Vera-Ellen was one of the youngest Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall).If you like Rosemary Clooney’s voice in the movie, note a change when you’re listening to the original soundtrack. Rosemary Clooney wasn’t available, it’s really Peggy Lee you’re hearing. Later an actual soundtrack with Crosby, Clooney, Kaye and Stevens was released on CD.

The photo shown by Vera-Ellen of the Haynes’ brother Benny is really Carl Switzer, who played Alfalfa in The Little Rascals.

White Christmas was directed by Academy Award winning director Michael Curtiz, also directed the classic Casablanca.

The title song, written by Irving Berlin originally used in the 1942 Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire classic, Holiday Inn. It won the film an Oscar for Best Original Song.

The stunning and talented Rosemary Clooney is also the Aunt of George Clooney and was in an episode of ER with him.

The choreography for WC was by an uncredited and young Bob Fosse.

The General played by successful character actor Dean Jagger had a nearly 60 years in over 100 films.

Vera-Ellen played the part of the younger sister, but Rosemary Clooney was actually seven years younger than Vera-Ellen.

White Christmas was the top grossing film of 1954.

This used to be on once a Christmas season when I was a child, like A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty The Snowman, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Now it’s on many times a season, of course the season is now almost 3 months long. Also available on DVD, download, streamed, etc.

But there was something special in knowing it was only on one night a year. My parents would be on their way out to a Christmas party, in fancy clothes and smelling so good as they leaned down to kiss my brother and me good night. In theory we were supposed to be asleep when they got home. We had pizza made from the box mix, after all, it was a special occasion. We had pop which was rare threat. We made popcorn in the air popper with its special butter tray. My crazy cat would run and sit on the back on my Dad’s chair and beg for some of the melted butter. The fire was crackling. Or other nights with the same scene except my parents were home and we’d be laughing, joking around, watching the Christmas specials, it was fun because they only came on once a year. I wonder if our abundance or even overabundance has made things less special in some ways.

Rudolph, Santa’s 9th reindeer was a simple story of accepting others for their differences, embracing diversity. Rudolph was bullied for his differences until they realized different doesn’t mean bad. They added a few characters to this stop animation classic, adding to 1939 poem written by Robert L. May. And of course, The Island of Misfit Toys which was 2001 sorta sequel.

I hope Christmas can still have special moments for young and young at heart…