| ★★★★★ | A Campy but heartwarming classic. Seen it 1000 times on TV but so great to watch it uninterrupted. | | Verified Purchase | YES, it's a spinoff from the 1940's "Holiday Inn" picture which paired Bing with Fred Astaire. Sometimes I wish Astaire could've been in this one, but Danny Kaye played the role well. The female dancers were excellent Vera Ellen was in incredible physical condition even for a dancer. Rose Marie Clooney was a fine complement to BIng Crosby's singing.
ALL the cast were great in this campy classic. Dean Jagger as The General was perhaps the best actor in this picture. His acceptance of his "Dear John" letter from the Pentagon telling him he's too old to re-up still hits home and brings a tear...BTW, Anne Whitfield, who plays the Generals Grand Daughter is still alive although now in her 80's.
A wonderful movie to watch at Christmas time. My Co-Fave wth the cinematic version of "It's a Wonderful Life".
Only thing I wish Amazon had was a copy of the RESTORED version because after having seen that on the Big Screen for the first time, I was amazed by the color, the lighting, and the original monaural soundtrack that really highlighted how fantastic Bing Crosby's vocal range was. Also, showcases Clooney's although she was used to doing jazz. | | | | ★★★★★ | The best Christmas movie musical ever made | | Verified Purchase | I don't know what happened to my earlier review - it got wiped for some reason (I did not delete it), but this movie is the best Christmas movie musical ever made. I enjoyed the movie on television growing up, first on NBC, then in local syndication, and acquired the
White Christmas VHS tape
in the early 1990s. I purchased the
2000 DVD
at Best Buy, but had issues with several defective copies, until I finally received a suitable replacement from Paramount Home Video. In 2009, I purchased the
White Christmas Anniversary Edition
with an additional DVD of bonus features, and replaced it with the new Diamond Anniversary Edition in 2014. I did not have a Blu-ray player then; otherwise I would have purchased the
Blu-ray
edition.
Bing Crosby (Captain Bob Wallace), Danny Kaye (Private Phil Davis), Rosemary Clooney (Betty Haynes), and the always underrated dancer Vera-Ellen (Judy Haynes) are in top form. While not all of Irving Berlin's songs in this film are top-drawer, most are first-rate. Character actor Dean Jagger plays the gruff General Tom Waverly, the boys' former Army commander, who now owns the Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont, whom the four principals save from financial ruin by performing their show at the inn. The second disc contains all of the bonus features from previous editions, plus a few new ones, including a "virtual duet" between Bing and Michael Bublé. Rosemary Clooney's poignant commentary track from 2000 remains intact on the main DVD. The other documentaries include featurettes about Bing and his childhood home, Danny Kaye's life, including his showbiz career and his humanitarian work, the making of the movie and the writing of the song itself, a retrospective look back with the late Rosemary Clooney, a tour of Clooney's Kentucky home, the transformation of the film into a stage musical (see below) and a 1954 UNICEF documentary, ASSIGNMENT: CHILDREN, with Danny Kaye (introduced by Michael Bublé - the documentary can be played with or without the intro). There are also two theatrical trailers and several photo galleries. I had more detailed information in the review that was wiped; I tried to remember as much as could - my apologies to other customers for leaving any details out.
HISTORICAL NOTE: WHITE CHRISTMAS was the first movie released in Paramount Pictures' new widescreen format, VistaVision, which unlike its competitors, CinemaScope and Cinerama, was compatible with existing theaters and projection equipment. WHITE CHRISTMAS was supposed to be the third Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire musical for Paramount, following 1942's
Holiday Inn (Blu-ray)
and 1946's
Blue Skies
, but Astaire turned it down because he had just completed filming MGM's
The Band Wagon (Two-Disc Special Edition)
, and wanted to spend time with his family before starting another film project. Other accounts claim that Astaire had another commitment, was either ill or injured, and that he believed was too old for the part. Donald O'Connor was originally signed as Astaire's replacement, but suffered an injury, so Danny Kaye ended up with the role of a lifetime.
I watched the bonus disc again recently. Here are a few more details:
1) Bing's 1976 performance of "White Christmas," where he sings the seldom-heard opening verse. This was the last TV performance of the song aired during Crosby's lifetime; the 1977 special, BING CROSBY'S MERRIE OLDE CHRISTMAS, featuring the "Peace On Earth" / "The Little Drummer Boy" duet with the late David Bowie, aired after Bing's death.
2) The unadulterated 1971 performance of "White Christmas," without Michael Bublé, is from the NBC special, BING CROSBY: THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS. This special, the 1977 special, and two earlier specials from 1961 and 1962, are available on the DVD collection
Bing Crosby: The Television Specials, Volume 2
, which I own.
3) There is also a 1948 black-and-white performance of Bing singing "Silent Night," with a boys' choir. I don't believe this is available elsewhere.
4) There are two performances featuring Danny Kaye - one in black-and-white from 1963, featuring Danny and the late great Nat "King" Cole duetting on a jazzy version of "Jingle Bells," and a color performance from 1965, featuring Kaye's reading of an excerpt from Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Both of these performances are available on the DVD collection,
Christmas With Danny Kaye
, which I also own.
This musical was later transformed into a stage play (
Irving Berlin's White Christmas
). I purchased the original cast CD in 2010, and saw the stage play at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in December 2012. If the play comes to your area, go see it; it is excellent.
The aforementioned HOLIDAY INN, starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, was recently made into a Broadway musical (
Holiday Inn (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
), which I own as well. An excellent television version was recently broadcast on PBS' GREAT PERFORMANCES series. Check your local listings or the PBS Web site for air times. A DVD/Blu-ray version of the same performance is available as a bonus disc with the 75th Anniversary Edition of the original movie.
I hope modern Hollywood never remakes this film. While there are contemporary performers who could do it justice - Michael Bublé, Kristin Chenoweth, Jane Krakowski, Sutton Foster, Harry Connick, Jr., and young dancers such as tappers Melinda Sullivan and Sarah Reich, to name a few - the last thing we need is to turn WHITE CHRISTMAS into a hip-hop mess, as Will Smith recently did with
Annie (Blu-ray)
. The hip-hop generation has HAMILTON; that is enough.
Five stars for this terrific film. | | | | ★★★★★ | full of fun and angst | | Verified Purchase | | White Christmas is iconic, and Bing Crosby sings it again in this film. Originally, he sung it in Holiday Inn; however, this film, which takes place during the Christmas Season, never gets "old." Who will ever forget Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye singing "Sisters" as Rosemary Clooney and Vera Miles make their escape to join our heroes traveling to Stowe, Vermont? Of course, boy gets girl and girl gets boy, but this is a Christmas film, full of fun and angst, as everything works out at the end. Besides, we really enjoy hearing White Christmas at the end of the movie, and this DVD brings it to you loud and clear! Merry Christmas!!! | | | | ★★★★★ | Has a Holiday spirit most "Christmas Movies" will never have | | Verified Purchase | | It is not the greatest movie ever made. It is not a collection of the best Irving Berlin Songs. However it has great production numbers and holiday spirit most "Christmas Movies" will never have! This is just a standard lets put on a show and save the ____ ! Great Moments come and go but the film pays off for the very slow parts. This film is just meant to entertain you not "Challenge Your Belief System". What is great about the film is the dancing and singing. When the scenes work they are "Out of this world". When they don't work its is as exciting as a fruitcake! | | | | ★★★★★ | A Must-Have for any holiday DVD/BluRay collection | | Verified Purchase | | Nope, no audio CD included, and that's ok since the film itself, not a superflous audio CD, is what is important anyway. Opted for the version that includes the Special Features since it was only $2 more, and well worth it. WHITE CHRISTMAS is a masterpiece of acting and superb choreography combined. Vera Ellen's dancing is the main reason I purchased this movie. Watching her is like watching the impossible, yet there she is doing exactly that. The story and the other actors, for me personally, are simply perfect icing on a perfectly baked cake. The Special Features disc is a nice add-on that gives the viewing experience additional levels of context. So in summary, the Diamond Anniversary edition purchased January 2021 does include BluRay, DVD and Special Features discs, but no audio CD. | | | | ★★★★★ | My Wife's Favorite Christmas Movie Arrived In July | | Verified Purchase | Last December my Wife was surfing thru the channels and found White Christmas on but already half way over. She told me how she always loved this movie and how it was her favorite so I put it on my Amazon list to monitor but also began searching the bins at local department stores and on ebay. The problem with the ebay versions was that most were used versions being offered for the price of a new copy.
I was determined to get a copy for her by this Christmas and when Amazon had a coupon for it during their Prime day I decided this was the best deal and time to get it. Upon receiving it, I know there is a 30 day guarantee and told my Wife I was giving her an early Christmas present. After she opened it I suggested she watch it to make sure it played normally. She did and loved it. | | | | ★★★★★ | A Holiday Must! | | Verified Purchase | | Do I need to write anything that hasn't already been written? I love this movie and have to watch it every Christmas season. And when Major-general Waverly walks into the room and his regiment stands at attention, I get weepy - every time. Why? When this movie came out in 1954, WWII was just nine years in the past. Most of the men who fought were in their early thirties by '54, so this is a Valentine to them and their commanders. I will never experience the camaraderie they had, but I can appreciate the sacrifice they made. Okay, this is something different. And, besides that, there is Technicolor, Vistavision, great music, dancing and romance. There. | | | | ★★★★★ | Always a favorite, keep it close to our hearts | | Verified Purchase | White Christmas has been not just a holiday favorite, but a film favorite most of my life. From watching with dad as a kid to watching now with my wife (holidays, Christmas in July, just because), White Christmas is the classic, heartwarming story of 4 people who find love and a renewed sense of the holiday spirit.
The music has always been wonderful and once again this year we’ll visit with Danny, Bing, Rosemary, and Vera Ellen to enjoy their songs and dance. Add in the simple, but heartwarming story, and you have a holiday classic.
If you’ve never seen White Christmas I hope you’ll come away as charmed as I’ve been all my life. And that you’ll find many more viewings only cement this wonderful film in your memories.
And if you have seen it... you know what I’m talking about. | | | | ★★★★★ | WONDERFUL MOVIE! WONDERFUL BLU-RAY DISC! | | Verified Purchase | This is one of my favorite movies. The story is sweet. The songs are good. The acting is good. The BD video quality is SUPERB!
The audio, well, here comes the warning: DON'T listen to the default DTS-HD Master CREATED 5.1 surround sound track as it is terribly muffled and way too quiet. DO listen to the restored DTS-HD Master MONO sound track. It has more oomph! The audio fidelity is great. This sound track is very good. | | | | ★★★★★ | One of the best Christmas movies out there! | | Verified Purchase | | A CLASSIC! I absolutely love this movie. It honestly doesn't even have to be Christmas time for me to want to watch this. I usually start watching this over summer when I need a little bit of Christmas in July. When December rolls around though, this movie is usually on even for background noise. I love this movie so much; the songs, the characters, the storyline, the snow. Great movie and one that I will be watching always. Glad I finally purchased a digital copy! | | | | See more reviews |
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