White Christmas (1954) directed by Michael Curtiz
After putting on a farewell show for their World War II commander General Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger), Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) return to America and become a show biz sensation. While in Florida, Phil tries to set up Bob for a date on their last night before returning to New York. Phil wants Bob to settle down because Bob is a workaholic which means that Phil has no free time in his own life. Bob has another plan for their last night. He's received a letter from one of their old army buddies asking Wallace and Davis to go see his sisters perform their act. Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) have a nice act at a club, though their brother has been in Alaska for months, so the letter really came from Judy. Betty confesses to Bob because she feels guilty. Bob tries to brush it off as typical "playing any angle" behavior that is common in show business. She doesn't share his cynicism and they get into an argument. Meanwhile, Phil and Judy hit it off and start scheming to set up Bob and Betty. The local sheriff is after the sisters because their landlord has the old "the-girls-owe-$200-for-a-burned-rug" scheme. Phil is adamant that the sisters shouldn't pay and that the guys should help them out. The sisters are headed to Vermont for their next gig. The guys wind up heading to Vermont for some R&R. The Vermont venue is a ski lodge that is suffering under the lack of snow. The lodge is owned by General Waverly, which inspires Wallace and Davis to help the general out while they try to romance the girls.
The show has about an hour of plot for the hundred and twenty minutes of showtime. The extra is filled in with musical numbers, which are more or less evenly split between song numbers, dance numbers, and song and dance numbers. The music (by Irving Berlin) is great. The dancing is also wonderful, especially by Vera-Ellen who got her start as one of The Rockettes from Radio City Music Hall. The plot works well too, with the romantic entanglements being handled with a light yet still understanding touch. The relationship between the former soldiers also works very well. Kaye and Crosby have good chemistry. Curtiz does a great job putting everything together, another fine accomplishment for the fellow who directed such classics as Casablanca and the Errol Flynn Adventures of Robin Hood.
The movie has so many fine, joyful qualities. It's not just a Christmas classic, it's also one of the best musicals of all time.
Highly recommended.
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