WHITE CHRISTMAS 1954

White Christmas


(aka "Irving Berlin's White Christmas")

Paramount, 1954, Color, 120min, ***½

Released October, 1954



White Christmas is a treasury of Irving Berlin classics, among them "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep," "Sisters," "Blue Skies" and the beloved holiday song, "White Christmas."



Two talented song-and-dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. One winter, they join forces with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) and trek to Vermont for a White Christmas. Of course, there's the requisite fun with the ladies, but the real adventure starts when Crosby and Kaye discover that the inn is run by their old army general who's now in financial trouble. And the result is the stuff dreams are made of.




Supposedly a remake of Holiday Inn, but there's not much resemblance to the original. It's an entertaining movie, though, and it has some really good music in it. And it became a Christmas classic. Definitely worth watching! Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen's "Sisters" is a definite high-point of the film.



Produced by: Robert Emmett Dolan

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Assistant Director: John Coonan

Written for the Screen by: Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, Melvin Frank

Lyrics and Music by: Irving Berlin

Music Direction and Vocal Arrangements by: Joseph J. Lilley

Orchestral Arrangements by: Van Cleave

Music Associate: Troy Sanders

Dances and Musical Numbers Staged by: Robert Alton

Art Direction: Hal Pereira and Roland Anderson

Set Decoration: Sam Comer and Grace Gregory

Costumes: Edith Head

Makeup Supervision: Wally Westmore

Sound Recording by: Hugo Grenzbach and John Cope

Director of Photography: Loyal Griggs

Special Photographic Effects: John P. Fulton

Process Photography: Farciot Edouart

Filmed in VistaVision, Color by Technicolor

Technicolor Color Consultant: Richard Mueller

Edited by: Frank Bracht



Awards: Nominated for Best Song Academy Award ("Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep")



Cast: Bing Crosby [Bob Wallace], Danny Kaye [Phil Davis], Rosemary Clooney [Betty Haynes], Vera-Ellen [Judy Haynes], Dean Jagger [Gen. Waverly], Mary Wickes [Emma], John Brascia [Joe], Anne Whitfield [Susan], Richard Shannon [Adjutant], Grady Sutton [General's Guest], Sig Rumann [Landlord], Robert Crosson [Albert], Herb Vigran [Novello], Dick Keene [Assistant Stage Manager], Johnny Grant [Ed Harrison], Gavin Gordon [Gen. Carlton], Marcel de la Brosse [Maitre d'], James Parnell [Sheriff], Percy Helton [Conductor], Elizabeth Holmes [Fat Lady], Barrie Chase [Doris], I. Stanford Jolley [Station Master], George Chakiris [Specialty Dancer], Bess Flowers [nightclub extra], Trudy Stevens [singing voice of Vera-Ellen]



Musical Program: [0:00] Overture (played by Orchestra behind titles); [0:01] unidentified instrumental (danced by Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby); [0:03] White Christmas (sung by Bing Crosby); [0:07] The Old Man (sung by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Mens Chorus); [0:11] Medley / montage: Heat Wave / Let Me Sing and I'm Happy / Blue Skies (sung by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye); [0:20] Sisters (sung by Rosemary Clooney and Trudy Stevens dubbing for Vera Ellen); [0:27] The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing (sung by Danny Kaye and off-screen Girls Chorus, danced by Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen); [0:34] Sisters (mimed by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye to a recording of Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen [Trudy Stevens]); [0:41] Snow (sung by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Trudy Stevens dubbing for Vera-Ellen); [0:48] Sisters (reprised by Rosemary Clooney and Trudy Stevens dubbing for Vera Ellen); [0:53] Mandy (instrumental played during dance rehearsal); [0:54] "Minstrel Number" (production number sung and danced by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Chorus; includes a jazzed-up vocal of Mandy); [1:03] Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep (sung by Bing Crosby joined by Rosemary Clooney); [1:11] Choreography (sung by Danny Kaye, danced by Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, George Chakiris and Chorus); [1:24] The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing (sung by Danny Kaye and Chorus, danced by Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen); [1:31] "Abraham Number" (instrumental danced by Vera-Ellen and George Chakiris); [1:36] Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me (sung by Rosemary Clooney, danced by Mens Ensemble); [1:43] What Can You Do with a General (sung by Bing Crosby); [1:49] The Old Man (sung and marched by Bing Crosby and Mens Chorus); [1:52] Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the Army (sung and danced by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney; Vera-Ellen dubbed by Trudy Stevens); [1:56] Finale: White Christmas (sung by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Trudy Stevens for Vera-Ellen, Chorus and Company; danced by Children)