Christmas Movie Review: Day Five

White Christmas 

This is a 1954 classic musical that many people put on their Christmas watch list. To be perfectly honest, I have sat down maybe six times throughout the years, trying to watch it and never finished it all in one sitting. I think I can say I have watched the whole, thing, though. 
 So I reckon you can guess what kind of review this will be, but for the sake of it being a movie review, I have to be honest. 
 The movie was half-way based off of an earlier film, Holiday Inn, but mainly it got its idea from Irving Berlin's song. 

The story begins in WWII-torn Europe, when Private Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) saves Captain Bob Wallace (Bing Crobsy) during a bombing. Both men are entertainers back in the States.
 Bob later visits Phil at a field hospital and thanks the private for saving his life. When Bob offers a favor to repay the debt, Phil shows him a duet he wrote and asks to perform with Bob back in New York City. Feeling obligated by Phil's heroism, Bob agrees.
 The two go on from there, becoming big producers and rising in the entertainment business once the war is over. 
As a favor to an old army buddy, they agree to watch the friend's sisters perform. Of course, Bob instantly falls for the elder sister, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Phil has his eye on Judy(Vera Ellen). 
 The girls are their way to an inn at Pine Tree, Vermont, to perform for the holidays, and after the two men help them during a moment of crisis, they invite them to come along. When they arrive at the inn, Bob and Phil discover its ran by their old commanding officer. 
 The inn is in danger of falling to ruin, so the two ex-soldiers vow to help their old friend out. 

It sounds like a great story, right? I wish I could say I enjoyed this movie; that it's a wonderful classic, but I just wasn't a huge fan.

 Bing Crosby's character was sweet, of course. He's generally pleasant to watch, and Rosemary Clooney wasn't bad either. But I felt the story was lacking in so many ways. 

 And the dancing....Ugh. I mentioned in an earlier review that I enjoy dancing to a certain degree, but this is one those musicals that drags the numbers on and on and on. And the dancing wasn't just some fun, entertaining tap or swing. 

 The women dressed in rather skimpy clothing for a lot of the numbers, and some other their dance moves were, lets just say, unneeded.

 Now I'm not trying to paint a horrid picture in your mind. Its not so terrible that mature adults couldn't handle the dancing, but I just see no need for that kind of entertainment. 

 There were some scenes that were sweet and enjoyable, like when Bob and Betty sing 'Count Your Blessings' (Instead of Sheep)' or when Phil and Judy dance. I thought Judy's dress was very pretty in that number. 

 And the finale is sweet. 

There some funny parts, too, like when Bob and Phil do the 'Sisters' act to give the girls time to sneak away. Danny Kaye is a comedian, so he's always brings humor to the screen. 

 I always liked the song 'Sisters'. 

Now don't get me wrong! If you enjoy watching this movie, I won't think any less of you or anything. I just wasn't a hug fan of it. 

 So I'm afraid, after all things considered, I'm only giving this film three stars.

My Review: Three Stars ✩✩✩

  

And that's Day Five! I'll see ya'll next time with another Christmas film!

                                                                                      LaKaysha