In the past weeks, my boys and I went to watch White Christmas in the theater. Our local theater has been showing older movies as part of their COVID relief. We saw the advertisement for White Christmas and decided to take the two hours to go. Plus, at $5.00, you can’t beat the prices. Regarding the movie experience, the brilliant colors (c. 1954), extra details that you can’t see on a normal television as easily, and the classic movie feel permeate the experience.
I told one of the single young adults at the seminary that we were going and this person said he had never seen it. I mentioned it a time or two again to others, same result. What??
For our family, we watch this Christmas movie usually for the first time each year on our drive back from seeing family at Thanksgiving. It is a Christmas tradition for us.
As I discussed the movie with the boys, I told them that I thought this was a Hallmark movie before Hallmark existed. In fact, possibly the very things that made this movie a classic are the same ingredients that makes Hallmark movies so popular for many now. Today, I’ll take a minute to compare the two. :)
White Christmas
The setting of White Christmas (debut October 1954) is post World War II when two old friends from the Army get caught up into helping two other old friends from the Army. Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) go to listen to a sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) as a favor to their brother Bennie who was an old friend from the Army. Finding the girls in a tough situation, they help the girls and end up traveling together to Vermont by train that night.
While there, they run into another old friend from the Army, General Waverly (Dean Jagger), the same man they were honoring in the opening scene of the move from Christmas Eve 1944. They learn of his financial difficulties at his Vermont inn and go to work to help him out. Along the way, the movie includes comedy, romance, lots of singing and dancing (different than Hallmark), and Christmas fun. For those who have not seen it, I’ll hold off on explaining how great the final scene of the movie is.
In the movie there is a real-life problem (financial difficulties), budding romantic relationships where none were sought, and plenty of Christmas tradition. As the movie progresses, there is a partial conversation overheard, a miscommunication, a fight, and one of the characters jets off (by train): miscommunication, misunderstanding, quick retreat without explanation, and drama. Then add lots of snow for the final scene just on cue.
Hallmark
If you were to ask me how the makers of Hallmark movies came up with their plots, themes, and ideas, I would suggest they watched White Christmas as well. Hallmark movies have all the same themes except for all the singing and dancing (usually some but not in comparison). However, Hallmark also does not have Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Everything else though exists in the Hallmark brand: a romantic comedy with lots of traditional music, snow on cue, some kind of miscommunication that brings drama, and all working out in the end.
I’ve written in the past why people WATCH Hallmark and why others REFUSE TO WATCH Hallmark movies. You can read those here and here.
Today’s post is just a quick reflection on an afternoon outing with the boys and a fun conversation with them comparing the classic White Christmas with the modern Hallmark Christmas Countdown brand.
White Christmas is the original Hallmark – just better than Hallmark. If you haven’t taken time to see it – then do. It’s fun, light-hearted, and a great break from the pressures that abound all around us. For us, watching White Christmas is part of a family tradition that started at my Grandma’s house with mom and others each year. We are happy to take two hours to sing, have fun together, and laugh.
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