SVS: “White Christmas”

Last updated on: January 5, 2015 at 11:13 am by Joseph Susanka

SVS: “White Christmas” 2015-01-05T11:13:02-07:00 Joseph Susanka

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

PHIL DAVIS: I don’t know what he’s up to, but he’s got that Rodgers and Hammerstein look again.

BETTY HAYNES: Is that bad?

PHIL DAVIS: Not bad, but always expensive.

So, I realize that recommending the following film is sort of like taking candy from a baby…

…but I’ve never had a problem with taking candy from a baby. It’s super-easy. Seriously. They’re really little. (Besides, have you tried taking candy from an adult? Yikes!)

So, in deference to the impending onslaught of Yuletide Cheer, today’s Streaming Video Suggestion (SVS), White Christmas, is streaming on NETFLIX INSTANT. And AMAZON($) and YOUTUBE($) and SOME OTHERS($).

After leaving the Army after W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, is the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General.

I’ll be honest: I like this film a lot more now than I did before I got married. Because my wife loves it. And while I’d been a luke-warm fan in the past, I’ve warmed to it in recent years. Viewing it through her Christmas Red-tinged eyes, so to speak. So now I love it, too. (Am I loving the quality of the film itself? Or am I loving the fact that my wife loves it? That’s for you to guess, and me to know.)

I’ve always loved Danny Kaye, though.

Actually, to be perfectly honest, it’s not the music or the song-and-dance stuff that makes this film enjoyable to me. In fact, some of those sequences are down-right weird. It’s the (surprisingly?) excellent comedic timing between Crosby and Kaye that really keeps me coming back for me. And the four-sided, rapid-fire, screw-bally repartee between the two sets of leads. (Well, that and the final scene. Which, yup. I’ve got something stuck in my throat. Again.)

Quick! A diversion!

POSTSCRIPT: I decided upon today’s recommendation hours before reading Steven Greydanus’ latest Crux piece, “The Trouble with Christmas Movies.” But I’m posting WC anyway. I appreciate his sentiment (and emotional response). I even sympathize. But I don’t — I was somewhat surprised to discover — share either, to be honest. Or at least not strongly.

He’s right about the facts of the case, seems to me. No legitimate Birth of Christ films to be had, right? Not really. Certainly not in the public consciousness. But for me, those more meaningful (more historically accurate) Christmas-time desires are largely met by the liturgical trappings of the season. And when it comes to the cinematic realm, I’m far more interested in the laughing boys and the warm milk and the plate of cookies. Metaphorically speaking.

And also, probably, literally.

Attribution(s): Theatrical poster, publicity images, and film stills are the property of Paramount Pictures and other respective production studios and distributors, and are intended for editorial use only.

Movies

Streaming Video Suggestions

Previous Post

December 18, 2014

Parked By the Jukebox with Luluc's "Passerby"

Next Post

December 23, 2014 Tis' the Season. The Beecham Season.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Baseball Faith Family Lenten Music Movies Music No Commentary Necessary Parked By the Jukebox Photography Politics Quodlibets Streaming Video Suggestions Summa Short Films Television The Man Behind the Booth Through a Lens, Darkly

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 July 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 November 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz