If someone asked a stranger on the street to name their all-time favorite Christmas movie, there are many that would come to mind. The list would possibly include “Frosty the Snowman”, “The Grinch”, “Rudolph”, and more than likely “White Christmas”. Although it is actually considered a musical because of the songs and dance that help to bring this all together. It is based on the ever popular song by Irving Berlin that was released in 1941, only a few week after the Pearl Harbor attacks. Originally sung in the film “Holiday Inn”, it still remains today as one of the bestselling recorded songs ever.
Berlin wrote many songs that were hits, but this one is the only one that still seems near and dear to the hearts of many Americans. Not a single person can resist humming or singing along with the tune as it comes on the radio. The popularity of the song helped launch a movie in 1954. It contained comedy, music, dancing, and romance. All the elements that a good production should have. It was also filmed in Technicolor, which for the time period, was the best in color film making there was. The other major technological advance was the use of vista vision.
This was a new variation of the 35mm film movies, and was also shown in wide screen. The new process was created the same year “White Christmas” was released. With such talent as actors and actresses like Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, and the music of Irving Berlin, it was almost guaranteed to be a hit. The musical became one the most well-known and reproduced musicals of all time. At the time Berlin’s song was released in 1942 the country was in the middle of World War II.
With so many Americans away from home “White Christmas” played over the air waves reminding troops what they were missing ack home. Men and women of the military were reminded of happier times, and maybe it even gave them something to smile about while out in the battlefields. Irving Berlin’s popular music served as a social barometer for much of the 20th century: it marched to war with soldiers, offered hope and inspiration to a nation in bleak times, and rejoiced in the good things embodied in the American way of life (PBS). The war seemed to be raging on, and with troops facing death and despair on a daily basis, the songs gave them a little piece of hope to cling too.
Berlin served in WWI, so he understood how others felt about missing home, and even wrote several patriotic songs before turning out “White Christmas. ” It quickly became one of the most beloved songs of the time period and continued to remain very popular over the years. So popular in fact, that it was made into a musical in 1954. The plot remained closely tied to the events around the war and the release time of Berlin’s song. Focusing on two former privates in the Army, who after being discharged from World War II decide to pursue their musical talents when they arrive back in the states.
Along the way they meet with two sisters of an old Army mate and decide to team up together to see if they can have a better road show. Heading to Vermont to perform they discover the lodge they will be performing at actually belongs to their old Army General. While there, they discover the lodge is about to go bankrupt and a plan is devised to save it. Today the musical is still considered one of the “must see” holiday films and theater outings. For many families it is a holiday tradition that has been carried out for years, and will continue to do so.
As I entered the small community theater | noticed there wasn’t really a stage, only the floor, with seats at several different levels all the way around. There was no bad seat to be had. Every single chair afforded a view all the way around the stage. I noticed the large wooden boxes in the middle of the floor (stage) which looked like ammunition crates. Actors walked in dressed in clothing to resemble Army attire, and sat down on the crates. As they talked amongst themselves the two main characters, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, enter to the left of me.
Chatting for a few moments with their troop, getting them rallied up for a night of holiday merriment, when they begin to sing “White Christmas”. It was sad to watch the faces of the troop as they begin to think about being home for the holidays, and wondering if they would return home safely. The actor portraying Bob Wallace seems to be looking straight into my eyes as he sings, and I actually feel myself start to tear up, and imagine what it was like to be so far from home during the holidays. No family, no home cooked dinner or presents to unwrap.
Only the sounds of war in the distance. The fun is broken up by old General Waverly as he shouts for everyone to head to the barracks for sleep. As he proceeds to yell at the troops everyone is startled by the sound of an explosion. Waverly quickly stops Wallace and Davis and quietly thanks them for showing the troops a little fun in such an uncertain time. I sat through the rest of the show intently watching and listening to the actors. The dancing, the singing, the interaction with each other, and with the audience. The clothing was appropriate for the time period and so were the props.
It was interesting to see how many of the scenes were set up on platforms with wheels so they could be set up and removed easily from the stage area. The scenes moved pretty quickly, generally lasting ten to twenty minutes each. There were two different sets of sliding doors on the sides of the stage that seemed to overlap each other with different backgrounds to fit into the scene being played out. One of my favorite scenes was the when the characters Phil Davis and Judy Haynes (one of the sisters) go dancing together and sing “The best things happen while you’re dancing”.
The dancing and the lyrics just remind you of the simple, and more innocent times, and made me think about how in those days there was so much more respect between men and women in relationships. The musical continues to bring laughter, and some deep thinking, to the audience through the cast members as they try to save the lodge for the General. Everyone works together and tries to put aside differences to bring a Hollywood style production to the snow covered mountains in Vermont.
While the musical varied from the actual film, the plot was the same, and only a few changes seemed to be made to adapt to the time and space for a theater setting. Watching the musical in such a small theater really helped engage the audience into the scenes. The actors were closer to us and made more eye contact, and even seemed to be actually singing straight to us. It was a funny and heartwarming holiday classic that I very much enjoyed. I may have just found another holiday tradition to add to my list of favorite things.
