Dreaming of a White Christmas

In 1942, Irving Berlin wrote a dozen songs for the Bing Crosby-led musical, Holiday Inn. “White Christmas,” with its lyrics about the whimsical magic of a snowy holiday struck a chord with audiences and quickly became a beloved Christmas song that endures today. Twelve years after Berlin introduced the heartwarming tune, it became the basis for another Christmas set film starring Crosby.

White Christmas starts during World War II when Private Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) saves the life of Captain Bob Wallace (Crosby). Once the war ends, they form the Wallace & Davis song and dance team, eventually becoming producers of their own show. The pair catch a show starring the Haynes sisters Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), and when Phil notices the spark between Bob and Betty, he convinces his partner to join the girls on their next job in Vermont.

The guys are surprised to see that the inn keeper in Vermont is none other than their former commanding officer, General Waverly (Dean Jagger). Once they realize that the general’s inn is in trouble, Bob and Phil decide to put on a big production to boost its popularity. Along the way, romantic entanglements, misunderstandings, and showstopping numbers are performed.

Michael Curtiz, the director behind The Adventures of Robin Hood and Casablanca, helmed the film, while Berlin wrote a slate of new songs. The movie was originally going to reunite Crosby with Fred Astaire (the pair starred in Holiday Inn and Blue Skies), but the latter declined the movie after reading the script. The role went to Donald O’Connor, but he dropped out due to illness, then Kaye joined the movie. Some script rewrites were done to capitalize on Kaye’s comedic talents and dance style.

Clooney’s popularity was on the rise with recent albums and TV appearances, making her perfect for the song-heavy role of Betty. Vera-Ellen, a Broadway star and one of the youngest dancers to be a Rockette, was cast as the always dancing Judy (her songs were dubbed by Trudy Stevens).

The stellar cast, Berlin’s catchy songs, and holiday setting made White Christmas a huge hit when it was released 70 years ago on October 14, 1954. The movie earned $12 million at the box office and became the highest grossing film of the year.