3/5
White Christmas is a whimsical musical from the 50's set after World War II and starring Bing Crosby. That's about all you need to know to get a sense of what it's like. There is nothing inspired or creative about this film. It feels like it was churned out of the Hollywood studio machine--and almost certainly was. The plot follows two soldiers (Crosby, Kaye) who take up a performing career after the war. They meet two singing sisters (Ellen, Clooney) and unexpectedly find themselves performing together at an empty hotel run by their old commanding officer (Jagger). Wanting to do something special for him, they decide to film a live TV special there without letting him know.
The movie is decidedly middle of the road. The acting is flat--somehow deadpan with a smirk, like they know they're being filmed--and the cinematography is bland. The story is straightforward but tepid, although it has a fair number of tear-jerking scenes and laugh-out-loud moments. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever find myself truly attached to war movies because I never had to go through anything resembling war. I just don't have a connection to the subject matter and cannot appreciate it as much as someone who does.
I'm not quite sure why it's a Christmas classic, because there are far better movies that fit the bill. I guess this one has singing in it, so I suppose it's got that going for it. The songs are kind of catchy at first, but in retrospect quickly become forgettable and meaningless. (I would argue the same is true about Singin' in the Rain, which I love.) At the end of the day, I'd rather watch Holiday Affair than White Christmas during the next winter season, although neither of them really wowed me. White Christmas gets a solid meh from me.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047673/