The top grossing film of 1954, White Christmas retains classic holiday status, even though the main story has very little to do with Christmas. The film stars Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby as army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who become well known entertainers. The bachelors meet up with Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, sisters with talent but not many opportunities. While the boys woo the girls, the quartet heads up to a Vermont inn operated by Crosby and Kaye’s old commanding General from WWII (Dean Jagger). The inn is in trouble, because it’s one of the warmest and greenest Vermont winters on record. As romance blooms and the temperatures remain balmy, Bob devises a plan to save his friend’s livelihood and do some good with the popularity he earned both during and after the war.
Light and fun, boasting plenty of music and comedy, White Christmas is a story about the spirit of the season—friendship and giving. Only the films bookends can be considered Christmas themed and it’s through those scenes that the films holiday structure is established. Bob Wallace transforms from rejecting Phil Davis’ idea of forming a duo–he’s a solo act—to finding greater success as part of a team, to slowly giving his heart to someone when he meets the right girl, and finally realizing the necessity in reuniting his entire division to save his friend. White Christmas’ themes transcend the songs and dances and even the Holiday itself, finding the value in family; not necessarily blood relations but a family of friends, that one can trust, that one can turn to in times of need, those who recognize that self doesn’t always come first.
Sincerity, and its song and dance numbers are what make White Christmas a truly memorable holiday experience. Oh, and there’s the title song written by Irving Berlin. First used in the 1942 film Holiday Inn, Bing Crosby’s rendition has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling single of all-time.
Given a 4K remaster in 2014, previous Blu-ray releases of White Christmas look great. The new 4K release ups the ante, with wonderful clarity and top-notch clarity. Colors pop throughout, courtesy of Dolby Vision. Blacks are deep and inky. Depth can be a bit soft at times, but it seems like a deliberate choice rather than a flaw. Flesh tones look relatively natural, though the use of excessive makeup is a bit jarring at times. A nice level of grain gives things a nice filmic appearance. Scratches and other anomalies aren’t an issue.
The audio track is the same 5.1 mix and restored Mono tracks that came with the 2014 and 2017 releases. The 5.1 track is a very good one, just don’t expect as much separation as seen in more modern releases. The restored mono is predictably flatter. Those who love all the songs will appreciate the lossless rendering.
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish subtitles are available.
While there are no extras on the 4K disc, the included Blu-ray includes all the material found on the previous high-definition releases.
- Audio Commentary with Rosemary Clooney.
- White Christmas Sing-Along
- Classic Holiday Moments
- Assignment Children
- Backstage Stories from White Christmas
- Bing Crosby: Christmas Crooner
- Danny Kaye: Joy to the World
- Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
- Rosemary’s Old Kentucky Home
- White Christmas: From Page to Stage
- White Christmas: A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
- Photo Galleries
- Theatrical Trailers
