Review of White Christmas (1954) by Ben L — 28 Dec 2011

White Christmas is without a doubt my favorite Christmas movie. But that qualifier seems to limit it. Since it has been completely molded as a Christmas film I often find myself not considering it outside of films with that same theme. However, when I step back I also find that it is one of my favorite romantic comedies and one of my favorite musicals. It is a shame that the thematic nature of the movie seems to always relegate its viewing to a particular time of year, because the story holds up quite well against other non-holiday films.

All the storylines in the film blend so seamlessly. The romance of Bob and Betty has a nice slow build, and it's satisfying to see how they resolve their differences. The missing snow in Vermont lends a satisfying conclusion to the film (similar to when snow finally falls on a real Christmas morning.).

But the pinnacle of the movie is the way they honor the General. It never fails to bring a tear to my eye. It's something really special when a scene makes me emotional even after viewing it dozens of times. And in the long run that's what this movie is...something special. It is not simply a great movie about Christmas, it is a great movie period.