White Christmas is a classic from Irving Berlin and he did entertainment like youngsters today have never seen. Long before video games and other consumer electronics, this is an old school Christmas musical which brings together Rosemary Clooney (George Clooney’s aunt), Bing Crosby, Vera Ellen and Danny Kaye. White Christmas is an uplifting and heartwarming romance filled with dance, comedy and music and it’s in color! Subplot to the romance, is a WWII military connection which is really about goodwill and the spirit of brotherly love and loyalty, a Christmas tradition once as strong as giving Thanks at Thanksgiving.

White Christmas covers two Christmases, first is during the war. Bing plays Captain Bob Wallace who is joined on stage by private Davis (played by Kaye) who hopes to break into real showbiz. Their beloved Major General has just received orders that his tour is done and the whole unit gives him a boisterous send off in song. Suddenly the gathering is broke up as they come under attack, Davis ends up knocking Wallace out of the way of a collapsing wall, saving his life, Wallace in gratitude promises to make him a performance partner when they get home.

The pair go on to be very successful, running an entire production house. They meet a pair of sisters who are also performers and are instantly attracted. The business minded older sister and Wallace but heads a little because they are so alike, while the younger pair plot to see them married. The four share a train north where they decide to go to Vermont together instead of NY in hopes to have a white Christmas. Their Vermont host is none other than the Major General who is about to lose his shirt because it’s a mild winter and his resort has no visitors for lack of snow. Wallace hatches a plot to attract tourists by bringing his whole production house up to the beautiful location while romantic hijinks ensue.

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Originally a stage musical, Gentleman Prefer Blonds director Howard Hawks brought in choreographer Jack Cole to direct the film’s stage performances. Charles Coburn, Taylor Holmes, Tommy Noonan, Elliot Ried, Norma Varden and George Winslow star as supporting cast. Songs were added just for the movie, written by the team of Harold Adamson and Hoagy Carmichael.

The movie’s principle Blond bombshell Lorelei Lee is engaged to marry a nerdy and naive Gus Esmond, played by Tommy Noonan, but he comes from old money and Esmond Sr doesn’t think that a showgirl is a suitable wife for his son. He keeps his son from sailing away to Paris to marry Ms. Lee and when she goes ahead on the ship with a promissory note for expenses, he has a private eye Ernie Malone, played by Elliott Reid tail her.

Lorelei is partial to diamonds and the ship has a diamond tycoon Sir Francis Beekman, played by Charles Coburn, on board. He flirts with her relentlessly despite being married. He manages to demonstrate a python’s hold on Lorelei, just when Malone snaps some incriminating photos. Dorothy who is accompanying Lorelei to Paris, catches him and hatches a plot to get the misleading photos away from him before they can be passed onto Esmond Sr. She and Lorelei drug him and get the film. When Sir Francis learns that he almost had proof of his infidelity in the wrong hands, he gives Lorelei his wife’s diamond tiara in thanks.

Once in Paris, the girls have to work as the promissory note has been withdrawn by Esmond Sr. Lady Beekman reports her tiara stolen and Lorelei is accused. Ready to hand it over, she can’t find the evidence. Meanwhile the Esmonds, Jr and Sr have shown up. And Malone and Dorothy are in love, but don’t know it.

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Money is easy come and easy go in Las Vegas. And Lucky gets the cash that he needs only to lose it again, after being knocked into the pool by Ann Margret’s character, swimming instructor Rusty Martin. Unable to even pay his hotel bill, Lucky starts working as a waiter, then signs up to a talent contest, hoping to try his fortune once again at getting the money for his car’s engine.

Before the contest, Lucky sets to wooing Rusty. His competition for both the girl and the Grand Prix is Ceasar Danova playing Count Elmo Mancini, driving his Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta. Rusty falls for Lucky, but wants to make a few changes.

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This movie, described as a “neo-noir” rock musical, is set in an alternate reality that mixes 1950s elements with 1980s themes. The acting seems weak, but it is most likely a bad script as the cast includes a young Rick Morannis, and hunky heartthrob Micheal Pare. The musical score is pretty good too, so long as you don’t take this movie too seriously, you will enjoy it.

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