“White Christmas”

Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, and Danny Kaye in ‘White Christmas’ (Paramount, 1954)

A favorite Christmas movie of the Clark family is Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Paramount, 1954). Song-and-dance team Wallace and Davis (played by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) meet and fall in love with the Hayes Sisters (played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) and then join forces to help save their former army general’s country inn in Vermont. The paper-thin plot is mostly just an excuse to tie together one great song after another, all written by Irving Berlin, including “Heat Wave,” “Sisters,” “The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing,” “Snow,” “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” and, of course, the titular classic sung by Bing himself. Also stars Dean Jagger and Mary Wickes. Written by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank. Directed by Michael Curtiz. “Well, how do you like that? Without so much as a kiss my foot or have an apple!”

“The Inspector General”

“The Inspector General” theatrical poster (Warner Bros., 1949)

“The Inspector General” (Warner Bros., 1949). A vehicle for the great physical comedian Danny Kaye. Kaye plays Georgi, an illiterate who gets mistaken for a government inspector in a corrupt Eastern European village. Kaye is a force of nature, able to sing and contort his way through any character and situation. Silly fun. Based on the play “Revizor” by Nikolai Gogol. Written by Philip Rapp and Harry Kurnitz. Directed by Henry Koster. “Be arrogant, be elegant, be smart!”