Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A White Christmas

Happy post-Christmas to anyone who might accidentally happen by this blog... It's been a very reflective holiday season for me, seeing that it's our family's first Christmas without our matriarch. My mom died on January 31, 2010, so everything that's happened this year has been "the first time since..."

One of the great things that my parents instilled upon me was a respect for things that happened before I was born. For as long as I can remember, I watched movies in black and white - movies that resounded with my parents, not me. A generation I could never identify with has finally connected with the movie "White Christmas". I started watching it during the Christmas season of 2009, when my mother was dying of COPD. It sounds silly to state outright that a 55 year-old movie would create a connection, but this particular film did the trick. I've always enjoyed Bing Crosby, and one of my favorite movies of all time is "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" with Danny Kaye, but "White Christmas" brings the two of them together, along with Rosemary Clooney (George's aunt) as well as Vera Ellen, a stellar dancer from that iconic era. Add to the star power the post-WWII euphoria, as well as the all-too-familiar issue of what to do with our retired military, and you have an absolutely fantastic movie.

Of course, like many lovable movies, "White Christmas" has its oversimplified plot (think "Three's Company" meets "M*A*S*H*"), but the sweetness of the post-WWII mindset makes this movie as worthy an addition to your holiday movie must-see as A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, and A Miracle on 34th Street. I realize that this is a little late for a movie review, but it's worth thinking about for the New Year's doldrums, as well as planning for next year.