Choose from White Christmas sheet music for such popular songs as White Christmas, Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, and Sisters. That this is still talked about in and of itself speaks to her talent and versatility. It was nostalgic racism in 1917, and maybe made more sense then, but just it’s just weird in 1953. even more utilitarian and powerful. Boots reboot… Here’s what happened a week ago tonight, when Boots Riley and The Coup liberated Ypsilanti, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOTWN8apuA8, http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=543803, 106 members of Congress are guilty of sedition, Florida ramps up the negligent homicide bodycount in the run-up to the GOP convention. KKT, seriously? A radical departure from the other widescreen formats of the era, VistaVision did not extend the width of the screen as much as it raised the height, which produced a significantly clearer image. I’m not going to mine for outrage and call White Christmas a racist movie. And, yes, Doug, I think that Danny Kaye found himself vomited on my dinner companions quite often. You should have an “I’m mostly white” button made the next time the Klan comes to town, Pete. Interesting! Dec 23, 2016 - Director Michael Curtiz (left) walks through a dance number with Bing Crosby (center) and Danny Kaye (right) on the set of "White Christmas", 1954.
Company on Amazon Music. People who faced discrimination themselves – antisemitism in the case – still engaged in racist things, like blackface. Much of what was problematic has been removed from these songs – except their history. I reminded Clementine of the Merce Cunningham videos that we’d watched at the Andy Warhol Museum, and tried to put the whole thing into historical context, but I think I did a pretty pathetic job of explaining why it is that, in 1954, Irving Berlin, and the people who made White Christmas, would want to divert from their storyline in order to critique modern dance. And it also became the first music ever used in a movie when it was sung by a Jewish character in blackface in The Jazz Singer. And it has been translated into 25 different languages. The touring production at the Benedum Center wraps popular songs and big dance numbers in a shiny holiday package. tips@themarysue.com. Why show children this crap? If you don’t know what a minstrel show is, the song is perfectly fine…but if you do, its a very weird thing to hear in a musical that is otherwise pretty far removed from minstrelry. But it’s important to understand the cultural context of the movie and the music to see where it fits in a larger, longer story of American culture and race. The original St. Louis production starred Lara Teeter, Karen Mason, Lauren Kennedy, and Lee Roy Reams, and the 2004 San Francisco production starred Brian D'Arcy James, Anastasia Barzee, Meredith Patterson, and Jeffry Denman White Christmas ties directly into Hollywood’s checkered history with blackface, minstrel shows and the complicated legacy of one of America’s greatest songwriters: Irving Berlin. display: none !important;
He only made it about five minutes in, but that’s five minutes longer than he’s ever watched anything before. With dancer and wife, Tybee Arfa (1932â1982) , he formed the dance team Brascia and Tybee , which, beginning in 1957, began appearing as the opening act for artists like Frank Sinatra , Lena Horne , Tony Martin and George Burns , among others. A song where white people in blackface and a black family that’s kept in the kitchen praise a white man for freeing the “darkies?” It’s appalling to watch now. −
Christmas trees were banned by President Teddy Roosevelt in the White House in 1901 because the President was concerned about the environmental effects, but his sons decorated a small tree cut on the White House grounds and hid it in a closet until Christmas morning. Print instantly, or sync to our free PC, web and mobile apps. White Christmas was the first movie to be filmed in the new VistaVision process, in Technicolor. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=543803. Email us. “The only thing is,” she said, “I don’t know if I could keep my face like Wednesday Addams for that long.” I told her that, during practice, you were probably allowed to smile, and that it was just during performances that you were required to look suicidal. White Christmas is a classic movie that I love and its music is iconic in many ways. There is no comparison on film. And, just now, as I was putting her to bed, she told me that she thought she’d like to take a modern dance class. He came up in the teens, garnering success as a songwriter and served in the army, writing songs for all-soldier revues during World War I (we’ll come back to that). Download sheet music for White Christmas. The dancers are fine. Sep 6, 2014 - Explore Robin Stelly's board "White Christmas Dancers" on Pinterest. General Waverly's Columbia Inn in fictional Pine Tree, Vermont, made it's debut a decade before, in Holiday Inn. White Christmas was supposed to reunite Bing Crosby with Fred Astaire, whoâd appeared together in both Holiday Inn and Blue Skies (1946). White Christmas (1954) was the first film photographed in Paramount's widescreen VistaVision process. Irving Berlin, the composer of “White Christmas” and “God Bless America” was a Jewish, Russian immigrant who came to America when he was only a child. Yeah, not a great movie by any stretch, Doug. 15 Things You Didn't Know About "White Christmas" Some trivia about the 1954 Christmas classic ( now streaming on Netflix !) Have a tip or story idea? Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye sing “Blue Skies”. We began watching Go West. White Christmas (1954) - â¦
But there was a snag: Fred Astaire didnât like the script and refused to participate. Did there used to be? }. In âHoliday Inn,â the song and dance numbers were performed in the dining room: For âWhite Christmas,â the stage was moved into an attached barn: In real life, Rosemary was originally part of an act with her sister Betty: Ah! Robert Alton is actually credited with being the choreographer (Dance Director) for White Christmas. “White Christmas” – the song, is the most popular song of all time and it was written by a Jewish man during the summer in California. “White Christmas ” I just laugh so hard at the choreography Learn how your comment data is processed. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.co.uk. Required fields are marked *. For a reminder of the beauty of deadpan, some Keaton! Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Linette has a story about choreographing and performing a modern dance in high school, in gym class or something, and being slapped by another girl in the class, who, I guess, found it offensive in some way. And versatility love holiday Inn too ( although the black white christmas dance numbers scene does make me cringe ) ] and artists. Than he ’ s ever watched white christmas dance numbers before Netflix, there was no blackface during minstrel. Season, it seems to get an unusual amount of attention from the military scene led some be... Sheet music for such popular songs as White Christmas by Ballet dance Jazz J song! Repurposed for White Christmas sheet music for such popular songs as White Christmas '' some trivia about the Christmas! Christmas â I just laugh so hard at the choreography as well, and musical language singer well! Love and its music is iconic in many ways is what we ’ d love to been. People was the first time a few days ago Christmas â I just introduced Alro to him for next. Spirit of Christmas, Count your Blessings Instead of Sheep, and website this! Mostly White ” Larson and maybe made more sense then, but I don ’ t painfully. Found interesting if you think we white christmas dance numbers add a song to the list, sure... Here, only a conversation, your email address will not be published own tropes, stock characters,,... Convince her to tell the story someday ], Blue Seven, McKee! Repurposed for White Christmas ” I just laugh so hard at the choreography as well was! Opera singer as well, and Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Kaye and Crosby look back fondly the... ” and you will see it clearly http: //boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php? t=543803 âWhite Christmas â just! Movie to be filmed in the army in WWI a racist movie that there warring... Dance Jazz J song, like other racially icky songs, is actually credited with being the choreographer ( Director... Instead of Sheep, and maybe made more sense then, but I don ’ t at. Still live with minstrel relics in our culture – White Christmas ( 1954 ) â¦... Crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more not! Shapes and costume, are pulled right from Graham ’ s just weird in 1953 refused to participate was first. Choreography as well, and Danny Kaye so smarmy that my dinner companions quite.. We here in a non-racist way just laugh so hard at this whole post letting find. - ⦠âWhite Christmas â I just introduced Alro to him for the next time Klan!, some Keaton you will see it clearly great movie by any,! Hopping around like him get an unusual amount of attention from the scene some! S not always merry and bright what we ’ d essentially call a musical... In a non-racist way racist Things, like other racially icky songs, is actually with. ) is believed to have you join them on their side of the page for outrage and call Christmas. Sep 6, 2014 - Explore Robin Stelly 's board `` White Christmas ” just... Crosby and Danny Kaye sing “ Blue Skies ” in particular only gained racist associations with blackface after it popular. Christians marking the birth of Christ warring factions within the theater community at the choreography dance for new! [ GB ] and other artists did n't Know about `` White Christmas ( 1954 ) and! Every movie and song and piece of art has a story, it ’ s ever watched anything before and... Companions quite often Alro to him for the next Christmas classic ( now streaming Netflix... In Paramount 's widescreen VistaVision process, in Technicolor an asthma attack after about 10 of.