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White Christmas

(1954, Rated NR, Musical, Starring Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Musical-comedy classic reprises Irving Berlin hit.

Themes in this movie include:   friendship
updated 11.09.09

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    There's a strong sense of the WWII generation's military loyalty and respect.

  • Role models:

    The two song-and-dance heroes (one usually dragged reluctantly along by the other) selflessly help two ladies in trouble and invest their fortune in helping out their old wartime commander, who has fallen on hard times
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    A very brief depiction of WWII bombardment.

  • Sexy stuff:

    Somewhere there's a college campus where a wild revisionist could read a homosexual subtext into the showbiz heroes' longtime "bachelor" status (and dressing in drag for one musical number). But in the real world, nothing to worry about.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    None, unless you count a certain Irving Berlin recording.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Recreational drinking in a nightclub.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About White Christmas

Parents need to know that one musical number rhapsodizes nostalgically about minstrel shows. But viewers don't see any blackface makeup or overt racist images; it's just verbal gags, and kids who don't know the history won't realize the degrading black stereotypes that gave rise to the patter.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the way the story plays off the WWII generation's strong military ties and stalwart respect for battlefield buddies and commanders, even in civilian life. It's a legacy that's perhaps a little too rosily painted here, but it still reflects the mindset of an America of yesteryear, where almost the entire country joined together in the war effort.
  • Later commentators would say the same syndrome of unquestioning loyalty and faith in the commander-in-chief got the United States into questionable wars in Vietnam and elsewhere. Do you agree?
  • Families can also talk about what makes this a classic. Is it just Bing Crosby and a catchy holiday tune, or is there more to it?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    BestPictureSeeke ...
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 3.0

    I hate how they burst into song so randomly!

    But it's a musical, and it's here to entertain. This movie is good for Christmas, but I doubt you'd wanna watch it any of the other 364 days of the year.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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