'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney (2000 Video) User Reviews

'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney was a nice look back at that movie with the last surviving of the leading cast members from it

[tavm · 10/10 · 28 December 2012]

Yesterday, I got out my DVD of White Christmas and watched the extras on it of which this was one of them. When this was made, Ms. Rosemary Clooney was the last survivor of the four stars-Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Vera-Ellen having passed by this time-in this picture and so she got to reminisce about her times with them along with supporting players Dean Jagger, Mary Wickes, director Michael Curtiz, and songwriter Irving Berlin. One particular amusing incident concerned Bing's not hanging around for the king and queen of some other country to reenact the picture's last number for them while everyone else lip-synced to the "White Christmas" number having just finished filming it. It's on the picture's DVD and it's worth watching if you're interested. Oh, and I also watched a couple of extras on the Holiday Inn one-A Couple of Song and Dance Men with producer Ken Barnes and Fred Astaire's daughter Ava telling of the lives and career's of Bing and Fred and how they intertwined and All Singing - All Dancing which has Barnes telling of the early sound techniques in motion pictures before discussing a particular number from Holiday Inn that demonstrates how different this scene sounds with and without Fred's taps. Neither are listed on this site but those are highly recommended too.

Lots of nostalgia and harmony

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 6 December 2015]

"'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney" is a 17-minute movie from 15 years ago and tells us a bit about the film in the title. We see and hear Rosemary Clooney (George's aunt), who played one of the main characters, tell us some anecdotes about the film while we listen to the beautiful music or see a couple scenes from the film. I believe this is a good watch during the holidays and I even managed to appreciate it without having seen the film this is about, which is always a good sign. If you have seen it, maybe even loved it, you will certainly enjoy the watch, probably even more than I did. The best thing about is certainly the music, the title song is just such a classic that absolutely never gets old. I recommend this little documentary, better than most behind-the-scenes stuff I have seen from other films and it is all so wonderfully calm and harmonic. Thumbs up.

A first-hand look at the cast of a classic film

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 23 December 2016]

Rosemary Clooney reminisces in this documentary short about the making of the 1954 smash hit movie, "White Christmas." The short has some film clips from the movie, and Clooney shares her recollections about some of the cast. She said this movie led to her lifelong friendship with Bing Cosby until his death.

Clooney's recording of a couple of the Irving Berlin songs from "White Christmas" were pop chart hits. She had a wonderful singing voice. She said she and Crosby were a perfect match for duets because they sang in the same key naturally. She said that the making of that film was a luxury because they took their time. "We had six weeks of rehearsals," she said – something unheard of today. It was Bing's picture and everyone knew that. While he naturally was a little withdrawn from others, Danny Kaye came up with something every day that would make Crosby laugh.

Vera-Ellen was wonderful to work with, and so patient with her, helping her with their dance routines. Vera-Ellen was probably the best female dancer of all time. Michael Curtiz was a wonderful director. He would give an actor little tips and then step back for the actor to interpret the role.

Clooney also said she wanted to meet Irving Berlin when she got the part in this film. He wasn't on the set a lot, but when they did his numbers he was there. She got to meet him and they became friends. Her rendition of "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me" from "White Christmas" is the hands down best and favorite.

This is an interesting look at some of the cast and characters in the making of a timeless classic Christmas film. Those interested in Hollywood and film history should enjoy it.