Now that Thanksgiving has passed we’re already being deluged with Christmas movies. On TCM they’ve already shown White Christmas a couple of times.
I love the movie (I think that Crosby is the greatest—check the unadorned perfection with which he delivers a song) but something new struck me as I watched it this time around. The release date was October 14, 1954.
The midterm elections were less than a month away and the movie is pretty obviously an ad for Eisenhower
We’ll follow the old man wherever he wants to go
As long as he wants to go opposite to the foe
We’ll stay with the old man wherever he wants to stay
As long he stays away from the battle’s fray
Because we love him, we love him
Especially when he keeps us on the ball
And we’ll tell the kiddies we answer duties’ call
With the grandest son of a soldier of them all
It wasn’t invented yesterday, you know. Has this occurred to anyone else?
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I enjoy White Christmas, too, but perhaps not for the same reasons (I’m not a fan of Crosby). I am amazed at that song, and it could well be a pro-Eisenhower advert, but it seems incredible that it was timed for that purpose. After all, it takes time to write, produce, and distribute a movie. Interesting point, though.