Irving Berlin's White Christmas Was The Highest-Grossing Film Of 1954 By A Wide Margin
Irving Berlin's song "White Christmas" is kind of a big deal. The tune's history is full of nothing but praise for its nostalgic lyrics that tell the story of someone "dreaming of a white Christmas" filled with all of the childhood wonder of Christmases past. A magical orchestral arrangement complete with angelic backup singers helps to give the song a wistful feel that you can't help but get caught up in every time you listen to Bing Crosby croon about sleigh bells and glistening treetops.
Crosby originally performed a version of the song in 1941 before it was officially released in 1942 as part of the soundtrack for the musical, "Holiday Inn." Even though the song first came out nearly a century ago, it is still one of the most (if not the most) beloved Christmas songs, and it's easy to understand why. After all, who doesn't want to magically wake up on Christmas morning to frosty, snow-covered lawns and a cozy fire in the fireplace?
The song has many accolades, perhaps biggest amongst them being the Academy Award for Best Song that it won for its use in "Holiday Inn." But its moment in the spotlight has never really waned. People love this Christmas song, and it has spent quite a lot of time topping the music charts over the years. In fact, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Crosby's version is the best-selling single of all time, totaling a whopping 50 million copies sold. (Beat that, Taylor Swift!) The song also serves as the inspiration for the 1954 film, "White Christmas," which, bolstered by the early success of Berlin's sentimental song, also holds some impressive accolades of its own.
A catchy tune turned blockbuster hit
The movie "White Christmas" tells the story of four singers who team up to help save a country inn from going out of business at Christmas time. The film stars major players Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney, and the soundtrack includes multiple songs written by Irving Berlin, including the famous "White Christmas." But this talented money-making quartet didn't just bring success to the fictional Columbia Inn from the film. They also helped make it a big hit at the very real box offices in 1954.
"White Christmas" was made on a budget of $2 million, and it ended up grossing six times that by the end of its theatrical release. Indeed, a 1955 copy of Variety lists the film as bringing in $12 million by the end of its run. Though that's not quite enough to knock "Top Gun: Maverick" out of first place for highest grossing film in 2022, when adjusted for inflation, the amount of money "White Christmas" brought in would be close to nearly $133 million today. Even by current Hollywood standards, that's still an impressive amount of cash. In 1954, though, it was enough money to earn the film the number one spot on the domestic chart for highest grossing film of the year, beating out Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" by nearly $2 million.
Even though the movie came out during a decidedly un-snowy time of year — it was actually released in autumnal October — it still managed to draw people in with its charming story and excellent soundtrack. Even today, "White Christmas" (the movie and song alike) holds a special place in the cultural Christmas lexicon, continuing to be required viewing during the holiday season for the way it reminds us all to keep dreaming of days that are merry and bright.