In this random shower thought I propose to prove to at least one person's satisfaction besides mine that White Christmas directly or subconsciously inspired Hallmark Christmas romantic comedies. For those unfamiliar with White Christmas 1954 it stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kay, Vera Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney.

Bob and Phil are successful stage show empressarios who met in the army. They are both career obsessed though Phil dates much more than Bob. They run into Betty and Judy who are two sisters of one of their pals in the army and are aspiring performers. The four of them through some wacky high jinx all end up together going on a train to Vermont. In Vermont they meet the kindly old inn keeper General Waverley who commanded Phil and bob's unit and is now forced into retirement and feeling forgotten. Bob and Phil think the only way to solve this is to gather everyone and put on a show and party for the general!

Now that I summarized the movie let me break down the many ways that Hallmark would copy it.

1. Setting: The characters must slow down from their big city lifestyle and go to a small town.

2. main love story and supporting love story: The movie is arguably Bob and Betty's story (see point 3) but Phil and Judy also fall in love. Many Hallmark movies have Couple A and Couple B and etc.

3. miscommunication: You could say that miscommunication has been in romances since before Romeo and Juliet, but it drives the lovers to separate in many Hallmark movies and in this one it is through a partially overheard phone conversation and second hand information.

4. The Fake Engagement: Though this could be a staple of several romantic comedies (including going back to Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw), it features in this movie as Judy's idea and can be the plot of several Hallmark Christmas movies.

5. Charity: I believe that charity is extremely important, whether it's a local toy drive, feeding the homeless, or reminding people of how much they are needed. Charity and empathy are the driving forces of this movie even more than love is. Charity features either as one of the dates the protagonists of Hallmark go on, or as a reason they find each other in the first place.

6. A Christmas Eve Climax: Although one would say that it's only natural for a Christmas movie to have its conclusion and denouement on Christmas Eve I find it difficult to name any hallmark movie that has its climax on any other day of the Christmas season, and that's when the big show of White Christmas is.

I would love your feedback disproving my theory, have a Merry Holiday season whatever you celebrate!