MovieChat Forums > White Christmas (1954) Discussion > Betty's change of heart

Betty's change of heart

posted 12 years ago by treeline1
14 replies | jump to latest

I love the movie, but Betty's turn-around never made sense to me. She was horrified when

1. She thought Bob was going to humiliate the General when the show was carried on national TV.

2. She thought Bob was only doing it for free publicity

Well,

1. Bob DID give the General's name and location on national TV, say he was in need of cheering up, and sing a song about him being called, "General Who?"

2. Appearing on the Harrison show and appealing to people's hearts certainly was going to be good publicity for Bob.

So, why did Betty forgive him and instantly re-fall in love with him?

[–] fuzzy_patters 12 years ago

Bob's plan wasn't to bring the television cameras to Vermont to make a show of the general like Betty had thought. Instead, there would be no TV cameras. It would just be the general and his former men. The TV appearance was just a way to communicate with large numbers of men. Instead of making the general appear pathetic on television, they were giving him a wonderful Christmas gift.

[–] treeline1 12 years ago

To me, it still indentified the general as an object of pity who needed cheering up. I know the general was thrilled to see his old men, but think he would have squirmed if he'd seen Bob on the show asking for the men to come.

[–] Piperson 12 years ago

I squirm when I hear the lyrics of that song. "What do you do with a general when he stops being a general?" That song stinks and the general would have hated it.

[–] treeline1 12 years ago

Oh, I agree! It's really awful. The general would have shaken his head in disbelief. I liked him.

[–] singjohn 12 years ago

I agree, that song sucks! I guess nothing rhymes with general.

[–] strntz 12 years ago

Yeah, the general may not have been thrilled with the What Do You Do With A General song on the Harrison show, but he was intentionally being kept from seeing it. And remember, back in them there days, the audience would hear it once, and never hear it again. No VCRs, no Tivo, no DVR...

I happen to love that song and scene. One of my favorites in the film.

[–] KelcyCO 11 years ago

Actually the song makes complete sense. It was before the "military industrial complex" where generals went to work for the industrial side to glad hand Congress for money and made big money for doing so. When generals retired they retired and their retirement pay was relatively speaking much less than today. Not the least, there were something like 1500 US flag officers in WWII, compared to post-9/11 where there are less than 1000. What would they have done back in those days?

[–] Drewy 12 years ago

She thought Bob was only doing it for free publicity

Nothing to do with *free* publicity. Wallace was famous - didn't need publicity.

She initially thought Wallace was doing a kind, unselfish thing - doing a gig for free that he would normally earn a mint for - not only free, he was going to pay for it out of his own pocket.

Then she discovered (wrongly) that he was doing it to make money - not unselfish at all. In fact it reinforced her opinion that he always had an angle.

Then she saw him on the Ed Harrison Show and he said that no one connected with the show was making a cent. That's when she knew she'd been wrong.

Maybe the choice of song was an error but 1. he knew the General wasn't going to see it and 2. he had to offer enough incentive for the men to give up Christmas with their family and get on a train. A simple 'come to the middle of nowhere and see the show over Christmas' wouldn't have cut it. His closest family and friends were brought to tears - they didn't think the song was a mistake.

[–] blackhawkswincup2010 11 years ago

Listen,gang, this is a musical, so by definition the plot is a cheap excuse to get from one musical number to another.

I never believed it that Betty turned on Bob so fast in the first place. She goes from "I can't believe Bob would do such a thing" to giving him the cold shoulder and an abrupt "I believe he did!" with an immediacy that the speed of light couldn't approach.

It doesn't matter! It's a musical, just enjoy the song-and-dance numbers (even the racist minstrel number) for what they are, along with that leftover turkey sandwich.

[–] thbryn 11 years ago

Bob didn't want to see the General's Inn tank (bad pun). The Gen. didn't really have the experience to run the place during bad times (a lousy ski season).

Betty sort of was always concerned that Bob thought he was conned into seeing the sister act in the first place (which he was).
She was on edge about it and it distorted the way she saw things.

Kisskiss, Bangbang

[–] wannabertist 11 years ago

I've watched this movie since I was a kid so I never cared about the plot too much. But....if Betty was pissed at Bob because of what she thought he was doing, why wasn't she pissed at Phil too? He was doing the same thing. Then...at the end she never addressed the housekeeper for starting the false rumor. Just not great editing I guess. But....still love the movie.

[–] zoltan42 11 years ago

The big problem I've always had with this plot line was that she was okay with her sister being engaged to Phil, who would be just as culpable as Bob in using the General. She knows he's in on what Bob is doing when he confirms that TV has entered into the picture.

As that great philosopher Bugs Bunny said, "Something tells me I shoulda stood in bed."

[–] vernac 11 years ago

I think the thing that everybody is forgetting is that it was Emma Watson (Mary Wickes character) that started the whole thing by only hearing one side of the conversation. Bob Wallace (Bing) was just trying to help the former General without embarrassing him. The song was just to get the old army buddies together to help economically to get through tough times. He could have left out his name would have helped I'm sure.

That just shows that if you listen to gossip, you will get the wrong idea because you only know half of the story. Kind of like what is going on here. Pure speculation. You just never know.

Besides when they was paying tribute, he became a gruff commander to cover his feeling for his men.

[–] isiscloud 11 years ago

It's a movie with a silly plot device! LOL

She was a pill anyway. She didn't want to use her brother's connection in the first place and then she couldn't be bothered to ask him outright what his plans were. I mean, he sang a song about counting blessings instead of sheep, would he really be the type to do that? Of course the show's producer is going to try to garner publicity.

She was already in love with him, but this sealed the deal.