<P> The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii occurred halfway through filming . As a result, the Fourth of July segment was expanded beyond Fred Astaire's firecracker dance to include the patriotic number that highlights the strength of the US military . </P> <P> The song that would become "White Christmas" was conceived by Berlin on the set of the film Top Hat in 1935 . He hummed the melody to Astaire and the film's director Mark Sandrich as a song possibility for a future Astaire - Ginger Rogers vehicle . Astaire loved the tune, but Sandrich passed on it . Berlin's assignment for Paramount was to write a song about each of the major holidays of the year . He found that writing a song about Christmas was the most challenging, due to his Jewish upbringing . When Crosby first heard Berlin play "White Christmas" in 1941 at the first rehearsals, he did not immediately recognize its full potential . Crosby simply said: "I don't think we have any problems with that one, Irving ." </P> <P> Although White Christmas has become iconic, this was not the original intention . The song Be Careful, It's My Heart, played during the Valentine's Day section of the film, was originally intended to be a bigger hit when production of Holiday Inn commenced . </P> <P> The song is used during the Christmas holiday sections of the movie, most notably when it is introduced to Linda Mason (Reynolds) by Jim Hardy (Crosby) while she is trying to obtain a position in the shows at the inn . Hardy begins playing the song to her allowing her to join him and eventually perform solo . The song is also reprised near the end of the movie . </P>

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