Last Holiday (1950)

When a lonely, unappreciated farm equipment salesman discovers he has only weeks to live, he withdraws his savings for a final holiday at a 'posh' resort.

Director:

Henry Cass

Writer:

J.B. Priestley (screenplay)

Stars:

Alec Guinness, Beatrice Campbell, Kay Walsh

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alec Guinness	...	George Bird
Beatrice Campbell	...	Sheila Rockingham
Kay Walsh	...	Mrs. Poole
Grégoire Aslan	...	Gambini (as Coco Aslan)
Jean Colin	...	Daisy Clarence
Muriel George	...	Lady Oswington
Brian Worth	...	Derek Rockingham
Esma Cannon	...	Miss Fox
Bernard Lee	...	Inspector Wilton
Sid James	...	Joe Clarence
Campbell Cotts	...	Bellinghurst
Moultrie Kelsall	...	Sir Robert Kyle
Madam Kirkwood-Hackett	...	Miss Hatfield
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Chalfont
Eric Maturin	...	Wrexham

Storyline

George Bird's rather lonely anonymous existence as an underappreciated seller of farm machinery is jarred when his physician informs him that he is suffering from the rare malady Lampington's Disease and only has a few weeks to live. Believing he has nothing to lose, Bird resigns his position and withdraws his modest life savings in order to spend his remaining time in a "posh" seaside resort. There he keeps his own counsel about his condition and meets people who live in a world he could never have imagined. Incredibly he finds there are personal and professional opportunities now open to him that he never dreamed would be his, but unfortunately he is no position to take advantage of them... until fate lends a hand.

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Plot Keywords:

salesman | spending spree | unionists | royal flush | ironic ending | 

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Taglines:

Guinness...The Great Lover!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vacances sur ordonnance

Filming Locations:

Luton, Bedfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), Watergate Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

George Bird: How do you keep smiling with a stiff upper lip?

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Connections

Remade as Last Holiday (2006)

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Soundtracks

"The Beggars Theme"
Composed by Francis Chagrin

User Reviews

The Little Guy Lives It Up

This is Alec Guinness's first leading role in his first serious comedy. It has an original idea where an English clerk is erroneously told by the company doctor that he does not have long to live. So the clerk decides to take all the money that he saved and live it up at a ritzy resort hotel in England.

The people and the way they spoke in 1950 seem dated but the story rings true. It is a great story on people's behavior, good and bad. It is great to see Kay Walsh as his leading lady. Mr. Guinness and Ms. Walsh worked several times together and they made a great team.