Holiday Inn (1942)

At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer.

Directors:

Mark Sandrich, Robert Allen (uncredited)

Writers:

Claude Binyon (screenplay), Elmer Rice (adaptation)

Stars:

Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bing Crosby	...	Jim Hardy
Fred Astaire	...	Ted Hanover
Marjorie Reynolds	...	Linda Mason
Virginia Dale	...	Lila Dixon
Walter Abel	...	Danny Reed
Louise Beavers	...	Mamie
Irving Bacon	...	Gus
Marek Windheim	...	François
James Bell	...	Dunbar
John Gallaudet	...	Parker
Shelby Bacon	...	Vanderbilt
Joan Arnold	...	Daphne
Bob Crosby Orchestra	...	Orchestra (as Bob Crosby's Band)

Storyline

Lovely Linda Mason has crooner Jim Hardy head over heels, but suave stepper Ted Hanover wants her for his new dance partner after femme fatale Lila Dixon gives him the brush. Jim's supper club, Holiday Inn, is the setting for the chase by Hanover and manager Danny Reed. The music's the thing.

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Plot Keywords:

show business | cigarette smoking | 1930s | 1940s | jealousy | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both of the leading ladies have their hair dyed opposite to their natural hair color: Marjorie Reynolds is a brunette playing the blonde Linda Mason; Virginia Dale is a blonde playing brunette Lila Dixon.

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Goofs

The calendars shown for the last part of the film are from 1942, except for November, which is from 1941. The progression of calendars goes December 1941, February 1942, April 1942, July 1942, November 1941, and December 1942. This November calendar portrays the second-to-last vs. fourth Thursday Thanksgiving day confusion, started in 1939 by presidential proclamation, and cleared up by congressional legislation in 1941 for the 1942 calendar.

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Quotes

Ted Hanover: Then I had a drink.
Jim Hardy: A drink? Boy you were fractured!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: DECEMBER 24 Christmas Eve

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Alternate Versions

The musical number "Abraham", performed by Bing Crosby, Marjorie Reynolds and the chorus, is sometimes cut from TV prints due to the use of blackface. Always included in telecasts of the film from the late 1950's through the early 1980's, it has been cut from Disney Channel telecasts of the film as well as showings on American Movie Classics after they began adding commercials to their films and editing potentially offensive sequences out. When AMC first started, it showed the film complete.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return: The Time Travelers (2017)

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Soundtracks

Song of Freedom
(1942) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Played by the Bob Crosby Orchestra
Sung at the Holiday Inn by Bing Crosby on the 4th of July

User Reviews

Stylish, funny romantic musical

They don't get much better than this: Astaire with the drop dead dancing cool, and Crosby with the honey crooning, both competing for the same gal. Crosby decides to let it all go and settle in the country, then on a whim realizes he can open his country house as a club open on holidays only. The girl he ends up drafting for the floor shows ends up being the love of his life, and the dancing partner Astaire has always been searching for.

Astaire, Crosby, and Reynolds have great chemistry together: I thought it quite convincing how Crosby's overprotective zeal scared Reynolds away for a while, and Astaire was very cool and believable as a kind of an inoffensive opportunist who exploits Crosby's passionate responses to whatever threat he perceives in Astaire.

Top it off with many of Irving Berlin's best classic tunes, performed in interesting interpretations, and you have a very good musical film.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn

Filming Locations:

Monte Rio, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1