Holiday Affair (1949)

A young widow is romanced by a sales clerk whom she inadvertently got fired.

Director:

Don Hartman

Writers:

Isobel Lennart (screenplay), John D. Weaver (story "Christmas Gift")

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Mitchum	...	Steve Mason
Janet Leigh	...	Connie Ennis
Wendell Corey	...	Carl Davis
Gordon Gebert	...	Timmy Ennis
Griff Barnett	...	Mr. Ennis
Esther Dale	...	Mrs. Ennis
Henry O'Neill	...	Mr. Crowley
Harry Morgan	...	Police Lieutenant (as Henry Morgan)
Larry J. Blake	...	Plainclothesman
Helen Brown	...	Emily

Storyline

Just before Christmas, department store clerk Steve Mason meets big spending customer Connie Ennis, really a commercial spy. He unmasks her but lets her go, which gets him fired. They end up on a date, which doesn't sit well with Connie's steady suitor, Carl, but delights her son Timmy, who doesn't want Carl for a step-dad. Standard (if sweet) romantic complications follow.

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Plot Keywords:

fiance fiancee relationship | christmas morning | christmas gift | christmas season | court hearing | 

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Taglines:

It happened in December...but its hotter than July !

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 December 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Christmas Gift

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Janet Leigh was only 14 years older than the boy who played her son.

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Goofs

When Wendell Corey and Janet Leigh are dining out, Corey requests two martinis, one with two olives. When the martinis arrive, Corey's martini obviously, has one olive and it appears Leigh's martini also, only has one olive.

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Quotes

Carl Davis: Believe it or not, it only looked like I was trying to send you to the chair.
[electric chair]
Steve Mason: Oh, I didn't think you were, for a minute or two.

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Connections

Featured in A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! (2011)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
(uncredited)
Written by Robert Burns

User Reviews

Broken hearts are mended

'Holiday Affair' is a truly wonderful film centered around a woman who's husband died in WWII living alone with her son, played by Janet Leigh (the woman that is) and a dreaming drifter played by Robert Mitchum. They meet and after a few shakes and bruises along the way, on both sides, in the end get and stay together. A then 20-year old Janet Leigh plays her insecure, scared and mourning Connie Ennis with a subtlety and a maturity beyond her years. And film-noir icon rough, tough and brooding Robert Mitchum pulls the role of the lucid and warmhearted drifter off as effortlessly as he did his Jeff Bailey in 'Out of the Past'. The man was a genius. The story as well is told with such maturity and wit for those days, when one considers all the sleek and easy traps of sentimentality and mushiness one could have fallen into in making these kinds of films. 'It's a Wonderful Life' has not been as fortunate. Another reason why this film has aged so infinitely well, is the well-drawn, 3-dimensional characters. As opposed to, again, 'It's a Wonderful Life', where some of the characters almost fade into caricature. Here we see REAL people as it were. Real people with real problems. Especially in Leigh's character, such as getting over the loss someone dear to us and how to move on and not be scared after that. But also in Wendell Corey's character. A man in love who knows she's not in love with him and who tries to hang on at any cost. But he's not depicted as a jealous, malevolent, crazed Iago-type character who does everything and anything to prevent her and Mitchum from coming together, nor does he play an overly-good, almost idioticly noble character who "just wants her to be happy" and who therefore gives her up. No, he plays a reasonable, slightly torn up man who sees the end is nigh for him and her, who's willing to fight but when he sees the battle is lost gives up graciously, a predicament which the otherwise somewhat wooden Corey conveys onto the screen wonderfully well. This, plus the little boy who for a child-actor performs amazingly well and the fantastic, almost over the top (but not really) ending, might make this into the best Christmas-movie ever made. Yes, EVER made! Leave not this film unseen! 10/10.