Review of Christmas Holiday (1944) by Matt H — 23 Oct 2015

Interesting casting, solid performances that almost elevate the thin script. Departures for both Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly, I wish Durbin had gotten more roles like this (or at least had been cast in some of Kelly's later musicals).

Has a sort of strange framing device, it kind of messes with the pacing. Christmas Holiday is also surprising in that it was directed by Herman Mankiewicz, known probably most famously as the writer of Citizen Kane.

This appears to have been his one chance at directing. I doubt he would have ever had the level of success as his brother, but it would have been interesting to see what he could have come up with in the future as a writer/director.