Review of Holiday Inn (1942) by Movie M — 13 Jan 2019

Reviewed 1.10.19 Holiday Inn is set in a whitewashed America. There's a ridiculous black face scene. And with the Pearl Harbor attack having taken place halfway through production there's the prerequisite propaganda military sequence added to original script. I don't look past these shortcomings lightly, in particular the racial insensitivity (actually, just outright stupidity and ignorance of the time period). That said, that was the world then. Some would argue it hasn't changed a great deal. But this review is about the quality of the movie as a whole, considering the time period in which it was made.

The film stars the powerhouse duo of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, supported by the legendary songwriting of Irving Berlin. At the time, it was the highest grossing film musical ever. And for good reason. Crosby at his peak, singing instant classics. Astaire at his dancing best, delivering a solo dance scene with fireworks that achieves high art status. Alongside the entertaining idea of an inn that hosts events on holidays only (an entire chain of hotels lifted the title as their name), and with a solid supporting cast led by Marjorie Reynolds, the film is loaded with talent and creativity.

As far as mid-20th Century X-mas movies go, there are superior dramas, like 'A Christmas Carol' and 'It's a Wonderful Life.' But on the comedy or musical front, this is the zenith. Brimming with seasonal charm, filled with likable characters, and as cozy as a warm Xmas eve fire, it delivers the song and dance goods. Kick it up a notch with the 2008 colorized version. It's a snapshot of a bygone era, in all its schmaltzy and repressed glory.