Holiday Inn

Plot synopsis:
Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), and Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) have a musical act popular in the New York City nightlife scene. On Christmas Eve, Jim prepares to give his last performance as part of the act before marrying Lila and retiring with her to a farm in Connecticut. At the last minute, Lila decides she is not ready to stop performing, and that she has fallen in love with Ted. She tells Jim that she will stay on as Ted's dancing partner. While heartbroken, Jim follows through with his plan and bids the act goodbye.
One year later on Christmas Eve, Jim is back in New York City. Farm life has proven difficult; he plans to turn his farm into an entertainment venue called Holiday Inn, to be open only on public holidays. Ted and his agent Danny Reed (Walter Abel) scoff at the plan, but wish him luck. Later, at the airport flower shop while ordering flowers for Lila from Ted, Danny is accosted by employee Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) who recognizes him as a talent agent and begs him for a start in show business. Danny refers her to Holiday Inn and gives her a pass to Ted's club. That night, Linda sits at the performer's table with Jim, who pretends he owns a big club and isn't sure he could use an act like Hanover and Dixon. Linda pretends she's a celebrity and friend of Ted's, then escapes when the two performers come to Jim's table.
The next morning, Christmas Day, Linda arrives at Holiday Inn, where she meets Jim—both realizing they were fooling each other the previous evening. Jim is preparing the place for New Year's Eve, and they take to each other immediately. Jim sings her his new song, "White Christmas," which he would have performed had the inn been open that night. Later that week, on New Year's Eve, Holiday Inn opens to a packed house.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Ted learns that Lila is leaving him for a Texas millionaire. Drinking heavily, he drives up to Holiday Inn to talk with Jim, arriving at midnight. While wandering aimlessly across the dance floor, Ted sees Linda, who remembers him from Christmas Eve. They dance, with Ted bringing down the house despite his inebriated state. Danny arrives just as the dance ends and is ecstatic that Ted found a new partner. The next morning, however, Ted remembers very little and doesn't remember Linda at all. Jim doesn't say anything and hides Linda away, afraid that Ted will steal her away from the inn.
At the next performance, Lincoln's Birthday, Ted and Danny return to Holiday Inn in search of Linda. Jim is ready for them and decides to run the night's big minstrel show number "Abraham" with disguised performers, including Linda, in an effort to foil the search. While applying Linda's blackface makeup, Jim asks if she will stay with him between holidays, and Linda takes this as a proposal. Having come up empty, Ted and Danny will not give up and plan to be back for the next holiday.
During rehearsals for the Valentine's Day performance, Jim presents Linda with a unique Valentine, a new song called "Be Careful, It's My Heart." While Jim sings with his back to her, Linda begins dancing alone, and as Ted enters, he spots Linda and launches into an impromptu romantic dance with her. Convinced that Linda is the girl he danced with on New Year's Eve, Ted demands that Jim provide a number for them to perform on the next holiday, and Jim reluctantly agrees.
On Washington's Birthday, Ted and Linda perform in elaborate 18th century period costumes, while Jim attempts to sabotage their dance, changing the tempo from a minuet to jazz every time the couple attempts to kiss. Afterwards, Ted asks Linda to join him as his new dance partner. Linda refuses, saying she has promised to stay at the inn and that she and Jim are to be married. When Ted asks him about the marriage, Jim plays it off, but Ted is unconvinced, telling Danny he will continue to pursue Linda.
At Easter, romance continues to blossom between Jim and Linda as they travel home from church in a carriage. When they reach the inn, Ted is sitting on the porch waiting for them. Ted asks Jim if he can remain in his shows, claiming he wants to experience "the true happiness" they've found at the inn. Linda is charmed, but Jim is suspicious.
Jim's suspicions are confirmed on Independence Day when he overhears Ted and Danny discussing an offer Ted received from Hollywood representatives, who will attend that night's show and determine if Ted and Linda are suitable for motion pictures. Desperate, Jim bribes hired hand Gus (Irving Bacon) to ensure that Linda does not arrive at the inn. After Gus drives the inn's car into a creek attempting to delay her, Linda tries to return to the inn and is picked up by Lila, who left the Texas millionaire after his tax problems were revealed. Lila tells Linda, who is pretending to be a waitress, about the studio tryout and that Lila will be Ted's partner. Assuming that Jim arranged for her to take Linda's place, Linda directs Lila into the same river.
Back at the inn, Ted is forced to perform a solo dance. When Linda eventually makes her way to the inn, she finds that Ted has impressed the studio honchos with his improvised solo and the opportunity stands. Irritated with Jim for not trusting her to make her own decision, Linda takes the offer and leaves for Hollywood. The producers want to make a film about Holiday Inn, and Jim reluctantly agrees.
At Thanksgiving, the inn is closed and Jim is depressed and sullen, barely touching the turkey dinner prepared by his housekeeper Mamie (Louise Beavers). Jim is prepared to mail to Hollywood a recording of his new Thanksgiving song, but, before he does, he plays it on a record player and makes negative comments over the positive ones in the recording. Realizing what is wrong and ignoring decorum, Mamie implores him to travel to California to win Linda back by telling her how he really feels.
Jim arrives at the studio on Christmas Eve, just as Ted is preparing to leave with Linda to get married. Jim confronts Ted in his dressing room, then locks him in it. Before Linda films the final scene for her movie, which features a recreation of Holiday Inn, Jim walks around the set with the director, who boasts it is the most exact recreation ever created for a motion picture. Jim leaves his pipe on the set's piano and hides nearby. Linda enters the room and sits at the piano, performing "White Christmas". Startled by the pipe's presence, she falters, then continues as Jim's voice joins her. Jim appears and Linda runs to him as the director yells, "Cut!" Meanwhile, Ted and Danny finally understand Jim's plan, but they are too late to stop him.
At Holiday Inn on New Year's Eve, Ted is reunited with Lila, who is ready and willing to perform with him again. Jim and Linda prepare to stay together and run the inn.

Tags: romantic

Review:
In Holiday Inn it isn't Bing Crosby or Fred Astair that makes the movie outstanding, but rather the relatively unknown "B" movie star of the time, Marjorie Reynolds.
The original 78 had White Christmas with the flipside of Let's Start the New Year Right also from Holiday Inn. The newer version which most people hear has as it's flipside God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.I don't want to ignore Fred Astaire's contribution here.
Irving Berlin, Crosby's long time friend, wrote magical numbers for the film, including the unforgettable White Christmas.Fred Astaire gave a tour de force performance, singing, and, of course, dancing his way through this delightful piece in rare form.
HOLIDAY INN (Paramount, 1942), directed by Mark Sandrich, with adaptation by Elmer Rice, based on the idea by Irving Berlin, stars crooner Bing Crosby and dancer Fred Astaire for the first time (their second would be BLUE SKIES in 1946).
While the movie itself has been long associated with Christmas, hence the introduction to Irving Berlin's Academy Award winning tune of "White Christmas," HOLIDAY INN features songs for almost all holidays, however, this is the kind of movie that can be aired on television at anytime, whether it be Easter or Fourth of July, but it is that wonderful time of Christmas that has long become associated with the musical of HOLIDAY INN.Opening and closing with a focus of a calendar, which is used throughout the film when centering around a certain holiday, the plot, set in a two year span, centers upon Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), friends and entertainers working at the Club Pierre in New York City with Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) as the third party to the trio.
Songs include: "Happy Holidays" (sung briefly during opening credits); "I'll Capture Your Heart Singing/Dancing" (sung by Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire and Virginia Dale); "Lazy" (medley, sung by Crosby); "You're Easy to Dance With" (sung by Fred Astaire/danced by Astaire and Dale); "White Christmas" (sung by Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds); "Happy Holidays" (sung by Crosby, Reynolds and chorus); "Let's Start the New Year Right" (sung by Crosby); "Abraham" (sung by Crosby, Reynolds, Louise Beavers and chorus); "Be Careful, It's My Heart" (sung by Crosby/ danced by Astaire and Reynolds); "Washington's Birthday March (I Cannot Tell a Lie)" (sung by Astaire/ danced by Astaire and Reynolds); "Easter Parade" (sung by Crosby); "The Song of Freedom" (sung by Crosby/ firecracker dance by Astaire); "I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For" (sung by Crosby); "White Christmas" (reprise by Reynolds and Crosby) and "I'll Capture Your Heart" (with Crosby, Astaire, Reynolds and Dale).While HOLIDAY INN was intended to feature songs for all holidays of the year, some were obviously omitted, intentionally or unintentionally, including a song or a song to Memorial Day and Labor Day, yet a production number for Valentine's Day (February 14th) is hardly considered a holiday of any kind, but is included as part of a holiday number just the same.
Even the original 1979 motion picture soundtrack from Sunbeam Records included every song from the film except for "Abraham." The "Abraham" number was later restored when distributed to video cassette in the 1980s.Also seen in the supporting cast consists of Louise Beavers Mamie, Jim's housekeeper; Irving Bacon as Gus; John Gallaudet as Mr. Parker; James Bell as Mr. Dunbar; and Shelby Bacon and Joan Arnold as Mamie's children, Vanderbilt and Daphne.Aside from its annual revivals on commercial television on Christmas Eve, HOLIDAY INN has played on any given time on cable television's American Movie Classics from 1994 to 2000 to Turner Classic Movie where it premiered July 16, 2003.
The source of the song "White Christmas" would be worth watching just for that, but in addition the movie has a bunch of wonderful dancing, and quite a lot of charming songs; "I'll Capture Your Heart Singing", "Come To Holiday Inn", "You're Easy to Dance With", "Oh How I Hate to Get up in the morning", "White Christmas", and "Happy Holiday" (all by Irving Berlin) are some of the highlights.Anyone who is a fan of Crosby or Astaire will enjoy this movie.
Between the great song, the dance numbers and the chemistry between Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, this film really is one of the the all time classics.
Both stars were really at their professional peaks at the time and they show it in this movie musical.Both Marjorie Reynolds as Linda Mason and Virginia Dale as Lila Dixon were not as well known, but I feel they both more than proved themselves in holding their own against the talents of Astaire & Crosby.The supporting cast were fine too.
I also enjoyed the dancing sequence between Astaire & Dale during the "Your Easy to Dance With" number and between Astaire & Reynolds during the "Be Careful Its My Heart" number.Truly a wonderful film despite the controversy surrounding the "Abraham" black face routine.When I first saw this film, I never thought about it as being filmed to offend anyone, I just considered it was the only way to explain in the plot why Ted & Danny don't recognize Linda since Jim has been hiding her from them.
The State would have made it for you and "you Will like it"!As the "black face" routine was showing I turned to my family and said that I was sure that despite the "classic" status of this film there were probably a lot of people wincing as they watched Bing Crosby with burnt cork all over him.I'm sure that before he died Bing too winced a little bit at that number, but taken in the context of history it was to be expected.
He was always eclipsed by his older brother, but then Bing Crosby was THE biggest star of that time, at least among singers.Bob's music was a Dixieland style and it lent a lightness to the big band orchestrations of Irving Berlin's songs that might have otherwise made the music ponderous, too much so for this light comedy at least.Remember, finally that when Holiday Inn came out we were losing WW2.
"Holiday Inn" is the story of singer/dancer entertainers (Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Virginia Dale) who work together in New York.
The music is excellent with performances of "White Christmas" and "Easter Parade." Both singing and dancing is very good (and what else could you expect with Astaire and Reynolds) and singing with Crosby.
Although the film is nowadays best-known perhaps for introducing the world's best-selling single record  Irving Berlin's evergreen Oscar-winning "White Christmas"  it is also an amiably heartwarming slice of impeccable entertainment as only Hollywood during its Golden Age was able to provide.The storyline is simple enough: a trio of entertainers "quarrel" over the girl in the middle and while one (Fred Astaire) proposes to her, the other (Bing Crosby) quits showbiz to settle down in a remote farming community.
Apart from that Oscar-winning song, Irving Berlin's wonderful score also includes "Easter Parade" (which was brought to the screen six years later by Astaire himself and Judy Garland), "I'll Capture Your Heart Singing" (a dueling duet between Crosby and Astaire) and "You're Easy To Dance With" (sung by Astaire as he dances with his new partner, Marjorie Reynolds).The cast is a very strong ingredient in contributing towards the film's overall success: Bing Crosby is at his best (in a lightly, comedic vein) as the laid-back proprietor of Holiday Inn; Fred Astaire is perfectly cast as his self-absorbed romantic rival and has a great drunken dance sequence around the film's mid-point; the relatively unknown Marjorie Reynolds is a very likable leading lady (she worked steadily in films for years without ever attaining stardom and, apart from this one, her most high-profile role was in Fritz Lang's MINISTRY OF FEAR [1944]; Walter Abel was one of Hollywood's most consummate character actors and he is his usual flustered self here as Astaire's conniving agent; Irving Bacon has a small but winning role of a yokel Crosby hires to detain Reynolds (by any means necessary  which ultimately sees him driving his car straight into a river!) from performing at Holiday Inn when Hollywood comes knocking, etc.
Director Mark Sandrich (who helmed some of the best entries in the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers cycle in the 1930s) displays an admirably light touch throughout which ensures that the film breezes through its alternately comic and musical phases without a bump.Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire would later be reteamed for the less successful BLUE SKIES (1946)  which I haven't seen yet but wouldn't mind doing so eventually  and HOLIDAY INN itself would be revamped (less effectively) the following decade as WHITE Christmas (1954), a Vistavision color vehicle for Crosby again, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen..
A Great Wartime Pick-Me-Up. The best film to come over here during the war was Holiday Inn.I was 15 years old and working in our village cinema  as apprentice projectionist,the copies of films we received were nearly worn out and by the time our cinema received them they  had bits missing,and needed constant repairs.But of the film itself  I had never heard or seen  any musical like it and it was shown to packed houses for the whole of its run and I think that the Irving Berlin Song Of Freedom was an inspiration to to everyone who at that time was fighting for those freedoms (free from want, free from fear,free to speak and free to hear) These words hold as good to-day for our nations as they did then.
What more can be said about a movie that's become a perennial Christmas favorite featuring a whole slew of Irving Berlin song and dance routines, and two of the most popular and talented stars of film musicals--BING CROSBY and FRED ASTAIRE at their best.Well, it's a light, airy, briskly entertaining sort of musical that deserves its immense popularity due mainly to the unforgettable Berlin songs that are sprinkled throughout: "White Christmas", "Easter Parade", "Happy Holidays" and "Be Careful, It's My Heart", among a roster of other delights that more than make up for a thin storyline.And Fred Astaire, in his prime, is a dancer to be reckoned with when he taps his way through the perfectly timed firecracker dance for The Fourth of July sequence.
And it's there, on that studio set, that the story leads to its inevitable conclusion with the singing of "White Christmas".Interesting bit of trivia: My personal favorite Best Song nomination that year was "Love Is A Song", the beautiful main theme of BAMBI, but, of course, it had no chance against Irving Berlin's title tune at the top of all the music charts.Too bad Paramount couldn't afford Technicolor for this one.
But things get complicated when Jim's old partner, Ted, turns up and sets his sights on Linda, Jim's gorgeous "friend", this holiday period may not be so happy after all.Boasting great star power in the form of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, Holiday Inn still feels short of the required genre excitement.
My favourites would have to be the heartbreakingly lovely "Be Careful It's My Heart" for Valentine's Day, "Easter Parade" for Easter (later the theme song for a Fred Astaire/Judy Garland vehicle of the same name) and of course, "White Christmas"--that classic, beautiful Christmas serenade by none other than Bing Crosby.
HOLIDAY INN isn't a brilliant film, but it's certainly a very good--probably even great--one, and it's hard to imagine that anyone could watch the ending credits flash on the screen without a smile lingering on your face and Crosby's voice and Astaire's twirls still in your head.
Walter Abel is right on as the agent, Danny Reed, and blond Marjorie Reynolds (that's Peg in "Life of Riley" for us baby boomers) is lovely as the second woman Astaire attempts to get away from Crosby, the first being Astaire's partner, played by Virginia Dale.The sticking point in this marvelous film is "Abraham," which bothers a lot of people, but when it's cut on AMC, nobody likes that either.
Holiday Inn (1942- directed by Mark Sandrich) A favorite black and white, WW II holiday musical starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.
Bing Crosby's character decides to move out of New York City to a farm, and he turns this into an inn where they sing songs and dance on every holiday in the year, from Christmas to President's Day to Valentine's Day. It's a musical with plenty of song and dance with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, and it has a little bit of a love story in it too.The highlight of this film is, of course, when Bing Crosby and the female lead sing 'White Christmas' in front of the piano and when the female lead then sings it herself at the end of the film, remembering these memories.
i thought this was a fun little musical/comedy.there's a number of song and and numbers,most of which i liked.it Stars Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire as friends,who are also rivals when it comes to women.there's some amusing banter between the two,and Astaire is quite a dancer.Crosby is the singer,and his voice is of course pure silk.there is one segment in the movie which which is offensive, and frankly in poor taste,and could be considered racist,but i don't think it was deliberately done in malice.this segment wouldn't be included in any modern movie,but unfortunately,they did things different back then.for me,that's the only black mark on the movie.otherwise,i thought it was good.for me,Holiday Inn is a 6/10.
Jim (Bing Crosby) retires from his act with Ted (Fred Astaire) and Lila (Virginia Dale) to set up "Holiday Inn" where he can laze around for the year and only put on a show when there is a holiday.
The lovely Marjorie Reynolds plays Linda Mason, a young singer/dancer who gets hired by Bing to perform at the shows at Holiday Inn, and who becomes the love interest of both Bing and Fred, after Lila dumps him.The songs include "White Christmas", "Easter Parade", and several others.
But here, it's the final nail in the coffin.The film's only saving grace -- the only reason it gets a 2 rating from me instead of 1 -- is that you still get to hear Bing Crosby sing, and watch Fred Astaire dance with Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale.
Holiday Inn (1942) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Simple but incredibly delightful Musical about a singer (Bing Crosby) who decides to head to the country for the quiet life after his dancing partner (Fred Astaire) steals his girl.
HOLIDAY INN is considered one of the best of its type but those who aren't familiar with the movie probably only knows it as the film that introduced everyone to the Oscar-winning 'White Christmas' sung by Crosby of course.
Great music (Irving Berlin), Great voice (Bing Crosby), wonderful dancing (Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale).
Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire) have a song and dance act that Jim retires from to go start an inn in Connecticut.
So it is up to Jim to win her back, in an old-fashioned, classic and romantic fashion just before Ted and Linda tight their knot.Quintessentially a perfect holiday movie in honor of Americana heritage, HOLIDAY INN makes great play of the dualistic fun of Crosby's soul-soothing singing and Astaire's pyrotechnic tap-dancing, choreographed by Danny Dare, at the expense of the storyline, which ruefully takes a back seat.
Irving Berlin's WHITE Christmas, Crosby's signature song debuts here and is sung thrice, meanwhile Astaire's firecracker solo is an honest-to-goodness splendor to behold, along with his old soak dancing sequences, both Reynolds and Dale knuckle down the task of being a commensurate partner for him, but it is suffice to say they are no Ginger Rogers, although petticoat artistes are legitimately given the short end of the stick under the shadow of two male superstars of the time.
The film is a showcase of Irving Berlin music, dancing by the greatest dancer of the silver screen (Fred Astaire), and singing by the top male singer of the early decades of filmdom (Bing Crosby).
Berlin and Crosby liked it, but they and the people at Paramount thought that the hit number of "Holiday Inn" would be, "Be Careful, It's My Heart." According to the Guinness World Records, Bing Crosby's rendition of "White Christmas" is the best-selling single song of all time.
A musical as a vehicle to show off the talents of Bing Crosby's singing, and Fred Astaire's dancing, Holiday Inn has become a staple for many through the holiday season.
Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), and Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) are a dancing and singing act playing in night clubs in New York.
Yep, it's Astaire and Crosby headlining this one, and the females in it just have to look pretty and sit back while the boys do all the work."Holiday Inn" is a fun, mindless musical, with some senseless plot strands connecting the real reason for watching the movie--an assemblage of song and dance numbers each centered around a national holiday.Forgive it its corniness, forgive it its maudlin WWII propaganda sequence, and especially forgive it its nauseating black face number to celebrate Lincoln's birthday, and just sit back and enjoy it the way audiences at the time were meant to.
This film introduced the world to Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," with Bing Crosby singing it here as he does in the 1954 movie named for the song.
At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner (Bing Crosby) and a hoofer (Fred Astaire) vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer (Marjorie Reynolds).This film was the precursor to "White Christmas", and today is certainly the lesser-known of the two.
The musical numbers are well-performed by Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, and Marjorie Reynolds.
What makes the movie work so well and is such a pleasure to watch, or course, is Crosby singing, Astaire dancing, and both doing their charming best with songs, some new, some old, by Irving Berlin.