Holiday Inn (1942)

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire star in Holiday Inn as a popular nightclub song-and-dance team. When his heart is broken by his girlfriend, Crosby decides to retire from the hustle-bustle of big city showbiz.  He purchases a rustic New England farm and converts it to an inn, which he opens to the public (floor show and all) only on holidays.  Oddly enough, the most memorable song in the bunch, the Oscar-winning White Christmas, is not offered as a production number but as a simple ballad sung by Crosby to an audience of one: leading lady Marjorie Reynolds. Fred Astaire's best moment is his Fourth of July firecracker dance. 

Well, it seems that Astaire wants to make a film about Crosby's inn, starring their mutual discovery Reynolds.   Bing briefly loses Reynolds to Astaire, but wins her back during the filming of a musical number on a Hollywood soundstage.

This is truly one of the great musicals to ever grace the silver screen.  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. What really makes it great is that it pretty much plays like a great Broadway review that uses the different holidays as an excuse to display the individual talents of each of the film's stars. However, the thing that this film will truly be remembered for is the fact that it introduced one of the all time classic song's to the world, "White Christmas."

 

 

Another thing that makes this film so beloved is that it came out during a time when America needed somewhat of a diversion, World War II. This film helped to give people something to put smiles on their faces as the whole world was going through hell.

 

 

 

At least for two hours, this film helped America to forget its troubles and put a smile on everyone's faces.  This was the film that brought us the all time best-selling Christmas song, "White Christmas."  Holiday Inn is stylish, funny and a very romantic musical.

 

 

 

 

 

What's there not to like?  The singing and dancing is remarkable!  A true classic! :) xx