We have come to the film where one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all time in ‘White Christmas’. Last year I reviewed the film made off the back o the song's success, but Holiday Inn (1942) is where it was introduced to the world. And although this film isn’t strictly a Christmas film as it spans the entire year of American holidays, this song's inclusion in the film warrants its place here. The film follows Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), a singer who is looking to give up his showbiz life to go and live on a farm with his fiancé and show partner, Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale). However, she does not want to give up the show life and so leaves Jim for their other partner, Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire). Jim follows through with his plan to live on a farm but decides to turn it into a Holiday Inn which is only open during holidays. He needs acts for the inn and hires Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds), and they both start falling for each other. However, things get complicated when Ted turns up after Lila leaves him and decides he wants Linda to be his new partner.
I can’t start this review anywhere else but with the blackface scene. There is no getting around it. While it never feels like the scene is portrayed as ‘malicious’ and within the historical context you can understand its inclusion in the film, it is still very uncomfortable to watch with modern eyes and it does take a toll on the film as a whole. Again, you have to take it within the historical context of the time, but I also have to bring it up because of what it is. Apart from that, the film is a pretty solid musical that very much slots into the time period it was released in terms of tone and execution. However, it definitely does have some other issues apart from the rather large one I have just mentioned. Other than ‘White Christmas’ none of the songs are particularly memorable. They’re not bad at all, and all the performances are very good, but I am racking my brains now and I can’t for the life of me remember any lyrics or melodies for any of the songs. And the same can go for the dancing sequences. Now, I understand that this criticism is much more of a personal preference issue than an issue with the film. The dance routines are well performed and choreographed, but most of them are just dance scenes because it is a musical with Fred Astaire and so you have him dance. And I don’t know about you, but I can just not bring myself to care in any way shape or form about dancing. It just bores me and these scenes in the film really drag. Well, most of them.
Despite what I just said, my favourite sequence of the film is a dance number. You may be wondering how that could possibly be seeing as I don’t like dancing. Well, that is because it is a really funny scene that just happens to be based around a dance number. The set-up is that Ted Hanover has come to the Holiday Inn and is doing some shows with Linda in an attempt to woo her. The song in question is a slower, romantic number that ends with the two kissing. But Jim is against the idea and so he and the band change the tempo and style of the music every time Ted attempts to kiss Linda. It is a pretty simple set-up, but it is executed brilliantly. It feels very slapstick in tone and Fred Astaire pulls it off incredibly well. I had several big laughs throughout the whole sequence, and it is easily the most memorable moment of the film. That scene has all the actors at peak performance, but all the performances are great throughout. It also is a great looking film in terms of its sets which are really well designed. Even when the backgrounds are clearly painted sets, they still look great and there is a great sense of charm about it. This film also has the most hilarious moment I have seen in a film in a long time. This is when Jim pays his driver to make sure Linda doesn’t turn up at the Holiday Inn when Hollywood agents are there. The driver’s way of doing this? Driving full tilt into a pond. It came out of nowhere which may be why I found it so funny, but then they did it a second time and I just lost it. Describing it now feels like I overreacted but I’m telling you, watching it play out had me full on belly laughing.
I don’t see myself coming back to this film. It definitely isn’t bad, and there were some real stand out moments. But overall, it is just very average. Maybe it is just that it goes heavy on dance sequences, or maybe it is the blackface scene, which is really uncomfortable, but it just never clicked for me. Still, I don’t regret watching it and I wouldn’t not recommend you see it, but I wouldn’t suggest you definitely need to. You won’t be missing out if you skipped this one.
Comments