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| Holiday Inn - 1942 |
Coming up next is 1942's "Holiday Inn", a story about an inn that is only open on holidays. Also, a dancer and a singer are in competition for the affections of the inn's showstopper.
The film's cast includes Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale, Walter Abel, Louise Beavers, and Irving Bacon.
In New York City, Jim Hardy and Ted Hanover have a very popular music act. They are ably assisted by Miss Lila Dixon.
On the final night of their act, Ted and Lila declare their love, which leaves Jim out in the cold. He decides to retire to a farm in Connecticut.
Farming isn't all Jim hopes it to be. After a year, he's pretty sick and tired of it.
So, he decides to turn the farm into an entertainment venue. The idea is that it will only be open on holidays, thereby becoming the aptly named "Holiday Inn".
By the Christmas season, Jim is back in New York visiting Ted and Lila at their nightclub. He meets Miss Linda Mason. The two hit it off, and he agrees to give her a chance to sing at the Holiday Inn.
While Jim has been farming, Ted and Lila have been doing very well in the nightclub business. They are quite the successful pair.
At the Inn, Jim and Linda work on a number destined to be a hit. The two sound very good together as they sing "White Christmas".
By New Year's Eve, the Holiday Inn is ready to open. It proves to be a huge success.
The next holiday is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. A minstrel number entitled "Abraham" is performed for the patrons of the inn.
Valentine's Day is next, and Jim gives Linda a special card of his own design.
Jim's got to stay on his toes. Ted arrives, minus Lila, and proceeds to dance the night away with Linda.
On George Washington's birthday, Jim watches while Ted and Linda continue to dance together and dazzle the audience.
But by Easter, Jim and Linda are decidedly together as a couple. They drive through the picturesque town with a horse and buggy.
The Fourth of July finds a huge celebration amidst a great deal of patriotic fervor. We also find out that Hollywood has come calling. Producers want to make a film about the Holiday Inn. There's an argument between Jim and Linda, and she decides to leave for Hollywood to make the film.
After a lonely Thanksgiving, Jim heads to California and surprises Linda on set. He joins her in a chorus of "White Christmas". She rushes into his arms and any misunderstandings between them vanish into thin air.
And on New Year's Eve, we find that Jim and Linda have returned to the inn. And Ted, who thought he was going to be dancing through life alone, is delightfully surprised at the reappearance of Lila.
Cast rundown:
Bing Crosby.....................................Jim Hardy
Fred Astaire.....................................Ted Hanover
Marjorie Reynolds.............................Linda Mason
Virginia Dale....................................Lila Dixon
Walter Abel......................................Danny Reed
Louise Beavers.................................Mamie
Irving Bacon....................................Gus
And that's it for Holiday Inn. It was in this film that the song "White Christmas" was first introduced to audiences. It would later be included in another holiday movie, 1954's "White Christmas". Holiday Inn has proved enduringly popular. In 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May declared that it was her favorite Christmas movie.
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