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Actors: Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale, Walter Abel
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Holiday Inn |
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In this film, which takes place during Christmas Eve, Club Pierre crooner Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby) has had enough of his grueling, year-round work schedule. He has recently purchased a Connecticut farmhouse and is planning to move in with Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale), his fiancée. Jim is in for a surprise when Lila tells Jim that she is in love with dancer extraordinaire Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire). Lila and Ted want to dedicate their lives to making people happy with their feet. Dismayed by the unexpected news, Jim wishes Ted and Lila well just the same. “I hope you get a lot of work, holidays included, and dance yourselves into beautiful nervous breakdowns”. Jim is still going forth with his plans to relocate to Connecticut.
Jim finds that life on a rustic farm is anything but tranquil and relaxing. When Jim visits Club Pierre the following Christmas Eve, he tells Ted and Danny Reed, agent to the stars, that farming is the toughest work in the world. Ted suggests that Jim might be happier back in New York performing, but Jim has a great idea. As he hands out business cards, Jim explains to Ted and Danny that he is turning the farmhouse into an inn/restaurant called Holiday Inn. The inn will only be open on holidays, leaving Jim with the rest of the year to kick around in. Danny thinks that Jim is absurd, but he is in a hurry to catch a flight so he can book Ted and Lila a lucrative gig. When Ted asks if Danny remembered to order orchids for Lila‘s dressing room, Danny panics and dashes off to a flower shop. Ted convinces Jim to stay for the show so he can say hello to Lila afterwards.
At the flower shop, Danny meets Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds), an aspiring singer and dancer. Linda, knowing very well, who Danny Reed is, lies and says that the delivery truck has already left with its last Christmas Eve flower delivery. Linda adds that in order to help Danny out of a bind, she would be willing to deliver the orchids personally. Relieved, Danny offers Linda money, which she declines. He offers her Club Pierre tickets for the floorshow that night. As Linda accepts the tickets, she asks in a roundabout way if Danny has a job for her, laying the guilt on pretty thick. Exasperated and running late for his flight, Danny hands Linda Jim's business card, instructing her to head up to Connecticut the next day.
Moments before the show, a nervous Linda sits down at the reserved table where Jim is studying a menu. Linda tells Jim that she is here tonight at Mr. Reed's invitation. Jim asks her if she knows Ted as well, to which Linda lies and says “naturally”. Linda adds that Ted is very talented and handsome. Not to be outdone, Jim says that he owns an elegant club, but Ted's simple act might not go over so well in a place as large as is. Linda counters that she finds that the size of a place does not matter as long as one has sufficient personality. Amused, Jim asks her to go into more detail to which she replies, “I'm Linda Mason”, as if she is already a luminary. After a dazzling performance, Ted and Lila head to the table to say hello to Jim. Linda runs away in a panic, terrified about Jim discovering the truth.
On a snowy Christmas Day, crotchety Gus drives Linda to the inn in a horse-drawn carriage. After his unexpected surprise at seeing her, Jim slips off a ladder and lands on Linda. They laugh good-naturedly about their lies from the previous evening and Jim invites her inside to change her snow-drenched clothes. Jim introduces Linda to his “staff”, maid Mamie and her two children, Daphne and Vanderbilt. While sipping hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire, Jim goes into detail about his hopes and dreams for Holiday Inn. Linda and he sing a song he wrote for Christmas (“White Christmas”) and he offers her a job performing at the inn.
On New Year's Eve, Danny receives word from a Club Pierre associate that Lila has eloped with a “Texan from Texas”. After reading her devastating telegram and ordering a mess of scotch, Ted headed up to Connecticut to commiserate with his old pal Jim. Jim arrives at Holiday Inn extremely inebriated and proceeds to wow the crowd with an impromptu dance starring Linda as his partner. Jim and Danny catch the tail end of the performance, as Ted passes out and Linda is lost in the applauding and cheering crowd.
Although his head is hurting the next morning, Ted excitedly tells Jim and Danny that he has found his new dance partner. The only problem is that Ted was too drunk; he does not remember what she looked like. Danny is of no help since he only saw the mystery girl from the back. Jim, who recently discovered that Lila has flown the coop, is worried that Ted and Linda will fall in love if they ever meet face to face. Ted and Danny are not that concerned, they will just stake out Holiday Inn until they find the girl that danced away.
Jim is now on a mission to hide Linda's identity from Ted. He is able to conceal her on Lincoln's Birthday but by Valentine's Day, all bets are off. Ted and Linda are happily reunited and Ted moves into the inn soon afterwards. Jim must now fight to keep his new girl and his dream alive.
--Tara Dugan, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Holiday Inn |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Comedy, primarily
Yes
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Kind of comedy
- romantic comedy
How much humor v. drama
- Nearly all humor
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- singer/musician
Age:
- 40's-50's
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- happy
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Body type
- (woman) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- artist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 90%-100%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Misc setting
- resort/hotel
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- very happy
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- None
If lots of song/dance...
- lot of singing and dancing
If this is a kid's movie...
- Ages 10-15
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Broadway musical
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Tara Dugan
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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