Holiday Inn (1942): Bing Crosby’s Classic Film Was Nominated for Multiple Academy Awards
“Holiday Inn” is a 1942 American musical comedy-drama film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale, and Walter Abel. It was directed by Mark Sandrich with music by Irving Berlin, who was the composer who wrote twelve songs specifically for the film. The best known being “White Christmas.” The film’s choreography was by Danny Dare. The film received a 1943 Academy Award for Best Original Song for Berlin’s “White Christmas,” and Academy Award nominations for Best Score (Robert Emmett Dolan) and Best Original Story (Irving Berlin). Do you think Christmases should be white?
“Holiday Inn” 1942 Movie Plot
“Holiday Inn” begins with Jim Hardy, Ted Hanover, and Lila Dixon. They have a popular New York City song and dance act. On Christmas Eve, Jim prepares for his last performance before marrying Lila and retiring to a farm in Connecticut. Lila tells Jim she has fallen in love with the notorious charmer Ted instead; heartbroken, Jim then says goodbye.
Jim tries working the farm, but ends up in a sanatorium instead. The following Christmas Eve, Jim is back in New York City with plans to turn his farm into “Holiday Inn,” an entertainment venue open only on holidays, to the amusement of Ted and his agent, Danny Reed. In a flower shop, Danny is pitched by salesgirl and aspiring performer Linda Mason; he steers her to Holiday Inn and Ted’s club. Later that night, Linda and Jim accidentally meet at a performance by Ted and Lila. Jim pretends to own a rival club, while Linda postures as a celebrity friend of Ted’s, only to flee when Ted and Lila approach.
On Christmas Day, Linda arrives at Holiday Inn and meets Jim, the pair immediately realizing their deception. Jim sings her his new song, “White Christmas.” On New Year’s Eve, Holiday Inn opens to a packed house. Back in New York City, Ted learns that Lila is leaving him for a Texas millionaire. Drinking heavily, he arrives at the Holiday Inn at midnight and literally stumbles into Linda. They dance and bring down the house, which believes it all to be a polished act. Danny arrives and is ecstatic that Ted has found a new partner, but in the morning, Ted does not remember Linda. Jim hides her, afraid Ted will steal her away.
On President Lincoln’s Birthday, Ted and Danny search for Linda, but Jim convinces Linda to play the minstrel show number “Abraham” in blackface together to foil them. While applying Linda’s makeup, Jim asks her to stay there with him between holidays, which she interprets as a proposal. He affirms it but equivocates that only when he can afford to. Leaving empty-handed, Ted and Danny plan to return.
Upon rehearsing for Valentine’s Day, Jim presents Linda with a new song, “Be Careful, It’s My Heart.” Ted arrives and launches into an impromptu dance with Linda. Recognizing her from New Year’s Eve, he demands that Jim prepare them a number to perform in the next show. The movie moves quickly. On Washington’s Birthday, Ted and Linda dance in elaborate 18th-century period costumes, with Jim sabotaging their tempo from a minuet to jazz throughout. Linda refuses Ted’s offer to become his dance partner, saying that she and Jim are to be married. When Ted asks him about the engagement, Jim plays it off, but Ted is unconvinced.
At Easter, romance blossoms between Jim and Linda. They are met by Ted, who asks to remain in Jim’s shows to experience “the true happiness” they have found. Linda is charmed, but Jim is quite suspicious. Jim’s apprehensions are confirmed on the fourth of July, when he overhears Ted and Danny bringing a pair of Hollywood representatives to audition Ted and Linda for motion pictures from that night’s show. Jim bribes teamster Gus to stall Linda, who ends up driving the pair into a creek. Linda gets picked up on the side of the road by Lila. Having left the penniless “millionaire,” she crows that she will be Ted’s partner that night for the studio tryout.
At Holiday Inn, Ted is forced to improvise a solo, a fireworks-studded tap dance routine. Linda arrives, irritated that Jim did not trust her to make her own decision. She joins Ted, Hollywood-bound. Jim reluctantly agrees to let the eager producers make a film about Holiday Inn, but vows not to leave the Inn. Thanksgiving finds the Inn closed, and Jim wallowing in self-pity. As he prepares to mail his new song, his housekeeper, Mamie, implores him to fight to win Linda back.
Jim arrives in California on Christmas Eve, just as Ted and Linda plan to marry. Jim confronts Ted in his dressing room, gets locked in, then turns the tables on Ted and Danny. On the set of Linda’s movie, a meticulous recreation of Holiday Inn, Jim leaves his pipe on the piano and hides as Linda enters and performs “White Christmas.” Reflexively ringing tiny bells with it as he did, she falters, then continues waveringly as Jim’s voice joins her. Back at Holiday Inn on New Year’s Eve, Ted is reunited with Lila. Jim and Linda sing a duet, affirming their love.
Conclusion
“Holiday Inn” is one of the best Christmas movies ever made; it is sure to buoy your spirits. One cannot go wrong at Christmas with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. The film has an entertaining and fast-moving plot that should keep your attention. The movie is highly recommended, especially at this time of the year.
