Review of Holiday Inn

It is not necessary, I suggest, to admire Irving Berlin in order to appreciate the realistic qualities of "Holiday Inn". Essentially, the piece has fewer than eight significant parts, contains strong and weak songs, but has very fine production numbers that are, for once, fitted into a believable screenplay about people. The plot of the film can be stated in two sentences. A dancer (Fred Astaire), and his partner a singer (Bing Crosby) have two misunderstandings about successive female partners of the dancer--but all turns out happily. Producer-Director Mark Sandrich does a lyrical job of keeping the action flowing; Berlin's simple but serviceable idea was made into a screenplay by Claude Binyon with help from Elmer Rice and others. Bob Crosby was mainly responsible for the orchestral music, which is very competent. With fine B/W cinematography by David Abel, Art Direction by Roland Anderson and Hans Dreier, intelligent specialty gowns by Edith Head, and set decorations by Sam Comer, the film looks smooth, and present a unified effect that still looks impressive today. The songs include, "Be Careful, It's My Heart" and "White Christmas" among others; but I suggest the film's chief ornament is the choreography as interpreted by Astaire, from a famous exploding caps number through romantic, fast, and lively to graceful and slow rhythms. As to the actors, Astaire is breezy and effective throughout, particularly when playing off Walter Abel's very energetic work as his agent. Marjorie Reynolds has the warm part of a lifetime as one of the two women in the partners' lives; and Lila Dale is quite successful as the other woman. Louise Beavers steals her scenes as Crosby's housekeeper- confidante. Bing Crosby sings some numbers well but appears to less effect, by my lights, than do the others even though he is acceptable throughout. The settings in the film range from a Hollywood sound stage to theatrical stages to the large Holiday Inn cum nightclub itself to dressing rooms, backstage areas and countryside locales. This film led to several other movies set in converted inns, and to other singer versus dancer romantic contests, for decades afterward. I recommend the film highly for the delightful dance routines interpreted by Astaire--and all concerned-- and for the overall simple but often humorous storyline as presented by director Sandrich and a satisfying cast. Add a very satisfying climax, and almost everyone can agree that this film deserves its perennial popularity.