Holiday Inn (1942)

What would you do is your best friend kept stealing your girlfriends... Would you even still consider him to be a friend?

As it turns out that's precisely Bing Crosby's problem.

On the eve of his wedding, and just about as he is to retire from showbusiness and get into farming, Fred Astaire steals his woman.

Crosby retires to the farm anyway, but after a while misses the limelight and decides to turn his property into the titular Holiday Inn, a resort that will feature a show only fifteen times a year (he still wanted the quieter life.)

He finds a performing partner and falls in love with her, except Astaire (after being dumped for a millionaire) shows up at his doorstep.

Will history perversely repeat again? Will the universe set itself right and finally serve some justice? Don't be too sure you know what is gonna happen!

The film is mostly an excuse to feature Irving Berlin compositions, and to see Astaire dancing (the drunken dancing has to be a precursor to Jackie Chan's Drunken Master kung fu!) and to hear Crosby singing.

No one takes their heartbreak seriously (well, maybe there is one scene where someone does,) and it's all in lighthearted fun.

The film will make you ask yourself if you'd rather be seduced by Fred Astaire dancing or by Bing Crosby singing.

My own answer is Fred Astaire. No question about it.

Not only that, but since Astaire is all about old fashioned, I've come to realize that I don't really have a problem with conceptions of either 'old fashioned' or 'hip' entertainment, but there is still something that bothers me about Crosby, he's likeable enough in this one though, it's Astaire who's the real cad.

The set works overtime as the real location and then as a studio duplicate (catwalks, artificial snow, spotlights, cameras, etc.) For an instance, it's a fun look at backstage Hollywood.

Hard to imagine how this could ever play in 2019 or how it could hold on to its original popularity: The film buff can experience the perverse joy of seeing the whole cast of performers in blackface for its Lincoln's Birthday show (this is a bit before President's Day was a thing.)

Pretty sure 'woke' networks and such will avoid screening the film if they can help it.

Still, this film deserves to be watched at least at Christmas time. It's a film for all seasons, but it's mostly filled with classic holiday songs and remains a lot of fun.

If you are offended, then phooey to you.