They quickly take him to the library where he is asked to wait for his love. The 1938 version of Holiday is less melodramatic than the 1930 film (also included in the recent Criterion package). In fact, she is very much like her father, and is actually the only one of the children that resembles him. Movie Review: Holiday (1938) October 19, 2020 October 19, 2020 Nadine It’s been almost a month since I last typed up something for this old blog, and, I think, as much time since I last saw a B&W movie… now, that’s a long time. Honestly, the movie wouldn’t have been the same without them; in my opinion they are the funniest part of the film and probably my favorite characters overall. Histats.track_hits();} catch(err){}; "Theatrical Distributor: Columbia PicturesOfficial Site: Release Date: Jun 15, 1938DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: August 20, 2019.Synopsis: A young man in love with a girl from a rich family finds his unorthodox plan to go on holiday for the early years of his life met with skepticism by everyone except for his fiancée's eccentric sister and long-suffering brother. It was my pleasure! You can practically HEAR the shining wealth captured inside this home. All rights reserved. Two years before stars Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant and director George Cukor would collaborate on The Philadelphia Story, they brought their timeless talents to this delectable slice of 1930s romantic-comedy perfection, the second film adaptation of a hit 1928 play by Philip Barry. His only “warm” moment I can think of is when he realizes that Johnny is wearing his tie, and the whole family starts laughing. Review. Synopsis: A young man falls in love with a girl from a rich family. In addition, I like listening and watching Edward Everett Horton and thinking about his presentation of Fractured Fairytales. With Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Doris Nolan, Lew Ayres. The film was based upon the 1928 play written by Philip Barry (who also wrote The Philadelphia Story). // ]]>, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German SDH. First and foremost, this romantic comedy - probably proving (or solidifying) Hepburn as Box Office poison as it was not a hit - is a visual treat for cinephiles as it takes place at a mouthwatering location: a New York mansion that is big enough to house THREE zoos. What’s interesting about this film is also its structure in regards to the locations. Not as funny as it's bookend "Bringing Up Baby", this classic gem addresses contemporary social mores and class prejudice a little more meaningfully. If I’m not loading too much meaning into a single room, I’d say that it plays quite an important role in the film. You see, a fiercely independent man, Johnny Case (Grant), has met the great love of his life in a new whirlwind romance with fiancée Julia Seton (Doris Nolan). Shame as it is one of my favourite films. Gorgeously handled, Holiday is now on blu-ray thanks to the Criterion Collection who understand that this movie is a REEL CLASSIC, Home Video Distributor: Kino LorberAvailable on Blu-ray - 01/07/2020Screen Formats: 1.37:1Subtitles: English SDHAudio: Uncompressed monaural 1.0Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single discRegion Encoding: Locked to Region A. It is a sort of a play room filled with toys, instruments, old photos and, I imagine, all sorts of quirky knick-knacks. As viewers, it might be a bit difficult to see why Julia and Johnny got engaged in the first place, as they are clearly completely different. Hepburn enters at the end of the second act. Thanks again to In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood and Love Letters to Old Hollywood for hosting this blogathon. I think that just Edward Everett Horton’s presence can make any situation about 100 times funnier; now that I think of it he’s probably my favorite character actor. He doesn’t show much sympathy for Johnny Case at first, but we can see later that he’s rooting for him and Linda. The plot revolves around a “self-made” man called Johnny Case (Cary Grant), who is surprised to learn that his (recent) fiancée Julia Seton (Doris Nolan) leads a very posh lifestyle in a spacious Park Avenue Mansion. ( Log Out /  Made in 1938, and based on a play, Holiday makes a social statement about the hot subject of the time, money. That’s one of the territories in Holiday, an often overlooked romantic comedy from 1938 which deals with clashing values and what it means to truly live as pie-in-the-sky dreamers mix drinks with the aristocrats in America. Resulting in moving dots in the background, where it should be solid. Of course, this film - failing to connect with audiences at the time of its 1938 release - is often neglected when in the company of discussions about the other films, but Holiday remains a classic in spite of its neglect. Truly a wonderful handling of this transfer. Directed by George Cukor. Now if a few words need to be said about Mr Seton, the father of the Seton family, he is probably the least likable character of all (if we exclude Cram & Seton cousins). With seeing Holiday I have completed my list of Hepburn-Grant films (Sylvia Scarlett, Bringing Up Baby, Holiday & The Philadelhia Story). Sometimes it takes meeting the wrong person to finally get to the right person. They are happy with their nonconformity and, as Johnny witnesses, might inspire a lot more in him than Julia ever did. Old movies, books, & other forms of escapism I’d probably even watch a movie dedicated only to them, they’re just so fun The largest, central part of the movie plays in the Setons’ mansion. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Doris Nolan. When it comes to the mansion, there is one particularly interesting room where Linda likes to spend time, and it is the only place in the whole house where she feels at home. But that’s the way Johnny wants it. Unfortunately, there is not one included with the release. Which one was my favorite, I honestly don’t know; but as for Holiday, I can say I loved this one so very much. As he meets her family, his somewhat idealistic ideas aren’t met with much understanding; the only one who sems to click with him is Julia’s sister Linda (Katharine Hepburn), the “black sheep” of the family. A wonderful pairing of Grant, Hepburn and Edward Everett Horten. But Ned lacks Linda’s determination and strength of character, and he finds solace in drinking. I just learned that Holiday had been filmed before 1938: the 1930 version cast Mary Astor as Linda, but Edward Everett Horton is the only one who appeared in both versions, repeating his role as Nick Potter, an university profesor and Johnny’s eccentric friend, who makes a great pairing with his wife Susan Potter (played by Jean Dixon). // 6 minute read. Framed in a 1.37:1 aspect ratio, Holiday’s main location is a glorious monument to stirring black-and-white cinematography as the details in each of the rooms (AND THE DOORS) absolutely burst out of the edges of this transfer with depth and surprising detail. MPAA Rating: Unrated.Runtime: 95 minsDirector: George CukorWriter: Donald Ogden Stewart, Sidney BuchmanCast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Lew Ayres, Doris NolanGenre: Comedy | RomanceTagline: If you had a million... which sister would you pick to spend it with?Memorable Movie Quote: "When I find myself in a position like this, I ask myself what would General Motors do? If Julia is supposed to lose our sympathies by the end, one character that become more likable as we get to know him is their younger brother Ned. Ohh yes! A Grand Society Dramedy From Hollywood's Golden Era, Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2019. Hand-wringing in Hollywood: When Covid Killed the Cinema Star, Our Most Wanted on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD This Week - January 7, 2020, Death of a Princess - The Story of Grace Kelly's Fatal Car Crash, Joaquin Phoenix 911 Call - River Phoenix - Viper Room, Screen Legend Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79, Suicide and the Hollywood Sign - The Girl Who Jumped from the Hollywood Sign, The Black Dahlia Murder - The Death of Elizabeth Short, The Death of George Reeves - the Original Superman. I think the costume designer, Robert Kalloch, also deserves his own mention; to be honest, I mostly paid attention only to Kate Hepburn’s gowns, but all of them are so elegant and beautiful. Sorry, but I have to rave on about these two characters for a while. It is in this room where Linda tells Johnny about their childhood and her dreams and failed attempts at different professions; and in the same room he tells her about his dreams and plans. Thanks for contributing this great review to our blogathon! Holiday (1938) Features More Features > Cri Life: A monthly column about the Criterion Collection Andrew Winter 9 Months Ago. Indeed, this quirky playroom is the place where the funniest moments of the film take place. The film hits every single note right in the kisser, providing moments of sheer comedy and romance and even allowing for some melancholy as lifestyles are measured against financial gain. This release is made complete with the addition of the uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Holiday Review. I’d say that her look below, with a scarf and a diamond necklace, is quite iconic. ( Log Out /  I love Cary Grant and his talents shine in this movie. Now, I don’t want to spoil the ending for you completely if you haven’t seen the film yet. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. All in all, I’m happy to see this movie again and thank Amazon prime for making it available. Gorgeously handled, Holiday is now on blu-ray thanks to the Criterion Collection who understand that this movie is a REEL CLASSIC This page works best with JavaScript. three of which were directed by George Cukor. Class differences are made more distinct in Cukor’s film, with Johnny walking through the servants entrance of Julia’s grand Manhattan home because he assumes she works there. You will get sucked into the life of the wealthy as the riches herein tease and tantalize you, begging you to pick them up and never, never let them go. This equals my other favorite Bringing Up Baby. Old movies, books, & other forms of escapism. These two characters are meant for each other - only they don’t see it, until it feels too late.