Holiday Inn

The plot isn't much but Astaire's dancing is flawless and Crosby provides a lot of charm. Add in Christmas sentiment and it's a winner. Marjorie Reynolds' smile is heart-melting but I wish she had more lines. Practically every scene is someone singing to her and her smiling back. Meta ending with the inn on the stage being the same set. Fav scenes: Bing Crosby singing White Christmas in the beginning; Easter Parade; Astaire with firecrackers.

I would probably rate this lower if it weren't for the charm of the Holiday (esp. Christmas) premise. Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby are a delight to watch, as usual. So much I can just have fun with if I don't take it seriously (I find myself laughing at - if not with - some of the lame songs), but Astaire is such a louse, and I *hate* the old sexist stand-by of the woman going to marry someone she doesn't love because she's a pawn of life and her broken heart.

That blackface number is showstoppingly bad. And not just because of the blackface, it's a terrible routine and everything going on around it in the film is really dumb too. Luckily the rest of the movie is a fun time with Crosby's charm and Astaire's dancing. The conceit of a holiday inn makes no sense, but it's a good foundation for a musical giving the opportunity for a variety of costumes and songs and dances. The romance could be better, but it's done well enough to satisfy.

Not bad! ...except for the blackface number, ugh... and the other bits of casual racism... and the implications around World War II "spreading freedom all over God's land" in the Independence Day number... Well, if you can bring yourself to ignore the vaguely imperialist white male arrogance, it's light and reasonably fun. (Even if Irving Berlin's songs are often too heavily themed - "Washington's Birthday" sounds like a 5th-grader's essay, repeating the same memorized facts over and over.)

Linda Mason - you bitch.

I think the intent was to make a movie themed after every holiday in order to make it reappear several times a year, now if Berlin had written more than one good song for this, that might have happened, but instead it's just a pretty crappy movie.

Most of the points go to Astaire, partially for his dancing and partially because it is just so much fun to see him play a character who is a total dick. But beyond that, the plot more than a little thin. Which wouldn't be a problem if the music was great. Sadly, many of the songs aren't exactly Berlin's best (though, oddly enough, both of the "White Christmas" numbers here are much better than the ones in the film, White Christmas). And yeah, the blackface routine is just painful.

A vehicle for us to see two consummate artists display their remarkable talents for singing and dancing. Some gooey marshmallow bits of plot in between that are amusing enough, but really -- who cares? Please don't tell me you picked up this movie for the plot. The only thing that matters are those two gods known as Bing & Fred.

An example of things you don't see much in movies anymore -- good *and* bad. On the one hand, these old Hollywood musicals are very satisfying, and it's good to see Fred *or* Bing, to say nothing of together. OTOH, it's so ridiculously sexist that you feel like you're from a different planet seeing it today, and there's so much gratuitous flag-waving (look at the year) that it's no wonder everybody started making film noir right after the war ended

Obviously, the pull for this is White Christmas, and the idea of a holiday-themed dinner event is pretty neat. A few of the songs are pretty dull, though, and I'm not sure who you're supposed to be rooting for to get the girl (and that's not even mentioning the blackface). What can you say about a guy who's smoking while tap dancing? My better-than-average rating is for what it's supposed to be, and perhaps not quite what it really is. (Fav scene: "I know a shortcut.")

I love Bing Croby and Fred Astaire.

This is a fun piece of escapist, Christmas themed musical centered fun. I enjoyed the choreography, the songs and the general pacing of the film. It is, of course, nostalgic (being from the 1940s) and featuring a great cast, including Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, whats not to like? I'm giving this a solid 8 out of 10. If your not keen on musicals, or films that have any cliches or cheesy aspects at all, then this may not be for you but otherwise, definitely give this a try, say I.

87.50

Holiday Inn (1942) is a real cozy picture pitting two musical megastars in Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire against each other for the heart of the lovely Marjorie Reynolds. Think of having Mr, Mellow and Mr. Energy clash like this. You had firecrackers on the dance floor with Astaire and "White Christmas" from Bing. That's a holiday!

Iconic music and some wonderful dance numbers don't outweigh a so-so plot that has some pretty cringeworthy racism and sexism.

The movie itself is pretty bland (and much of the content hasn't aged well), but it's worth watching for two amazing dance numbers by Fred Astaire (the firecracker dance & the drunken dance.)

Abraham! 10 points of that score at least are for the blackface sequence alone.

A dumb story and weak songs made this film one that I didn't enjoy all that much.Fred Astaire dancing sequences were the only parts I liked.

Is it just me, or is Katherine Heigel a ringer for Marjorie Reynolds?

I can't decide if I like this better or White Christmas . I could watch both every christmas. Dated but feel good!

A classic for the season(s). Estaire's drunken dance bit is fantastic but beyond 'White Christmas' the songs are pretty forgettable.

If you take the time to watch the film, enjoy it for the skill of Astaire and Crosby plus the music of Irving Berlin. You'll need to overlook the now dated (and superficially sexist) treatment and some near propogandist lines - but if you can see through that it's a decent film of the genre and of its time

Zzzzzzzz.