1942 - HOLIDAY INN, a good musical.

 A fairly good 1940's musical from Paramount which features two big stars, Bing Crosby who was one of the kings of the Paramount lot in the 1940's and Fred Astaire.  The film's female leads are okay but really didn't have what you would call a breakout career.  Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale are decent dancers but they don'ty measure up to Astaire's former partner Ginger Rogers.

Holiday Inn is such a light piece of fluff that the plot is practically nonexistent.  Bing wants to get out of the show business rat race, he proposes to Virginia Dale but she's in love with Fred and wants to continue with her career.  They break up and Bing buys an Inn which will only be open on holidays.  Bing meets Marjorie Reynolds who has one of those big Hollywood smiles and they sort of have a romance.  Re-enter Fred Astaire who has been dumped by Virginia Dale and is looking for a new dancing partner, he sets his sights on Marjorie Reynolds.  Will Bing win Marjorie back?

 

What this film really has going for it are the songs by Irving Berlin and the musical numbers under the direction of Mark Sandrich who had worked with Astaire during his famous RKO period with Ginger Rogers.  With the exception of a tasteless and cringe inducing black face number the film is for the most part an entertaining time.

 

 The film was written by Claude Binyon and Elmer Rice, the running time is 100 minutes.