Tuesday 20 December 2016

Holiday Inn

Jim:  "Lila's back in New York.  I got a letter from her yesterday."
Ted:  "What happened to her millionaire?"
Jim:  "Slight mistake there.  He didn't own millions, he owed them."
Ted:  "Poor girl.  Always straying to greener pastures and finding spinach."



Bing Crosby sings "White Christmas" courtesy http://basementrejects.com/review/holiday-inn-1942/




Holiday Inn is actually the prequel to the movie White Christmas.  The film stars Bing Crosby as Jim Hardy and Fred Astaire as his partner Ted Hanover and Virginia Dale as Lila.  The trio runs a musical act in New York City.  On Christmas Eve, Jim plans to retire from the act and move to a Connecticut farm with his fiancee, Lila.  However, at the last minute Lila says she has fallen in loved with Ted.  Jim pursues his plan despite Lila's bombshell.





After a year, Jim returns to New York City saying that he has struggled to make ends meet as a farmer and wants to turn his barn into a "holiday inn".  He is searching for talent to fill his inn.  On Christmas Day singer Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) shows up at the inn.  Smitten by her, Jim plays his new tune "White Christmas".  In the meantime, Ted is crushed when Lila announces she is leaving him for a Texas millionaire.  He meets Linda and discovers that he too is falling in love with the singer.  The ensuing year unrolls at the inn with shows staged at the following holidays:

  • Lincoln's Birthday (Ted is searching for Linda, but Jim disguises her in his act)
  • Valentine's Day (Jim serenades Linda with "Be Careful It's My Heart")
  • Washington's Birthday (Ted asks Linda to be his new dance partner)
  • Easter (Irving Berlin's Easter Parade is performed)
  • Independence Day (Ted & Linda are offered a deal in Hollywood)
  • Thanksgiving (irritated that Jim has tried to interfere with her Hollywood offer, she takes the job despite his wishes;  Jim, depressed, can't touch his Thanksgiving dinner; Jim's maid implores him to travel to California to win Linda back)
  • Christmas Eve (Jim revives his rendition of White Christmas, accompanied by Linda; they live happily ever after at Holiday Inn)









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