14 songs in just over 100 minutes- similar daunting gauntlet to Berlin’s Easter Parade
Famously for the first used here- the luminous song “White Christmas”- for decades the #1 music single of all time
The narrative is trite- it’s really a vehicle for the stunning performers- Crosby and Astaire- perhaps the greatest voice and dancer of the century
Astaire’ well-known 38-take fireworks sequences is dazzling
Big breakout for Crosby and along with another 1942 film- The Road to Morocco– his first archiveable films
Sandrich directed a few 1930’s Astaire vehicles- The Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Shall We Dance
Standouts aside from the 4th of July sequence, Bing’s easy styled “Lazy”, “Easter Parade” with the carriage ride with flowers—“Be Careful It’s My Heart”
The Curtiz crane tracking shot on all the new holiday numbers to start is a nice touch
There are some sloppy editing issues and he never lefts the performances go long enough
Astaire- playing a drunk at the NYE party- pure magnetism
If you step back—to go from a remarkable number by Astaire twirling to go to Bing crooning “White Christmas” is such a display of talent
Great comic sequence where they can only recognize the girl from the back and they go around the party looking for her- haha
Great touch having them make a movie “Holiday Inn” using the stage
[…] Holiday Inn– Sandrich […]