With deanna durbin, gene kelly, richard whorf, dean harens. Somerset maugham which changes the local from paris to new orleans, starring two performers long associated with musicalcomedy, deanna durbin and gene kelly on loan from mgm, in their only film together. The story of christmas 1944 was started on dday june 6th, 1944. The kid who loved christmas full movie by hrtvfan2. Those war years of christmas were full of uncertainty and. Christmas holiday is a film directed by robert siodmak with deanna durbin, gene kelly, richard whorf, dean harens, year. Even stranger, this is a film noir starring gene kelly and deanna durbin. According to july 1944 new york times news item, christmas holiday grossed over two million dollars at the domestic box office, the highest total of any deanna durbin film to date. Somerset maugham possesses both an incongruously misleading title. Now, to all you nice boys and girls out there, we present the 50 best christmas movies ever. Christmas holiday 1944 with the exception of an extended scene which takes place at midnight mass, theres little here to suggest either christmas or a holiday.
Get the latest on upcoming christmas movies, tv schedule updates, and new releases on dvd. That same argument could somewhat be made for christmas 1943 or christmas 1942. Its apt to post this discussion of robert siodmaks 1944 film noir christmas holiday after the christmas holiday, because its anything but a bearer of good cheer. Not that the cast is all that holiday has to offer not when cinematographer elwood bredell is on hand to give director robert siodmak a stunning crane shot during the concert sequence or to provide hauntingly beautiful lighting during the mass segment. The clip itself is taken from the 1944 film christmas holiday starring deanna durbin, gene kelly, and dean harens.
Durbin is merely adequate in her role, but gene kelly gives a disturbingly convincing portrayal. Told in flashback, the story begins as jackie deanna durbin, marries southern aristocrat robert monette gene kelly. Mankiewicz and directed by the underrated robert siodmak who directed two of the most powerful film noirs of the 1940s phantom lady 1944, the strange affair of uncle harry 1945, the. Like fellow holiday classic gremlins, director tim burtons halloweenchristmas mashup is one of the scariest movies ever aimedostensiblyat kids. Christmas holiday 1944 christmas movies on tv schedule. Christmas holiday is directed by robert siodmak and adapted to screenplay by herman j. Charles mason is forced to spend christmas in new orleans. Christmas holiday is a good little noir film that is made required viewing because of its casting. Hutton gluttons the betty hutton website 369,187 views 1. After attending midnight mass together, she tells her story to charles. Christmas holiday is a 1944 film noir crime film directed by robert siodmak starring deanna durbin and gene kelly. The waltons christmas movie, the homecoming by morris pattison.
Told in flashback, the story begins as jackie deanna durbin, marries southern aristocrat robert. Unfortunately, robert has inherited his familys streak of violence and instability and soon drags jackie into a life of misery. Starring deanna durbin, gene kelly, richard whorf, dean harens. Told in flashback, the story begins as abigail martin marries southern aristocrat robert monette. Mankiewicz from the novel of the same name written by w. There is no hint whatsoever of the christian nature of the holiday, made somewhat easier by the german word for christmas. Christmas holiday 1944 in richard siodmaks littleknown, melodramatic film noir with a misleading title about doomed and lost love and redemption with a script by herman mankiewicz noted for its two long flashback sequences. Christmas holiday 1944 a new orleans nightclub singer deanna durbin tells a soldier the tragic tale of her marriage to a creole scoundrel gene kelly. With music by irving berlin, the composer wrote twelve songs specifically for the film, the best known being white christmas. Christmas holiday 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
Christmas holiday universal, 1944, directed by robert siodmak, is an interesting drama with film noir elements, based on the story by w. Christmas holiday 1944 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Possibly the most depressing christmas movie ever, which you wouldnt think by the title or the cast, but its so good. It stars deanna durbin, gene kelly, richard whorf, dean harens, gale sondergaard and gladys george. Christmas holiday is a pretty strange title for a film noir.
Watch christmas holiday full movie in hd visit dont be fooled by the title. The brassy confidence of robert siodmaks twisted 1944 tale starring gene kelly cast against. Posts about christmas holiday 1944 written by monstergirl. Its the hooker with a heart of gold, christmas story of salvation and new beginnings. Christmas holiday is a unique movie for fans of either the wonderful deanna durbin or gene kelly, with both stars in parts very different from their usual personas. Christmas holiday 1944 movie summary abigail manette is a woman with a questionable past who owns a sleazy nightclub and is involved in a nefarious underworld. Christmas holiday is a far, far cry from its a wonderful life. The video was shipped by amazon vendor littlecheyenne in a timely and efficient manner. The film features a complete reuse of the song easter parade, written by berlin for the 1933. One response to christmas holiday 1944 parker says. Richard brody discusses robert siodmaks 1944 film noir christmas holiday.
Watch christmas holiday full movie in hd visit movie 26530 dont be fooled by the title. Christmas has come to represent different things to people over the years, and the movies here reflect that in kind. Told in flashback, the story begins as jackie deanna durbin, marries southern aristocrat robert monette. The star cast of the movie includes the famous names of deanna durbin, richard whorf and others. It is also elegantly balanced between light and dark. Gene kelly, deanna durbin, dean harens, gladys george love, lust, suspicion, jail breaks and more. Christmas holiday 1944 vacationing with the troubled and the forlorn. With the invasion at normandy everyone then knew for sure that christmas of that year would certainly be different. Robert siodmaks noirtinged christmas holiday loosely based on a novel by w. By karen burroughs hannsberry on dec 12, 2018 from classic movie hub blog. Somerset maugham, the film is about a woman who marries a southern aristocrat who inherited his familys streak of violence and instability and soon drags the woman into a life of misery. A young femme fataletype woman realizes that the man she married is an incorrigible wastrel.
Christmas holiday robert siodmak, 1944 a sharp departure into salacious territory for sugarandspice star deanna durbin, robert siodmaks christmas holiday is an unexpected film noir that served as a major career detour for a lead actress known exclusively to that point for innocuous musical confections. Somerset maughams 1939 novel, and unusual for the againsttype. Christmas holiday is a unique movie for fans of either the wonderful deanna. On the other hand it is directed by robert siodmak, one of the grand masters of noir, and it is based on a short story by w. From home alone and elf to classics like miracle on 34th street, weve made our list of great holiday films and checked it at least twice.
This edition has 200 pages of stories, letters, songs, and illustrations. What we have is two stories of lost love and final redemption woven together in a dramanoir under the direction of one of the incomparable masters of noir, robert siodmak. Robert siodmaks christmas holiday 1944 is a pleasant example of 1944 christmas movies. Abigail manette is a woman with a questionable past who owns a sleazy nightclub and is involved in a nefarious underworld. Though i would still point viewers to maughams book for its richness, and for what the movie leaves out, ch is excellent filmmaking and a real sleeper. Recently dumped by his girlfriend, the depressed lieutenant falls in with jackie lamont. Deanna durbin as jackie and gene kelly as robert in christmas holiday 1944. Somerset maugham is one of the bleakest film noirs of the 1940s. Titles and typography from movies produced and released from 1940 to 1944. Five things you need to know about christmas holiday 1944 christmas holiday is a 1944 noir starring deanna durbin as a devoted young bride who slowly comes to realize that her husband, played by gene kelly, is a charming sociopath and killer. Gene kelly is a jealous jail bird married to torch singer deanna durbin. Ronald grant archive maybe in some faroff galaxy theres a planet that is a complete replica of earth.