moonchildiva Review of Christmas Holiday

Christmas Holiday (1944)

This is NOT a nice film, not typical of the season...

[8/10 · 4 December 2006]

...but fabulous! Deanna's a torch singer, and she looks all grown up and gorgeous, she doesn't sing opera in this. Gene's a murdering gambler with a Mother Complex. How can you miss with a Maugham story? You can't. And Gene's mother is played by the great actor Gale Sondergaard. This movie is underrated and ignored, but should be seen by more people. I have it on tape and watch it every year around the holidays, it's one of my favorites, but it has little to do with Christmas. If you're a Gene Kelly fan, you'll particularly enjoy watching him act, but not dance! One lovely scene concerns a soldier going to Midnight Mass with Deanna where she gets hysterical, crying. It's very memorable. I recommend.