How About Now: ‘Holiday’ (1938) is another wonderful early romcom
In his column “How About Now,” Mason Barrett ’28 reviews classic films through a modern lens. This review contains spoilers.
If I had a nickel for every time I reviewed a 1938 romcom starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, I’d have two nickels — which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it’s happened twice. The first of these two films was “Bringing Up Baby” (1938), which I reviewed the last time I ventured into the 1930s. It’s now time to shake up this column like a novelty snow globe with George Cukor’s “Holiday” (1938), once again starring the incomparable Grant and Hepburn. Hopefully, this puts into perspective for some of you how utterly unproblematic Pedro Pascal was for daring to appear in three whole films this summer.
The story follows Johnny Case (Cary Grant), who returns from his first holiday newly engaged to Julia Seton (Doris Nolan), a woman he met on his trip, only to discover she’s the daughter of a millionaire. Julia and her siblings, Linda (Katherine Hepburn) and Ned (Lew Ayres), begin conspiring to convince their father to bless the union. Johnny reveals his dream to leave business behind for a period of soul-searching, which quickly strains his relationship with Julia. However, over the course of the film, he bonds with the free-spirited Linda. When Julia rejects his plans, Linda runs after Johnny, and the two elope to France for a “long holiday.”
The film is hilarious, with dialogue that had me laughing out loud despite being almost a century older than me. The banter between Linda and Johnny is quick and clever, transforming exposition into lively play. Much of the action unfolds in Linda’s favorite room, a “playroom” designed by her late mother, where the two swap stories and comfort each other in heartbreak. The room transcends its literal title and becomes a playroom for one-liners, storytelling and verbal swordplay.
The story is largely grounded to this room and the larger Seton house, only occasionally venturing elsewhere. This is at first odd for a movie titled “Holiday.” Though unexpected, the limited setting allows for characters to stay in the same place for significant time, giving the conversations time to deepen and relationships to mature in real time.
Nearly every conversation feels like its own little show thanks to the entertaining cast of characters. Johnny and Linda both have excellent depth and are expertly performed. Johnny is the perfect archetypal everyman, the endearing protagonist who’s worked since he was 10. Linda is the family’s self-proclaimed black sheep, who doesn’t bow to the altar of her father’s money and is desperate for her sister to be happy with Johnny. We get lots of time with these characters and it’s impossible not to be infatuated by Johnny’s spirit and Linda’s devotion to her sister.
In a supporting role — but still a good addition — is Ned. His father never approved of his aspirations as a musician, and now, he’s an empty shell who wanders the house with a drink in hand. Ned, at first, appears to be a comedic throwaway character whose depression is humorously juxtaposed to Linda’s spirit. However, he shows by the end of the film that he’s a loving brother who encourages Linda to go after Johnny. He’s an example of what Linda will become if she doesn’t leave this world behind: a small hero whose only happiness lies in his sister’s salvation.
Also notable is Julia, Johnny’s original bride-to-be, who lacks dimension compared to Linda. Julia loves Johnny but ultimately rejects him because of his disinterest in money. She’s a prominent player, but she serves as more of a barrier between Johnny and Linda than an actual character with interiority.
With that, my main criticism of this film is the clear lack of progression for Johnny. We see him fall in love with Linda and struggle with getting her father to bless his union with Julia. However, the jump between the two women is unsatisfying, leaving little room for introspection or tension. Johnny and Julia call it off when she refuses to come with him to France. Once Julia admits to Linda that she doesn’t love him, Linda rushes after the boat and the two end the film with a kiss. This change happens within just two scenes. Additionally, we never get to properly see Johnny wrestle with the fact that he’s clearly in love with two women.
Still, I can confidently say that I have yet to watch a bad romcom from 1938 that stars Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. On the question of what I prefer between “Holiday” and “Bringing Up Baby,” I’d have to go with the latter. Maybe that’s just because I have fond memories of “Bringing Up Baby” as my first Hepburn film, but I think the crucial difference between the films is their respective ambitions. “Holiday” takes place mostly within the Seton house and focuses on its conspiratorial residents. “Bringing Up Baby” takes the characters to a variety of wild locations, with each location acting as a new comedic premise. The humor in “Holiday” is in the dialogue, but in “Bringing Up Baby,” it’s situational. “Bringing Up Baby” is much more complex and pushes the boundaries of the filmmaking, whereas “Holiday” would be just as entertaining as a play.
Nevertheless, it’s another joyous film that I’d recommend to any romcom appreciator. It’s wittily written and equipped legendary performers: a perfect watch for an evening spent back in time.
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