Here are a few things you probably donยt remember about the 1942 film Holiday Inn: One, Bing Crosbyยs character has a nervous breakdown and spends some time in the loony bin. Two, Crosby performs a regrettable blackface bit. Three, Holiday Inn has a mother of a competition between Crosby and co-star Fred Astaireยs characters, supposedly friends, who repeatedly stab each other in the back and steal each otherยs women. And one of the women in question plays it kinda loose. She bounces from Crosby to Astaire and back again, eventually leaving them both for a millionaire before she breezes through for another round with Astaire. (All of this was toned way down for a later film version, the -family-friendly White Christmas.)
Those dark undercurrents are overshadowed by some great song-and-dance performances. The musicยs great, no doubt: Thereยs a definitive version of ยWhite Christmasย by Crosby along with the lovely ยBe Careful, Itยs My Heart.ย (That Irving Berlin guy certainly knew what he was doing.) And the dancingยs excellent. Astaire does an unforgettable routine with live firecrackers for partners as well as a drunken number thatยs as good as it gets for movie musicals (the guy even falls down gracefully!).
This outdoor screening is part of the Silver Blades on the Silver Screen series at the Ice at Discovery Green. You can watch from the ice while you glide around or from ringside seats. 6 p.m. 1500 McKinney. For information, call 713-400-7336 or visit www.discoverygreen.com. Free to $10.
Thu., Dec. 25, 6 p.m., 2008
This article appears in Dec 25-31, 2008.