Christmas Holiday is directed by Robert Siodmak and adapted to screenplay by Herman J. Mankiewicz from the novel of the same name written by W. Somerset Maugham. It stars Deanna Durbin, Gene Kelly, Richard Whorf, Dean Harens, Gale Sondergaard and Gladys George. Music is by Hans J. Salter and cinematography by Elwood Bredell.The title is a bit of a bum steer, the presence of Durbin and Kelly a splendid slice of red herring casting, and the written notices on the internet announce that the source material was watered down for this filmic adaptation. All of these instances mark Siodmak's film out as a fascinating oddity, and certainly of high interest to film noir lovers.Plot essentially has Durbin telling Harens in flashback how her life crumbled around her when she married Kelly. She thought he was a wealthy gent full of charm and love, but soon she comes to realise that he's a rascal with underlying issues, not helped by his mother, a witch like Sondergaard.Had Siodmak been able to go full tilt with the characterisations here, we would have most likely been privy to one of his finest dark noirs, he was after all one of the great purveyors of such devilish delights. Yet even though there's a frustration that some of the bolder elements of Maugham's prose are not overtly evident, there's still a dark heart beating away, with suggestions of prostitution, incest and homosexuality dangling in the air, baiting those who in the classic eras adhered to censorship.Siodmak and Bredell don't over saturate via noir filters, but as the story moves between seedy New Orleans clubs and Gothic churches, the sense of everything being out of sorts is amplified by smoke and lighting techniques. The pace is very up and down, and not all the director's scene constructions help the narrative be all it can be, but his knack for emphasising certain thematics via tone and responses from his actors is very much evident here.Thematically it's all very glum, America gone bad, love and romance are mere illusions. From the opening sequence as Harens – having served in the war for his country – receives a "Dear John" letter, to the striking denouement, this is anti-love and a portrait of a self loathing country readily able to accept corruption and the dark bents of human nature. The strong performances by the leads, supplemented by the wonderful Sondergaard (you know things are going to be creepy when she's around), and the Oscar nominated score by Salter round out the many strengths of Christmas Holiday.Not one to cheer you up at the yuletide season, and far from perfect with its draggy mid-section, but this is hugely effective film noir and fans of such will get plenty of miserablist rewards from it. 7.5/10

After watching the fun romantic Christmas drama Holiday Affair,I decided that I should try to hunt down a Film Noir which takes place during the Xmas period.Asking for advice on this websites fantastic Film Noir board,I got suggested a very interesting,grim Film Noir,that features the future star of Singing In The Rain in a leading role!The plot:Prepairing to take a break from the army and get married to his girlfriend,Lt Charles Mason gets a heart breaking letter shortly before Christmas from his long-time girlfriend,who has written to give him the news that she is leaving him.Deciding to make the most of a bad situation,Mason decides to tag along with his army buddies,and get away from the barracks.Sadly Mason's luck continues to nosedive,when the plane that he is on has to make an emergency landing.Chatting to other poor souls stranded,Charles is eventually taken to a bar,to chill out for the night.Suddenly the owner of the bar appears and goes over to Mason's table,to offer him some "quality entertainment" for the night.Before he has the chance to reply,the owner calls one of the very best "bar" girls over to the table: Jackie Lamont.After originally being uneasy around her,Mason soon gets use to Jackie,and ends up inviting her to a mass!.Part way through the mass,Charles is caught off-guard when Lamont begins to have an emotional break down.Attempting to comfort her after the mass,Jackie explains that she decided to attend the mass with him,so the she would at last have the opportunity to become a part of something.Calming herself down,Lamont surprises Mason when she tells him that her real name is in fact Abigail Martin.Feeling strangely at ease around Mason,Jackie begins to tell him about her "past life" with her husband Robert Manette,who she feels will never be let out of jail,after he was found guilty of murder.Unbeknowst to Martin,whilst she is telling Charles everything that her husband and his mother put her through,Robert is beginning to plan away out of jail,to finally be reunited with his wife Abigail Martin.. View on the film:Looking at the brilliant,atmospheric directing of Robert Sidodmak,two of the scenes that struck the most with me were the scenes of Abigail at mass,and another scene of her watching a music performance.With the mass scene,Sidomak films the scene in shadows,which suggest,that despite Abigail's desire,there is no chance at all of her "seeing the light" at the mass.As Abigail starts to discuss with Charles about the start of her relationship with her former husband,Sidodmak goes into a flash back that features one of Abigail's happiest ever moments:attending a music concert.For the brightly-lit concert,Sidodmak shows Abigail and her future husband on the very top balcony of the venue,looking down at the mass audience below them.Shortly after the performance finishes,Abigail says that watching music performances "When I hear the music,I feel that something has been added to my life…that wasn't there before."As the credits to the film started to reach their end,I was shocked to see Citizen Kane's co-screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz credited as the writer of this wonderful film.Interestingly both films feature flashbacks that show the characters happiest moments before their "fall",with Kane remembering his winter childhood,and Martin remembering the experience of a music concert.For Abigail's marriage,Herman makes sure that the character gets put through hell with both barrels.Thanks to making the husbands (Robert Manette) mother Mrs Manette (played by a wonderfully cunning Gale Sondergaard) someone who kicks in Abigail's anxiety at every waking moment,due to Mrs Manette having a vice-like grip on her "mummys boy" son Robert.Whilst Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly are both more well known for their famous musical performances,both actors show that they have what it takes to become engulfed in a Noir world.Although Deanna's role as a "bar escort" is only hinted at,Durbin is still able to make Abigail Martin into a tremendous Femme Fatale,thanks to showing Abigail to be a very fragile character,who goes from living in almost total bliss with her new husband,enjoying the finer things in life and doing everything possible to become accepted via Robert's mum.To gradually living in constant fear,which is unhelpfully heightened when she discovers that Roberts trousers have a spot of blood on them, (a reference to Macbeath?)and that his mother is being a prison-warden type figure to her,who makes sure that punishment is served whenever Martin falls out of step in the slightest.For his strong performance,Gene Kelly turns Robert Manette into one real creep.Initially in the scenes that show Robert and Abigail meeting for the first time,Robert just seems to be a bit of a "wise guy",with Kelly showing Robert to be goose bump-inductively all over Abigail.As the flashbacks to their married life expand,Gene starts to cleverly show Manette's mask gradually removed,and show that behind his "wise guy" image,Robert is someone in a pre-Psycho era,who will do what ever possible to get into the good books of his mother,who both cause Abigail to walk on egg shells around them.Until everything gets too much,and begins to crack for her. Final view on the film:A tremendous Film Noir that can be enjoyed any time of the year.

Hmmm, I wonder of Tennessee Williams saw this in 1945 and wrote SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER as a riff on this astonishing incestuous masochistic noir. Universal's 1944 "Christmas Holiday"is a startling dark film that is quite explicit in its adult themes of prostitution, self punishment, sexual manipulation, incest and some quite twisted emotional ideas. It even has scenes similar to that same 1959 Taylor Montgomery Hepburn drama. Cleverly, Universal cast music stars Gene Kelly as the handsome spoiled son with the demon mother (Gale Sondergaard) and cherubic Deanna Durbin as the adoring slavish young woman that Mother encourages he marries to keep his amoral unethical character in check. The idea that Mother enthusiastically endorses their marriage so she can control both of them by their sexual desire for each other is a rank idea as slimy as seen in the pre code shocker THE SILVER CORD. I personally found the film riveting and I very much liked the casting against type. For me it gave the film excellent surprise value. Kelly made a terrific seductive rat. Durbin's slide into willing prostitution to 'be with him' in a decadent lifestyle (while he was away) is a great downbeat storyline. Everything about "Christmas Holiday" is deceptive, right from the happy title to the handsome horror of Kelly's character. I will not spoil the story for you other than to say the whole film is a terrific ride, and with a ripe explicit tone, you will be seduced yourself. Plenty of flashback like SORRY WRONG NUMBER and equally as creepy. What a surprise! Hilariously, in Australia it was our Nationwide TV treat at 8.30pm on Christmas night! Haven't our TV programmers got a sly sense of humor.

Lt Mason (Dean Harens) is returning home when his plane has to make an emergency landing. On an overnight stay, he has an encounter with Jackie/Abigail (Deanna Durbin) at a nightclub where she reveals her past to him. She is married to Robert Manette (Gene Kelly) who is serving time for murder. They spend an evening together before Lt Mason continues on his journey. However, Manette has escaped from jail.....This is a film noir with unlikely lead roles going to Durbin and Kelly who are more noted for appearing in annoying musicals. Surprisingly, it works. Kelly doesn't do any cheesy, smiley, grinning dance moves where he sticks his bum out, and Durbin sings a couple of songs that are actually quite good. The film is slow to get going - think half an hour - which grants the viewer a right to question what on earth is going on and to get slightly bored. But, once the flashbacks begin, we have a story to follow and both my girlfriend and I far prefer Gene Kelly as a baddie.