Here is the biggest "spoiler" this review is going to offer: ignore the remake. Yes, I know the remake has Brad Pitt and Sir Tony Hopkins and about (it seems) a 6-hour run time - yawn - whereas this poor original, in contrast, "only" has Frederick March and about an 80 minute run time and special effects from the 1930s. Seems no contest? It is. Ignore the modern version, it is junk. See this, the original, based very closely on the original stage play, with March giving one of the best performances of this career (by the 1950s, some 20 years later, this great actor, with a mesmerizing physical presence, was reduced to B movies. Same thing happened to Rita Hayworth). The story is a one-of and as far as this reviewer is concerned, un-equalled even today. Death gets bored, wants to experience physical life, wants to experience love. Takes the form of a visiting prince at a gathering of upper class wealthy types (in films and plays of that era, the upper class were always visiting each other or partying or philosophizing). After warning his host not to reveal his true identity, Death in human form tries to mingle. And that's all the spoiler you get. Astonishing writing, deft dialogue, an odd mixture of horror story, love story, and suspense story. I would without hesitation call this one of the best 100 films of all time, and my reviews here show that I have seen my share to judge from.

I remember seeing the Hopkins-Pitt version after it got ripped by the critics and was surprised that I actually thought it was pretty decent. Not great but an interesting movie with something to say and some good performances. I knew it was a remake of Death Takes A Holiday which was well regarded so I always looked forward to seeing the original. Well now I have and I can't believe I actually prefer the remake.Death Takes A Holiday: first of all, a terrible title for a movie with such a serious philosophical tone. It sounds like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or Mr. Hobbs takes a Vacation. Meet Joe Black made the same mistake - people think they're getting a comedy not a discourse on the nature of life and death.Secondly, the acting is dreadful. That includes Frederic March, one of my all-time faves. Why he chooses to play death like Count Dracula I don't get. Everyone else is either terribly wooden or miscast.The tone of the film feels like a horror movie which is all wrong. Many of the characters blend into each other and I forget who is who or why they're even there. What else? Oh dialog and scenes go on forever and add little.What I liked was that they were willing to tackle such a weighty subject. Also the final scene was surprising and made me glad I stuck through it to the end.

His Highness DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY to discover the secret of love and why mortals cling so to life.This clever allegorical drama, with its literate script and excellent acting, is a delight and should satisfy discerning viewers looking for something a bit different. The fantastical elements are handled in a plausible manner, the plot is satisfyingly intelligent, and the overall effect is one which both entertains & informs.Fredric March stars as the troubled Phantom who literally descends upon an Italian houseparty in the guise of a mysterious prince in order to find the answers to the questions which have troubled him for millennia. March is excellent in what almost amounts to a dual role, that of the love-deprived Death and also of the eccentric Prince Sirki, who seems in complete command of his surroundings. Sir Guy Standing, whose own life would soon be cut short by tragedy, is first rate as the old duke who alone knows March's true identity.Death's presence has a distinct effect on three young women staying at the Villa Felicitá: lovely princess Evelyn Venable begins to reconsider her love match with handsome Kent Taylor, while American Gail Patrick & Italian noblewoman Katharine Alexander set their caps for the intriguing new arrival.Three old pros, Helen Westley as the hostess, and Henry Travers & Kathleen Howard as members of the houseparty, all add dignity to their supporting roles.Paramount gave the film lavish production values which entertain the eye throughout. Also, notice the clever way in which the credits identify most of the cast during the opening sequence set in the lively town market.

Based on an Italian play that performed on Broadway in 1929, the 1934 DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY would be the inspiration for the 1998 Brad Pitt film MEET JOE BLACK--but whereas MEET JOE BLACK proved a highly literal interpretation of the theme, DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY is unexpectedly lyric in tone.The story is a fantasy. Death has grown weary of the fear he inspires in human beings, and in an effort to understand the tenacity to which they cling to life he decides to take a three day "holiday." He accordingly presents himself at the house of an Italian nobleman as "Prince Sirki," and soon discovers that human beings pass their lives in games, none of them of any great importance or interest. But there is one "game" he has yet to play: love.Like many films of the early 1930s, the script is a bit talky and the cinematography a bit static; with the exception of Evelyn Venable (as Grazia) and Henry Travers (as Baron Cesarea) the cast, including the usually subtle Frederic March, tend to play in a somewhat theatrical manner. Even so, the overall tone of the film is unexpectedly touching, lyrical, and strangely lovely. It is also, on occasion, gently humorous. And before Death resumes his true identity and returns to the business of mortality, we receive unexpected food for thought.The film is not widely available on either DVD or VHS, nor is it frequently televised. That is unfortunate, for fans of 1930s cinema will find it darkly charming. Worth seeking out!Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer