By the time you’re reading this, Diane and I will be in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, home of the internationally famous Shaw Festival. The Shaw Festival season ended in October, but the folks who run the operation decided to experiment with a slight extension of their offerings.
Last year, the Shaw Festival offered a clever version of A Christmas Carol and this year they’re bringing a play version of Holiday Inn. Holiday Inn (1942) is famous for the first time “White Christmas” was sung. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire compete for the affections of Marjorie Reynolds’ character in a screwball comedy where Crosby buys a farm, turns it into an inn and will only provide entertainment on Holidays! I can’t wait to see what the Shaw Festival folks do with this one! Are you fan of Holiday Inn? Do you have a favorite Holiday song?
SOUNDTRACK SONG LIST:
Main Title: Overture
I’ll Capture Your Heart Singing (with Fred Astaire & Virginia Dale)
Lazy
You’re Easy to Dance With (Fred Astaire)
White Christmas (with Marjorie Reynolds)
Happy Holiday (with Marjorie Reynolds)
Let’s Start the New Year Right
Abraham (with Marjorie Reynolds & Louise Beavers)
Be Careful, It’s My Heart
I Can’t Tell a Lie (Fred Astaire)
Easter Parade
Song of Freedom
Let’s Say It with Firecrackers (sung by chorus as Fred Astaire dances)
I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For
Hollywood Medley
White Christmas (second version) [with Marjorie Reynolds]
Ending Medley (with Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds & Virginia Dale)
Holiday Inn movie trailer (audio only – bonus track)
Can’t stand Bing Crosby so I won’t be watching this.
A favorite holiday song would probably be Fairytale of New York by The Pogues with Kristy McColl.
Steve, I’ll have to check out “Fairytale of New York” by the Pogues with Kristy McCall.
Sorry, george – I’m not a fan of this type of movie, musical, whatever.
But I remember very well driving the scenic route (Niagara Parkway if I’m not mistaken) along the Niagara River from Niagara Falls (CA). We often stopped and admired the scenery – also there were several monuments for the people who defended Canada from the ugly Americans invading/crossing over the river. If I remember correctly these were Indians as well as runaway slaves …
Nowadays of course it’s different, you didn’t come as an invader, so enjoy your stay and have fun!
We liked the city too, but found that it was a bit on the expensive side.
I’ve surely written about it before:
On the way back we visited a winery of course – hadn’t thought that there would be grapes and peach trees growing there.
PS:
How cold is it right now there?
Are the Falls frozen already? 🙂 🙂
Wolf, the Canadians travel across the International Bridges to shop at Outlet Malls in the U.S. while Americans head for Canada for plays, ice wine, and fine dining. Works great!
You know I hate Bing Crosby. I’ve watched it for Astaire but it is not something I would watch again. Jackie likes this and the remake (also with the odious Bing), WHITE CHRISTMAS.
Hope you enjoy the show. Have a great time. Jackie is looking forward to you getting some more of the Canadian Starbucks coffee.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
The Christmas Song
Jeff, Astaire steals HOLIDAY INN. I’ll be heading for the STARBUCKS as soon as we arrive in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It’s entirely too long, but there’s some good stuff there, including some of Astaire’s finest moments.
Dan, Astaire rises above the others in HOLIDAY INN. I’m curious to see what will happen in the play version we’re going to see today.
GEORGE: IT’S ONLY NOVEMBER 19. IT’S NOT EVEN THANKSGIVING YET!!! CHRISTMAS IS STILL MORE THAN FIVE WEEKS AWAY!!! THIS IS WAAAY TOO EARLY!!!
BAH.
I do happen to like this movie, but not so damned early in the year!!!
Rick, HOLIDAY INN isn’t really a Christmas movie (or play). Thanks to “White Christmas” it usually gets lumped into that category.
I guess we are united in our dislike of Crosby and he hasn’t held up while. They seldom even play THE BELLS OF ST. MARY’s nowadays. Or the road movies with Hope.
Patti, Bing doesn’t get a lot of love these days.