Holiday (NR, 1938)

After a whirlwind romance at a ski resort, Johnny Case (Cary Grant) is on his way to meet his new fiancée, Julia Seton (Doris Nolan). When he arrives, Johnny is overwhelmed to learn that Julia is the daughter of the wealthy and distinguished family. Julia's sister Linda (Katherine Hepburn) and brother Ned (Lew Ayres) promise to help him win over their father, who is likely to object to the engagement, because Johnny isn't rich. Julia tells him, "There's nothing more exciting than making money." But Johnny, who has just taken the first vacation of his life, only wants to make enough so that he can take a "holiday," to "find out why I've been working." Linda thinks this is a great idea. She is something of an outsider in the family, forsaking the huge formal rooms of the mansion for one cozy place upstairs, which she calls "the only home I've got." She tries to persuade Julia and their father that Johnny is right. Even though he completes the deal that gives him enough for his holiday, Johnny gives in and promises Julia he'll go to work for her father for a while. As her father presents them with a honeymoon itinerary and explains he is arranging for a house and servants for them, Johnny balks. He knows that if he accepts all of this, he will never be able to walk away from it. Julia breaks the engagement, and Linda joins Johnny on his holiday.

Holiday has two exceptionally appealing characters in Johnny's friends the Potters, played by Jean Dixon and Edward Everett Horton. Their kindness and wisdom contrasts with the superficial values of the Seton family. Cary Grant began in show business as an acrobat, and you can see him show off some of that prowess in this movie. The same stars, director, author and scriptwriter worked on another classic, The Philadelphia Story.

Many kids will identify with the feeling of wanting to take a holiday, to step back from daily life and study the larger picture. The idea that other things are more important than making money and living according to traditional standards of success may also have some appeal. This is a good opportunity to talk with them about what success really means, and about finding the definition within yourself instead of putting too much weight on the definitions of others.

Studio: Columbia Tristar
Director: George Cukor
Cast: Cary Grant, Doris Nolan, Katharine Hepburn
Genre: Classic
Run time: 95 minutes
Theatrical release: June 15, 1938
DVD release: December 5, 2006
MPAA Rating: NR