Holiday (1938) watch online HD

Today, the world around us may be changing by leaps and bounds, but as this film so aptly illustrates, this is nothing new; the world has always been, and always will be, in a constant state of flux, from one generation to the next. In `Holiday,' a delightful romantic comedy directed by George Cukor, a young man of thirty has some decisions to make about his life and love that are going to determine the course of his life. After a whirlwind, ten day romance with Julia Seton (Doris Nolan), a girl he's just met, Johnny Case (Cary Grant) asks her to marry him; and she accepts. But the story really begins when he shows up at her house to meet her widowed father, Edward (Henry Kolker), to ask for Julia's hand in marriage.

This is not an early version of `Meet the Parents,' however; Johnny's a regular guy with a good job at an investment firm, and he's in love. All is going well; he's about to meet the family of the woman he loves, and he's made a decision about his life. And when he arrives at Julia's house, he makes some startling discoveries: First, she's filthy rich-- her house is so big he calls it a museum-- and she has a beautiful, spirited sister named Linda (Katharine Hepburn). But soon he'll be married to Julia, and if all goes right with a deal he's been working on for the firm, he'll also be able to follow through on his decision. If the deal at work goes through, it'll put some change in his pockets, which is all he wants; but not because it'll put him on the fast track to getting ahead with the company. He wants to make enough to get married and quit his job, so he can take a `holiday' while he's still young enough to enjoy it-- even if it only turns out to be three months or so-- and have some time to discover just where he fits into a world that's rapidly changing. Now all he has to do is explain it all to Julia. And to her father. And all while trying to deny the fact that he's attracted to Linda.

Cukor takes a lighthearted approach to this story, which keeps it upbeat and entertaining, and he laces it with warmth and humor that'll give you some laughs and put a smile on your face. But beyond all that, Cukor shows some real insight into human nature and the ways of the world. And it makes this film timeless. Consider Johnny's comments about how the world is changing, and wanting to find out for himself where he fits in; or the comment by one of Julia's cousins, Seton Cram (Henry Daniell)-- who is already wealthy, apparently, beyond all comprehension-- that there would be a lot of money to be made if only `The right government was in place.' To make this film today, you'd only have to change the dates on the calendar, shoot in color, substitute Norton for Grant, Danes for Hepburn and bring in Nora Ephron to direct.

But what really makes this one special are the performances of Grant and Hepburn. Grant is as charming as ever, but just a bit looser and slightly less debonair than he is in most of his later roles. And it becomes him; he endows Johnny with youthful exuberance, good looks and personality, as well as a carefree yet responsible attitude that makes him someone you can't help but like. And Hepburn fairly sparkles as Linda, a role she was born to play; this young woman filled with a zest for life and an indomitable spirit. She imbues Linda with that same, trademark Hepburn feistiness you'll find in so many of her characters in films like `The Philadelphia Story,' `Adam's Rib' and `The African Queen.' All of whom she plays with a variation that makes each of them unique. And it's that personal spark of life that she's able to transfer to her characters that makes Hepburn so special. Whether she's locking horns with Tracy, pouring Bogart's gin into the river or falling in live with Grant, nobody does it quite like Kate. And Cukor had an affinity for Hepburn that enabled him to bring out the best in her, always. Arguably, her best work was with Cukor.

The memorable supporting cast includes Lew Ayres (Ned), Edward Everett Horton (Nick), Binnie Barnes (Laura), Jean Dixon (Susan) and Mitchell Harris (Jennings). A thoroughly enjoyable film, `Holiday' makes a subtle statement about embracing the time you have and grabbing for the brass ring while you're still able; that in the end, life is what you make of it. But Cukor never lets it get too serious, and never lets you forget that the main thing here is to have some fun, beginning with this movie. And by the time it's over, the world seems just a little bit brighter somehow. And that's the magic of the movies. I rate this one 8/10.

Now THIS is romance Back in the mid-late 1930's, when Katherine Hepburn, though she had already won an Oscar, was labeled (along with several other actresses) "box office poison", it was Hollywood that suffered. Unfortunately, after the Production Code blasted out full throttle, strong roles for women disappeared because women no longer had a strong voice in cinema, so a lot of the heavier-hitters (Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Miriam Hopkins) ended up foundering in what they were given. In the case of George Cukor's 1938 film "Holiday", she had a couple of friends involved with the picture who insisted that she be used (she had been the understudy of her film counterpart on the stage) which turned out to be an excellent plan since she is one of the many great things about this film.

Set in New York, "Holiday" stars Carey Grant as Johnny Case, a fledgling businessman who is more concerned about making a career out of something he wants to do, and not what he should do in order to make a lot of money. He has a plan; he has been working hard at a job that he doesn't particularly like to save enough money to take an indeterminate time off to figure out what he wants to do with himself. While he takes a holiday, he meets Julia Seton (Nolan), the two fall in love and go back to New York to tell Julia's father. What Johnny doesn't know is that Julia comes from an extremely wealthy family, and while he is shocked and bemused by this fact, he finds himself taken with the other members of Julia's family; Linda Seton (Hepburn), Julia's free-thinking and dramatic sister, and brother Ned Seton (Ayres) a kind but dour alcoholic. Both siblings are discontented with being under their father's thumb (while he is not a bad person, Edward Seton has strong feelings about how things should be handled) and both take an instant liking to Johnny, particularly Linda who finds herself falling in love with him. As plans for the marriage begin to solidify, it becomes clear that Johnny is being forced to quash his dreams, not only to gain the approval of their father, but because Julia thinks it is the way to go as well.

Having never even heard of this film, I wasn't sure what to expect out of "Holiday"; I figured it might either be a screwball comedy (based on the Hepburn/Grant collaboration in "Bringing up Baby") or maybe a regular romantic comedy. What I got was actually a romantic dramedy that was not only charming but heartfelt as well. George Cukor's direction (as usual) is wonderful and the chemistry between Hepburn and Grant is simply electric. Hepburn, clearly the star of this production, acts each scene with an emotion and charm that is almost unheard of in the mainstream cinema of the present. While I watched the film, I found myself becoming so endeared to her character that I probably would have been completely devastated if she didn't get some sort of happiness in the end, probably one of the highest compliments that I can give to an actor's performance since I mainly pay attention to the story and the film itself primarily and the characters are important, but seem to be secondary. Grant, who is probably most famous for being debonair and dashing, often played the goofball in his films of the 30's and early 40's, and this was another one of those roles for him. He is such a fresh and passionate character however, (he often finds himself doing various acrobatic stunts with glee) that he quickly proves himself to be more than just the handsome doofus who makes bug eyes at the camera when he's confused. He and Hepburn actually look like they're having a good time together in this film; a wonderful thing to see when it seems that 90% of collaborations look like they are phoned in nowadays. If Doris Nolan isn't unremarkable and bland all the time, she did a really great job in her role as fiancée Julia – at some point you're really wondering what Johnny ever really saw in her and made him declare his bachelorhood over with at the age of 30. Lew Ayres, a name I had heard before, but didn't recognize by face was also very charming as the alcoholic brother. I found his character to be incredibly endearing, especially as the film progressed. A mention also has to be made of the actors who played Johnny's best friends, the Potters. (Edward Everett Horton & Jean Dixon) Anyone would be hard pressed to dislike these two intellectuals with senses of humor that are more arid than the Mojave. Every scene they were in became even more enjoyable.

What stuck with me is that between the script and the actors, I felt like I was actually watching a real slice of life, kind of like Booth Tarkington without the depression. "Holiday" is a fantastic hidden gem in the classic film catalogue and I would recommend it very highly. Not only is it short in length, but also its engaging story, steady pacing and brilliant actors made me wish it were longer. Watch this wonderful movie if you have any ounce of appreciation for classic film. 8/10 --Shelly

This is such a sweet, funny, heartfelt movie. The first time I saw it, I immediately wanted to see it again. Like so many of Katharine Hepburn's movies, it's about the kind of love you don't often see in movies. Hers is a pure, sweet, and intelligent love, one which we see develop and with which, by the end of the movie, we wholeheartedly agree. Cary Grant is just delightful in his acrobatics and his naivete, and Hepburn has all of her idealism and wisdom, and proves once again that the two aren't mutually exclusive. If you love witty and intelligent romantic comedy, then this is for you. Not as wonderful as The Philadelphia Story, but great nonetheless.

This movie is one of my all time Hepburn and Grant favorites. It is truly a classic -- directed by George Cukor and written by Broadway playwright Philip Barry.

What really sets the film apart for me, as a comedy, is that the main characters are fully realized and complex. Cary Grant is Johnny, engaged to Hepburn's shallow, but socially acceptable sister. Hepburn's Linda is the black sheep of a vary ambitious, conceited family. It is her very humanity that makes her the "black sheep". She spends half of the movie in love with Johnny, but her respect for her sister and decency thwart her desires. Johnny wants to make his fortune as a young man, retire, and enjoy life. His fiancée attempts to control and manipulate him for her own ends and ambitions.

Edward Everett Horton is marvelous as one of Johnny's best friends. It is a warm and deep friendship.

As Johnny approaches the business deal that could leave him set for life, and marriage to a controlling woman conflict ensues.

I love the scene in the children's playroom -- it is witty and melancholy at the same time. There is a wonderful balance of drama, comedy, and heart in this movie. Don't miss it!

Katharine Hepburn brought three Phillip Barry characters to life on the screen in Without Love, The Philadelphia Story and first and foremost Holiday. Her upper class upbringing in Connecticut made her the perfect actress for his plays about the fabulously wealthy which Depression Era USA just ate up.

Holiday of necessity had to be updated. It debuted on Broadway in the boom year of 1928 so some lines to acknowledge the Great Depression had to be included. When Henry Daniell says his obscene market profits would be better with the right kind of government, he's taking dead aim at the New Deal, in particularly the newly formed Security Exchange Commission.

One guy who wants out of the money making rat race is Cary Grant as Johnny Case. He's a poor kid who's worked his way up, probably the same as the founder of the Seton fortune did back in the day. But he's decided there's more to life than just making money. Like Grandpa Vanderhof in You Can't Take It With You or Charles Foster Kane who admittedly inherited his. Henry Kolker as Edward Seton and George Coulouris as Thatcher think exactly alike.

Case has a vision of his life and wants to share it with his fiancé Doris Nolan. But he's picked the wrong sister, it's younger sister Katharine Hepburn of the Seton girls who's his soul mate.

As one who's now retired and admittedly not living in the style of the Setons I can empathize with Cary Grant. As long as you have enough to live on and you have interests to occupy yourself and you don't have a family to support, why work? In fact make room for the next generation who might have a family to support.

In that sense Holiday has a message that applies more for today than it did in 1938. Make what you can, take care of those who depend on you, but get out and enjoy life.

And enjoy Holiday.

Wit, insight, deft characterization, family misery, and social commentary all play a part in Holiday. The acting and script are superb -- all the characters are sympathetically drawn and interact in the foreground, while wealth and its "privileges" form the background.

Is love a social obligation? Or does it spring from sheer affinity? Should the acquisition of wealth be the summum bonum of experience -- or happen accidently, as the result of hard and honest work? These are the questions that will tease you, as you enjoy the gleaming intelligence of Katherine Hepburn and the polished insouciance of Cary Grant. Both are in top form!!!

What stands out in my recollection of this film is the theme of play. The stars are playful; they get acquainted among the toys in a playroom. The plot revolves around a holiday -- a chance for adults to play. There are plays on words. The Play is the Thing. Holiday is ultimately about the importance of play, in all its connotations: flexibility, acting out, silly behavior, continuous learning, freedom to be.

It is okay for adults to play sometimes, or do adults need "permission" to play?

What can you say when the young, dashing, up and coming lawyer,the extraordinarily handsome and highly unconventional Cary Grant, falls in love with one of the richest women in New York, thinking she's a private secretary and he should use the mansion's service entrance? Well, when her sister is Catherine Hepburn you can say there's bound to be a more interesting ending than he-obligingly-goes-to-work-at-daddy's-bank and counts-money-happily-ever-after. The stars are at their peak with great chemistry, and Lew Ayres and Edward Everett Horton give extremely fine supporting performances. This film has always been one of my anthems, and Johnny Case something of an alter ego; showed it last night to my 28-year old daughter, who loved Johnny Case and now has a better impression of her old man. A real treat of a movie, on a par with Grant's and Hepburn's best.

I just saw this incredible film for the third time. Unlike what most people comment about this movie, it is more than just "delightful" and "whimsical", or worst yet calling it a screwball comedy. If you call Holiday a screwball comedy, you may as well call It's A Wonderful Life the same thing. There are distinct parallels between these two groundbreaking works. Both deal with strong dreams being crushed. But in the case of Lew Ayres' character it is his "place" in society that stops him from becoming a serious composer. And though he comes from a wealthy family he does not have the freedom that many believe (falsely) to chose what he truly wishes to do. In a tightly-wound capitalistic society as ours, the obligations to continue the legacy of money-making overwhelms the individual's desire to create what many believe is frivolous artistry. What many of us, as well as his father, fail to realize is when this desire is crushed apathy sets in. This brings up the singularly amazing theme of this movie, a theme Philip Barry uses in many of his works, that a society that chases wealth without conscience, that suppresses truly individualistic idealism is a society of superficial, mean-spirited and back-biting people. The party scene in Holiday is a clear-eyed view of our society and how lost we are. Everyone talks down about others under their breath, than hypocritically smiles and fawns over these same people to insure their own place in society. Those who refuse to go along with this status quo are relegated, as Hepburn,Ayres,and the Professor and his wife are, to the childrens' playroom until they "grow-up" and accept things as they are. This films warms an audience with it's superficial whimsy, as "...Wonderful Life" did, yet can drive a cold stare with its slashing and often hurtful glances at how we are all relegated to the playroom of society if we express criticism of the narrow-mindenness and suffocating aspects of capitalism.

Holiday should be an important lesson to many of us on not just how important Life is, but shows us how much more important it is to grasp on to what truly makes it worth living.

I liked this movie because of its dark side. Katharine Hepburn is outstanding as the black sheep of a rich family. She really shows the disappointment that she has been to her family and her family has been to her. Cary Grant is wonderful as the working man, not quite sure what he's doing there or what he wants. Slightly cynical and at times a dark commentary on love and hidden motivations.

Likeable urbane comedy about an ill-fated courtship and the romance that springs up in the shadows behind it. Grant and Hepburn are fresh and fun to watch; Grant impresses with what feels like ad-libbed quips and shows off his vaudeville background by doing numerous gymnastic stunts. Hepburn sheds her usual stuffy airs and lets fly as a "black sheep" heiress, the betrothed's sister. Cukor directed it in his best imitation of Howard Hawks, but with his own personal style added -- like the "realistic" feminine relationship between Hepburn and her sister (Nolan) which deteriorates by the film's end into stereotypes.

Pleasant, thoughtful, and witty, "Holiday" is an offbeat and very enjoyable romantic comedy. Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are excellent in portraying two free-spirited and likable characters, and they are joined by a fine supporting cast, especially Lew Ayres as Hepburn's brother, and Edward Everett Horton and Jean Dixon as an eccentric older couple. The plot is pretty simple, but there's just enough to it to show the different sides of the various characters and to allow each of them the chance to show how he or she approaches life.

Probably the best part of the movie is the long New Year's Eve party sequence. It has many entertaining touches, and brings together all of the characters and themes nicely. The atmosphere in the 'play room' is creative, and is very appropriate for the scenes there. The cast members all do a very good job of reacting consistently to their surroundings, with some characters more comfortable in formalized settings and others happier when they are less constrained.

Though it has perhaps been overshadowed by some of the more famous films of its era, "Holiday" is an entertaining classic that most fans of vintage romantic comedies should enjoy.

I actually like this Grant and Hepburn pairing even better than The Philadelphia Story! The theme that love and independence are what's really important and that riches are not the be all and end all of life is very inspirational. Grant and Hepburn, and even Grant and Nolan at the beginning, have great chemistry and bring their characters to wonderful life. The supporting cast complements them perfectly. Cukor did a masterful job converting the story from the stage to the screen and coaxing the performances out of his cast. This is simply a wonderful movie, 9/10.

At such an early age of 16, I felt that the movie was going to be boring and i wasn't going to finish it. I was definitely wrong. I watched it and could not put it down. It was amazing. Katherine Hepburn gave me the chills. The Ending was just right. Cary Grant was amazing. And All The other characters were perfect as well. The setting was perfect, but in the movie John Case (Cary) and Julia were written in the script to go to Lake Placid to meet the father. The director or producer decided to drop it and go along with staying in the city. I thought they made a good choice, but it would have been nice if they added deleted scenes of Lake scenes. They did shoot there for a couple of scenes but decided to drop them. (Sorry if im repeating myself)..

In Conclusion to my viewing of the movie "Holiday" (1938) >Great Movie >Perfect Setting >Great Art Direction >Great Actors

A++++++++++ Movie I recommend that everyone should see this movie at one point of their life. Well worth to buy.

Other Movies To See Before You Die LOL >Since You Went Away >It's A Wonderful Life >Penny Serenade +Many More

Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant on paper, I suppose, look like an odd pairing, but they were absolutely marvelous together, and "Holiday," directed by George Cukor, is no exception. Hepburn plays the unhappy, bored, but bright Linda in a dysfunctional, upper crust New York family. Her brother, Ned (Lew Ayres) is a miserable drunk, and her father controls the family with an iron hand and the ethic that money is their god. Their mother, who was like Linda, is deeply missed by her. Linda adores her younger sister, Julia, but has idealized her and doesn't see that she has the same upper class values as their father. When Julia brings home her fiancée, Johnny Case (Grant), it is immediately obvious to the audience (and later to the characters) that Johnny fell for the wrong girl.

"Holiday" is a film filled with heart, poignancy, and some warm humor provided by Johnny's friends, played by Edward Everett Horton and Jean Dixon, who come up against the society crowd at a party. Hepburn gives a beautiful performance as a young woman who wants to break free, and Ayres is heartbreaking as a man who can't. Grant, of course, is in the kind of role he did best in his early career, a young man from the wrong side of the tracks who is an independent spirit. He does some great gymnastics in the film, and he and Hepburn have a wonderful moment where she stands on his shoulders, and they fall into head rolls. Really marvelous stuff. The only problem I have is that the character of Julia, the younger sister, is so uptight and shallow, it's amazing that Johnny fell for her at all. Since they met while she was vacationing in Lake Placid, the audience must assume that out of the family home, she was more fun and playful, but when she comes up against her father, she falls right in with him.

Hepburn and Grant worked together in "Bringing Up Baby," "The Philadelphia Story," and this film - actually, three films in a row - plus "Sylvia Scarlett." One wishes they had appeared together even more. They had great chemistry.

I have always loved the comedies of this era. So clever an innocent, and this is no expectation. Starring the lovely Katharine Hepburn and the handsome Cary Grant, how can this not work? Their chemistry is clear - that's probably why they made so many films together. It is a lovely film from straight away. The storyline is clear: two people want to get married - one is an ordinary joe and one is a rich millionaire heiress, and of course, the father does not approve. Although this is not my favourite comedy of this era, it is in my top 10 - one of the best, I would say. Very good acting, great script, great story. If you want a laugh, you cannot go wrong with 'Holiday'.

I love the fast-paced, silly comedies of this period, but even more I value "serious" comedies such as this one, that present characters with depth and raise meaningful issues, yet nevertheless manage to be funny. This movie and Grant & Hepburn's "Bringing up Baby" provide ideal examples of the serious comedy and the silly nonsense types. It's hard to believe now that when these 2 movies were made Katherine Hepburn was not considered a prime Box Office draw even though she had a dozen or so movies behind her. She and Cary Grant were able to deliver 100% in both types.

In this film, the comedy arises from the characters and the issues they face, rather than the "situation comedy" and gags of Bringing up Baby. Now don't get me wrong, I love both movies - and it only depends on the mood I'm in which one I prefer. But "serious" comedy is harder to do successfully, and rarer, so I value it the more. Don't miss a chance to see this movie, it is a special gem. 9/10.

Well, actually, all the acting is great. I read that this movie was not a great success because it did not fit the times. Cary Grant plays a young man who wants to take a leave of absence from his successful work in the world of finance to find himself. But the way to think about this movie is not that it was made during the depression, with the War on its way. Rather, it was made around the time of The Philadelphia Story. That is a better context.

As always, Kate and Cary are fabulous together! This is definitely one of my favorite classics. It's more romance than hijinks, but they still managed to add some fun into it (the circus/gymnastics scene). Seeing Cary Grant (and later Katharine Hepburn, as well) do a somersault makes me smile every time.

Though it wasn't quite as fun as Bringing Up Baby, it was still a good pairing and a good movie overall.

Lew Ayres (playing Kate's alcoholic brother) was also excellent in his small, but striking role. He's definitely an underrated actor.

The only one who annoyed me was Doris Nolan (playing Kate's sister, who's engaged to Cary in the film)...but I guess she was supposed to.

If you love the Kate/Cary combo and equally love old movies, then this is a must-see!

This collaboration between Kathryn Hepburn and Cary Grant is not seen often enough. The two are as at ease with one another as they are in the better known film "Bringing Up Baby". In this film, rather than a tame leopard, they are teamed with a dipsomaniac brother, soured on his future by a father whose parenting skills are either anemic or entirely lacking.

The Potters, Nick and Susan, are the secret treasure in this film. They are so relaxed, and so full of joie d'vivre that even having first seen it as a small boy, I was impressed with just how much fun this college professor and his wife were, that I wanted to be a professor myself, at the ripe old age of 10.

There may be a connection, or there may not, but I have been involved in higher education, from being an undergraduate to an employee in an academic library, for 32 years. At any rate, I think it more likely that this picture, and pictures like "Tall Story" and the "Absent-minded Professor" (with Fred McMurray) had more of an influence than "Bedtime for Bonzo".

Holiday is one of the first classic films I had the pleasure to see about 20 years ago when I was a young girl. I caught a Saturday afternoon broadcast on television. All these years later and after numerous viewings it is still my favorite. In the passing time I have enjoyed hundreds of other classic films and I know many are considered "better", but my favorite remains Holiday with its amazing ensemble cast of Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Lew Ayres, Edward Everett Horton, Jean Dixon, Henry Daniell, Doris Nolan, Henry Kolker, and Binnie Barnes. I have attempted to see most of the films of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, but it has also been exciting to spot all of these other actors in other classics such as Lew Ayres starring in All Quiet on the Western Front, Johnny Belinda, The Dark Mirror, and State Fair(1933). Edward Everett Horton performs in Arsenic and Old Lace, Lost Horizon, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, and in several Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Films. Jean Dixon is great to see in the cast of My Man Godfrey. Henry Daniell pops up in so many of the classic films I see, a favorite is his performance in The Philadelphia Story as Sidney Kidd, Spy Magazine's publisher. I hope you get to enjoy Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Lew Ayres, Edward Everett Horton, and Jean Dixon entertaining themselves along with the viewers in the "play room."

"Holiday" belongs right up there with "The Philadelphia Story" and "Bringing Up Baby" as one of the best movies to team Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Watching it today, it's nearly impossible to understand why audiences stayed away from this and "Baby" back in 1938. These movies have instant classics written all over them.

"Holiday" is much closer to "Philadelphia Story" than "Baby" in its style of comedy. Contrary to the labels people have assigned it, it is NOT a screwball comedy--in fact, it's quite serious and brings a tremendous amount of character depth to its story, much in the way "Story" would two years later. Hepburn of course plays the sister of a shallow girl who's about to be married and who only thinks of living a luxurious lifestyle. Grant waltzes in and finds that he and Hepburn are soul mates. The scenes in which these two, along with an intellectual professor and his wife, lambast the vacuous lives of the stinking and very dull rich, are the movie's highlights.

"Holiday" is one of those movies that never becomes irrelevant, not to people who still think that intelligence, imagination, creativity and ideas are more valuable commodities than material possessions.

Grade: A

This is a moderately enjoyable movie which features Cary & Kate showing off their modest acting skills & superior acrobatic skills. The supporting cast is outstanding & plays it cool while Kate, as usual, over-emotes. The key scenes are played in Kate's "playroom" where the good guys assemble for heart-to-heart talks. In the end Cary is forced to dump his money-grubbing fiancee for her fun-loving sister played by Kate. These kind of 30s plots with clear black-and-white choices (and film) seem simplistic by today's more nuanced treatment of similar themes. Kate & Cary seem to be at home in these sort of comedies, where they each seem to play their notions of themselves. Later in life they grew to play scripted roles. All of that being said, I still liked Holiday.

This is, along with "The Awful Truth", "The Philadelphia Story", and "Mr. Deeds", quite possibly the greatest of the screwball comedies. It's an epicurean polemic against the work ethic. Rather, it represents an internalization of the work ethic, working upon bettering one's soul, instead of for cash. Hepburn, Grant, Ayres, Horton, and Dixon are all in top form as various noncomformists (in Ayres' case, a drunken would-be noncomformist). This movie has everything, and is proof (to me at least) that romantic comedy is THE perfect genre (and no one has ever done it like Hollywood! (Take that, Euro-film snobs!)

In New York, the simple and free-spirited Johnny Case (Cary Grant) tells his close friends Professor Nick Potter (Edward Everett Horton) and his wife Susan Elliott Potter (Jean Dixon) that he is in love with Julia Seaton (Doris Nolan), a girl that he met in Lake Placid in his first vacation after many years of work. When Johnny arrives at Julia's mansion, he realizes that she is the daughter of the millionaire Edward Seton (Henry Kolker) and is introduced to her sister and black-sheep of the family Linda Seton (Katharine Hepburn) and her drunken brother Edward 'Ned' Seton (Lew Ayres). Edward Sr. finds that the honest and sincere Johnny has a great potential in business and schedules the engagement dinner for the New Year Eve. Along the days, Linda tries to convince Johnny to forget his dreams and to accept the position offered by her father in his bank, while Linda becomes closer to Johnny, falling secretly in love for him but supporting her sister and Johnny together. When Johnny decides to travel in a ship with Nick and Susan to Europe, Julia and Linda have to decide what lifestyle they wish to have in the near future.

"Holiday" is a delightful and charming romantic comedy with a witty screenplay that is not dated. The characters are very well developed and the acting is top-notch. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant show an amazing chemistry and in spite of being predictable, the final message telling that people should follow their dreams and their hearts is wonderful. I regret only the shameful behavior of the distributor Columbia do Brasil that released the Brazilian DVD (Region 4) with Extras without subtitles in Portuguese, showing a total lack of respect with costumers that can not understand English. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Boêmio Encantador" ("Charming Bohemian")

This is a wonderful film. Cary Grant meets a woman on holiday and plans to marry her. He meets her (rich) family but it quickly becomes apparent that Julia is not the girl for him but in fact, it's her sister Linda (Hepburn) that is Grant's soul mate.

It's a wonderful film and the only one i can think of that allowed Grant to show off the acrobatic skills he learnt in England. The moment when he slinks down his chair, rolls over and then flips back up onto his feet is impressive to say the least.

This is a gentle comedy and when you consider that Grant and Hepburn would go on to make more biting comedies only a few years later it really does make this film stand out as a warm, delicious and subtle romantic comedy that is almost, a perfect film.

The scenes in the bedroom are especially rewarding

Probably Grant and Hepburn's greatest collaboration