Enjoy ‘Holiday Affair,’ a Good Romance from the 1940s
Watching classic films isn’t something I indulge in all that much, but when I do I tend to watch 3 or so right together. One of the first I’m watching in this round is the 1949 film Holiday Affair in which two popular stars play would-be lovers in quite an unusual story.
Holiday Affair (1949) Film Review
The Christmas season is very much a busy time of year for Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh). Not only does she work hard as a comparison shopper, she also wants to give her young son Timmy the best, and keep things just as they are. This means even the memory of a husband whom she loved very much, but who died in the war. For two years now, her kind friend Carl has been hoping Connie will say yes to his proposal all while he tries to foster a relationship with young Timmy, the most important man in her life.
By happenstance she meets Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum), a toy department clerk who gets fired after showing her a kindness. Through a series of events, Steve is drawn back to Connie and she to him, but with her life plans being set, she’s also sure she knows just what she wants… at least she thinks she does.
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Enjoy ‘Holiday Affair,’ a Good Romance from the 1940s. A review of the film with Janet Leigh & Robert Mitchum. #CleanRomance #1940s #RobertMitchum #Movies #ChristmasMovies Share on XPrior to browsing some of the vintage Christmas-esque movies there were outside of the greats like White Christmas or Christmas in Connecticut, I hadn’t ever heard of this film. So when I watched it, I also knew virtually nothing of it, which I think really helps in how I ultimately see this movie. holiday affair
I actually really like this film. It’s got some fun moments so that it’s not “too heavy,” but is mostly an emotional film about a woman trying to move on from a draining loss. She still mourns, and feels it deeply, which is what makes Leigh’s Connie so interesting. Steve is perhaps a bit “brash” in comparison to her demure aptitude, but another thing I love is how good Carl really is. None of these characters are perfect, but they’re likeable and that’s what make the script even better.
If you like classic films or even some of the stars (fun Hollywood trivia, Janet Leigh is Jamie Lee Curtis’ mother), then Holiday Affair is a good time. The end is “too much” because it’s implausible (in fairness, now we know what inspires TV movies), but this doesn’t take away from the fact that we root for it, or the romance the moment paints.
Photos: RKO Pictures
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Content: Nothing to note aside from some minor innuendo.
I AM a classic film lover and have my long time favorites. But this one is quickly moving up the list. The more I watch it, the more it grows on me.
I’ve never heard of this one, but it does sound good!