Holiday (1938)

Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Edward Everett Horton, Lew Ayres

Directed by George Cukor

Available to stream on Prime Video

Cary Grant is a rising star in the New York business world who harbors the unconventional view that enjoying life means retiring when young and working when old, causing him to come into conflict with his very conventional fiancée and her very rich father.  Her sister Katharine Hepburn, who longs to escape from dull society life, is entranced by Cary and his dreams, and falls for him herself.

Grant and Hepburn in "Holiday"

Why we love it: Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn are very sincere and convincing (also beautiful to look at!) as the idealistic young couple.  You really imagine them going off to Europe and living a happily-ever-after unconventional life together after the movie ends. Edward Everett Horton and Jean Dixon are wonderful as Professor and Mrs. Potter, as is Lew Ayres as Ned Seton, the alcoholic, dispirited son of the rich, controlling father.

Hepburn and Grant

Fun Facts:

• Cary Grant was born Archibald Leach in Bristol, England in 1904. When he was only 13 or 14 he left home and joined Bob Pender's Knockabout Comedians as an acrobat. He toured with them throughout England and eventually in the US where he stayed and got a job as a stilt walker on Coney Island before getting into movies. In Holiday Grant is able to show off some of his acrobatic skills that originally got him into show business. See the montage below:

• The film is based on a play by Philip Barry, who also wrote The Philadelphia Story (1940) starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant.

Ayres, Hepburn, Horton, Dixon

Katharine Hepburn

Doris Nolan and Hepburn

• The first movie adaptation of Holiday was made in 1930 starring Ann Harding and Mary Astor. Edward Everett Horton played Nick Potter in the 1930 film and reprised his role in the 1938 version.

Ayres, Nolan, and Grant

For reviews from the time, go to the Fan Magazine Reviews page.

Featured Cocktail:

Clover Club

A pre-Prohibition classic, this drink is like a Pink Lady but less tart. Modern bartenders have fueled its resurgence in popularity. It was originally made with raspberry-infused sugar syrup, but grenadine is more common now. Sticklers opt for raspberry.

2 oz (60 ml) gin

1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 tsp (10 ml) grenadine

1 egg white

Shake all ingredients very well with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh raspberries or a lemon twist.

Grenadine and raspberry syrups:

True Grenadine syrup is made from pomegranate juice. However, the most readily available options these days use high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor, red dye, and no pomegranate. You can easily make Grenadine yourself using pomegranate juice, either from the fruit or bought as juice. If you use juice, opt for unsweetened, unconcentrated, pure juice. Start with 8 oz (240 ml) pomegranate juice and 1 cup of sugar. Heat on the stove until sugar is dissolved, let cool, and store in refrigerator. You may adjust proportions to suit your taste.

            Raspberry syrup can be made in a similar fashion. Use 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup (120 ml) water; heat until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat, add ½ cup (70 mg) fresh raspberries and macerate into a pulp. Fine-strain to remove the tiny seeds, cool, and store in refrigerator.

Cheers to the Classics!