Holiday (1938, dir. George Cukor)
Chapter House, Bristol Cathedral, College Green, BS1 5TJ
Friday 16 February 2018, doors: 7pm; film: 7.30pm
Tickets: £10.00 / £8.00 Concessions, plus £1.50 transaction fee
THIS EVENT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED
RATING: U
Running Time: 1hour 35mins
Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn star in George Cuckor’s classic screwball comedy, Holiday for this year’s Valentine’s screening – in the glorious Romanesque Chapter House at Bristol Cathedral.
Johnny Case (Cary Grant), a self-made man who has worked his way up from humble beginnings, falls in love with Julia (Doris Nolan) whilst holidaying in Lake Placid. Knowing very little about his intended bride, he is shocked to discover that she’s the socialite daughter of wealthy banker Edward Seton (Henry Kolker). Edward is suspicious at first, but then endorses the marriage once he checks out Johnny’s work credentials. Case then meets Julia’s free-spirited younger sister, Linda (Katharine Hepburn), to whom he confides his plan to take a long holiday from work to explore the meaning of life.
When Julia and her father pressure Johnny to join the family business, he can’t let go of his dream to travel and, as Johnny’s wanderlust surfaces, both Edward and Julia begin to have doubts. Johnny also begins to wonder if he might not be a better match for Linda, with whom he has much more in common. With the help of his friends Nick and Susan Potter, Johnny makes up his mind as to which path to take, and which sister to marry…
This is the third of four films that Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn co-starred in and their on-screen chemistry, together with Grant’s unique mix of suave elegance and silly physical comedy – those pratfalls and acrobatics, that made Pauline Kael coin him as the “slapstick prince charming” – make for a joyful Valentine’s screening.
Bubbly, bucks fizz or orange juice on arrival, popcorn and hot chocolate available.
