There are some terrific songs in Holiday Inn, and some wonderful dance numbers. So good, in fact, that it's easy to just ignore how terrible the story is.
The truth is, Astaire and Crosby play remarkably unsavory characters. While supposedly friends, Astaire thinks nothing of stealing Crosby's fiancé at the beginning of the play, and later tries to take his subsequent girlfriend. Meanwhile Crosby shows his love through a series of tricks and manipulations designed to make sure his girl will never experience any success outside of what he bestows on her.
While you can argue, as some do, that the black-face sequences didn't seem nearly as creepy then as now, even Crosby's girl objects to his behavior during the film, and I don't think there was really any time when it was considered okay to steal someone's fiancé.
To make it weirder, there is little indication that either of them were more than mildly attached to either girl. Crosby's response to being jilted is a simple "oh well," and he seems to forgive Astaire quite promptly. Astaire seems to go after Crosby's women less because he likes them than because they're there.
Really, these are terrible, terrible people. And if there terribleness wasn't commented on at the time, it was not because it was considered acceptable behavior, but because the lead's personal charm and talent and Irving Berlin's classic songs seemed far more important than a typically inconsequential musical plot.
The truth is, Astaire and Crosby play remarkably unsavory characters. While supposedly friends, Astaire thinks nothing of stealing Crosby's fiancé at the beginning of the play, and later tries to take his subsequent girlfriend. Meanwhile Crosby shows his love through a series of tricks and manipulations designed to make sure his girl will never experience any success outside of what he bestows on her.
While you can argue, as some do, that the black-face sequences didn't seem nearly as creepy then as now, even Crosby's girl objects to his behavior during the film, and I don't think there was really any time when it was considered okay to steal someone's fiancé.
To make it weirder, there is little indication that either of them were more than mildly attached to either girl. Crosby's response to being jilted is a simple "oh well," and he seems to forgive Astaire quite promptly. Astaire seems to go after Crosby's women less because he likes them than because they're there.
Really, these are terrible, terrible people. And if there terribleness wasn't commented on at the time, it was not because it was considered acceptable behavior, but because the lead's personal charm and talent and Irving Berlin's classic songs seemed far more important than a typically inconsequential musical plot.