Holiday for Lovers

Holiday for Lovers is a 1959 DeLuxe in CinemaScope comedy film directed by Henry Levin. Based on a 1957 play by Ronald Alexander,[4] the film stars Clifton Webb, Jane Wyman, Jill St. John and Carol Lynley.

Holiday for Lovers
Theatrical poster
Directed byHenry Levin
Produced byDavid Weisbart
Written byLuther Davis
Based onHoliday for Lovers
1957 play
by Ronald Alexander
StarringClifton Webb
Jane Wyman
Jill St. John
Carol Lynley
Music byLeigh Harline
CinematographyCharles G. Clarke
Edited byStuart Gilmore
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • July 24, 1959 (1959-07-24)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,970,000[1]
Box office$1.1 million (est. US /Canada rentals)[2][3]

Plot

Robert Dean (Clifton Webb) is an old-fashioned psychologist who reluctantly allows his oldest daughter Meg (Jill St. John) to join a four-week tour in São Paulo before returning to college in America. When he finds out she is planning on six more weeks, he immediately books a ticket to Brazil to find out what her true motives for staying are. He is accompanied by his loving wife Mary (Jane Wyman) and youngest daughter, the wise-cracking, joyful Betsy (Carol Lynley). Upon arriving, Robert is unamused by the notable character change in a daughter. She looks to be very much interested in her older mentor Eduardo Barroso (Paul Henreid), and has taken up habits which are shocking to Robert, including smoking.

Unaware of her daughter's engagement with Barroso's son Carlos (Nico Minardos), Robert mistakes Eduardo for being Meg's love interest. Meanwhile, Betsy is enjoying the attention she is receiving from the United States Air Force, and falls in love with Sgt. Paul Gattling (Gary Crosby). Back at the hotel, Carlos is reluctant to meet Meg's parents, thinking they will disapprove of his bohemian lifestyle. By assuming the worst, Carlos makes a horrible impression on Robert, who tries to prohibit his daughter from seeing them by booking a flight to Rio de Janeiro and then Lima for the family.

Feeling betrayed by her father, Meg calls Carlos to tell him goodbye, and he responds by confronting her with leading her father's life. Nevertheless, he and Eduardo follow her to Lima, where Carlos and Meg are reunited at a bull fight. Soon after, Paul, who has set out to Lima as well, proposes to Betsy, but she rejects him, explaining she is not ready to marry. Later that night, Eduardo and Carlos announce they are returning to São Paulo the following day. Robert eventually reluctantly allows his daughter to accompany her future husband.

After bidding her daughter farewell, Robert goes to a bar and gets drunk. He ends up lying unconscious on the street and is mistaken for being a member of a Spanish tour group. Upon awaking, Robert finds out he is on a plane heading for Madrid and is eventually dropped off in Trinidad. There, he phones Meg to give her his sincere blessing for marrying Carlos, but she announces she is not in love with Carlos any longer. Betsy, on the other hand, desires to marry Paul. Upon asking her father for permission, he declares that she is old enough to make her own decisions, after which she is officially engaged to Paul.

Cast

Production

In March 1957 20th Century Fox bought the rights to the play, which premiered a month earlier.[5] Gene Tierney was initially set to star as Mrs. Mary Dean, but she dropped out last minute due to illness.[6] In February 1959, the studio negotiated with Joan Fontaine to replace her, but Fontaine collapsed and eventually Jane Wyman was assigned.[5]

In August 1957, Suzy Parker was cast in a role, but she eventually withdrew.[5] The role of Meg was originally offered in January 1959 to Diane Varsi, but she refused it and abandoned her contract with 20th Century Fox only months later.[5] Diane Baker was announced as her replacement, but the role eventually went to Jill St. John.[5]

Background shots were made on location in early 1959, and most of the filming took place in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and at the Los Angeles International Airport, the Lockheed Airport and Clover Field.[5]

References
  1. Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p252
  2. Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History, Scarecrow Press, 1989 p228
  3. "1959: Probable Domestic Take", Variety, 6 January 1960 p 34
  4. "Profile for the 1957 play". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
  5. "Notes for Holiday for Lovers (1959)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
  6. Jane Wyman: a Biography by Morella,Edward Z. Epstein, p.207
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