Holiday for Lovers
Encyclopedia
Holiday for Lovers is a 1959
comedy film
directed by Henry Levin
. Based on a 1957 play by Ronald Alexander, the film stars Clifton Webb
, Jane Wyman
, Jill St. John
and Carol Lynley
.
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 and youngest daughter, the wise-cracking, joyful Betsy. 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, and has taken up habits which are shocking to Robert, including smoking.
Unaware of her daughter's engagement with Barroso's son Carlos, 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. 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. The latter 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.
bought the rights to the play, which premiered a month earlier. Gene Tierney
was initially set to star as Mrs. Mary Dean, but she dropped out last minute due to illness. In February 1959, the studio negotiated with Joan Fontaine
to replace her, but Fontaine collapsed and eventually Jane Wyman
was assigned.
In August 1957, Suzy Parker
was cast in a role, but she eventually withdrew. 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. Diane Baker
was announced as her replacement, but the role eventually went to Jill St. John
.
Background shots were made on location in early 1959, and most of the filming took place in Los Angeles.
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Henry Levin
Henry Levin
Henry Levin began as a stage actor and director but was most notable as an American film director of over fifty feature films. He broke into film in 1943 as a dialogue director for the films Dangerous Blondes and Appointment in Berlin for Columbia Pictures...
. Based on a 1957 play by Ronald Alexander, the film stars Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb
Clifton Webb was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for his Oscar-nominated roles in such films as Laura, The Razor's Edge, and Sitting Pretty...
, Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
, Jill St. John
Jill St. John
Jill St. John is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Tiffany Case, the lead Bond girl in Diamonds Are Forever.-Early life:...
and Carol Lynley
Carol Lynley
Carol Lynley is an American actress and former child model.-Life and career:Lynley was born Carole Ann Jones in New York City, the daughter of Frances , a waitress, and Cyril Jones. Her father was Irish and her mother, a native of New England, was of English, Scottish, Welsh, German, and Native...
.
Plot
Robert Dean is an old-fashioned psychologist who reluctantly allows his oldest daughter Meg to join a four week tour in São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
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 and youngest daughter, the wise-cracking, joyful Betsy. 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, and has taken up habits which are shocking to Robert, including smoking.
Unaware of her daughter's engagement with Barroso's son Carlos, Robert mistakes Eduardo for being Meg's love interest. Meanwhile, Betsy is enjoying the attention she is receiving from the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, and falls in love with Sgt. Paul Gattling. 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. The latter tries to prohibit his daughter from seeing them by booking a flight to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
and then Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the 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
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and is eventually dropped off in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. 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
- Clifton WebbClifton WebbClifton Webb was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for his Oscar-nominated roles in such films as Laura, The Razor's Edge, and Sitting Pretty...
as Robert Dean - Jane WymanJane WymanJane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
as Mrs. Mary Dean - Jill St. JohnJill St. JohnJill St. John is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Tiffany Case, the lead Bond girl in Diamonds Are Forever.-Early life:...
as Meg Dean - Carol LynleyCarol LynleyCarol Lynley is an American actress and former child model.-Life and career:Lynley was born Carole Ann Jones in New York City, the daughter of Frances , a waitress, and Cyril Jones. Her father was Irish and her mother, a native of New England, was of English, Scottish, Welsh, German, and Native...
as Betsy Dean - Paul Henreid as Eduardo Barroso
- Gary Crosby as Tech Sgt. Paul Gattling
- Nico MinardosNico MinardosNico Minardos , was a Greek-American actor.-Life and works:...
as Carlos Barroso - Wally BrownWally BrownWally Brown was an actor, comedian, and long-time partner of Alan Carney.- Biography :Wally was born in Malden, Massachusetts and served as a vaudevillian. In 1942, he began his film career in Hollywood at RKO Radio Pictures with the film Petticoat Larceny...
as Joe McDougal - Henny BackusHenny BackusHenny Backus was a Broadway showgirl in the 1930s, where she performed with Earl Carroll's Vanities. Born Henrietta Kaye in Philadelphia, she was the wife of actor and comedian Jim Backus.-Career:...
as Connie McDougal - José GrecoJosé GrecoJose Greco was a flamenco dancer and choreographer.He was born in Montorio nei Frentani, Italy of Italian parents. He was raised in New York City from the time he was 10 years old. He began dancing in Brooklyn with his sister Norina at a young age.He made his professional dancing debut in 1937 at...
as Dancer
Production
In March 1957 20th Century Fox20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
bought the rights to the play, which premiered a month earlier. Gene Tierney
Gene Tierney
Gene Eliza Tierney was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed as one of the great beauties of her day, she is best remembered for her performance in the title role of Laura and her Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress in Leave Her to Heaven .Other notable roles include...
was initially set to star as Mrs. Mary Dean, but she dropped out last minute due to illness. In February 1959, the studio negotiated with Joan Fontaine
Joan Fontaine
Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland , known professionally as Joan Fontaine, is a British American actress. She and her elder sister Olivia de Havilland are two of the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s....
to replace her, but Fontaine collapsed and eventually Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
was assigned.
In August 1957, Suzy Parker
Suzy Parker
Suzy Parker was an American model and actress active from 1947 into the early 1960s. Her modeling career reached its zenith during the 1950s when she appeared on the cover of dozens of magazines, advertisements, and in movie and television roles.She appeared in several Revlon advertisements, but...
was cast in a role, but she eventually withdrew. The role of Meg was originally offered in January 1959 to Diane Varsi
Diane Varsi
Diane Marie Antonia Varsi was an American film actress best known for her performances in Peyton Place – her film debut, and for which she was nominated for an Academy Award – and the cult film Wild in the Streets...
, but she refused it and abandoned her contract with 20th Century Fox only months later. Diane Baker
Diane Baker
Diane Carol Baker is an American actress who has appeared in motion pictures and on television since 1959.-Early life:...
was announced as her replacement, but the role eventually went to Jill St. John
Jill St. John
Jill St. John is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Tiffany Case, the lead Bond girl in Diamonds Are Forever.-Early life:...
.
Background shots were made on location in early 1959, and most of the filming took place in Los Angeles.