Death Takes a Holiday (1934)

the audience applauded

Thanks for the memories!

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY (Paramount, 1934), directed by Mitchell Leisen, is not essentially a horror movie but a sort of haunting fantasy story about an Angel of Death descending upon mortals in the guise of a handsome young nobleman. Taken from the play by Alberto Castella, it stars Fredric March in one of his finer roles for the studio shortly before leaving for free-lancing assignments. Although March was the leading man, DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY virtually belongs to Evelyn Venable in a role that might or should have marked the beginning to a string of successful starring roles for her. While Venable does give a splendid performance, she never rose in the ranks of top Hollywood actress of her day.As the opening credits roll with the camera capturing a gathering of happy crowds at a carnival, the supporting players, including Sir Guy Standing (Duke Lambert); Helen Westley (Stephanie); Henry Travers (Baron Cedsarea); Katherine Alexander (Countess Alda Di Parmal); G.P. Huntley Jr. (Eric Bagley); Gail Patrick (Rhonda Fenton); and Kent Taylor (Corrado, Grazia's fiancé) are credited with their roles while still in characters, before shifting into a church where Grazia (Evelyn Venable) is seen alone praying. After leaving the carnival in two separate cars, Grazia notices a dark shadow following them before passing ahead. The other members of the party meet with an accident regarding a vendor and his cart, but no one is hurt nor injured. After a gathering at their Villa Felicita, by which Grazia faints after being approached by a dark cloak figure, that same shadowy figure approaches Duke Lambert soon after all the guests have retired for the night. The voice introduces himself as Death, explaining his mission where he is to spend a three day holiday among mortals to understand why he is so feared. With Duke Lambert keeping his secret, Death immediately arrives at the estate masquerading as Prince Sirki (Fredric March) where he then meets with the guests. During those three days, no death occurs, even to those who survived unanswered miracles. As Rhoda and Alda become fascinated by this nobleman, Sirki becomes fascinated in Grazia, who doesn't fear him at all. After resulting his mission, Sirki's situation of departing alone or with Grazia becomes his newfound problem. Also in the story are Kathleen Howard (Princess Maria, Grazia's Mother); Frank Yaconelli (The Vendor); and Hector Sarno (Pietro).Very much a filmed stage play, it doesn't have that feel by any means. Other than underscoring in certain scenes to some classical music, there are brief montages set in other places as the horse or auto races to break the monotony of story set mostly inside a mansion. There are also screen fills of newspaper clippings of certain outside incidents as the sinking of the S.S. Cedric where no lives are lost. Fredric March, whose physical being as the accented speaking prince, complete with monocle and military clothes, doesn't appear until 27 minutes from the start of the movie. He gets his one frightful moment when he asks a woman to come closer to him to see who he really is, but otherwise, just a mysterious house guest learning what life if all about. As mentioned before, Evelyn Venable is the sole attraction here, with Sir Guy Standing not very far as the terrified nobleman.Remade as a television movie (1971) featuring veteran performers as Melvyn Douglas and Myrna Loy, followed years later by an updated nearly three-hour version re-titled MEET JOE BLACK (Universal, 1991) with Brad Pitt, the 1934 original remains the most appreciated of the three. Not as commonly broadcast on commercial television as it once was back in the 1960s and 70s, DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY turned up in later years on public television before shifting occasionally on cable channels as Showtime (1990); American Movie Classics (1992) and Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 6, 2005). Though the movie has taken a holiday from the television airwaves, and distributed to home video (1998) and DVD (2004), regardless of its age and stage origins, it's still an interesting premise to what life can become if death does take a holiday. Oh Death, where is thy sting? (***1/2)

Here is the biggest "spoiler" this review is going to offer: ignore the remake. Yes, I know the remake has Brad Pitt and Sir Tony Hopkins and about (it seems) a 6-hour run time - yawn - whereas this poor original, in contrast, "only" has Frederick March and about an 80 minute run time and special effects from the 1930s. Seems no contest? It is. Ignore the modern version, it is junk. See this, the original, based very closely on the original stage play, with March giving one of the best performances of this career (by the 1950s, some 20 years later, this great actor, with a mesmerizing physical presence, was reduced to B movies. Same thing happened to Rita Hayworth). The story is a one-of and as far as this reviewer is concerned, un-equalled even today. Death gets bored, wants to experience physical life, wants to experience love. Takes the form of a visiting prince at a gathering of upper class wealthy types (in films and plays of that era, the upper class were always visiting each other or partying or philosophizing). After warning his host not to reveal his true identity, Death in human form tries to mingle. And that's all the spoiler you get. Astonishing writing, deft dialogue, an odd mixture of horror story, love story, and suspense story. I would without hesitation call this one of the best 100 films of all time, and my reviews here show that I have seen my share to judge from.

Death Takes a Holiday (1934) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Death (Fredric March), curious to know why people fear him, takes on human form for a three day vacation. Things get a bit complicated when he falls in love with a woman who also loves him. This is a wonderful little film that mixes comedy, drama and various horror elements to a great effect. March is wonderful as usual and blends the perfect amount of caring and horror. His performance here is so much better than in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The actual horror elements of Death are among the best ever from this period.Sadly, Universal has only issued this film on its remake DVD as an extra nnd now that is out of print. Hopefully this film will get the respect it's due.

Despite some stilted dialogue and acting, this is an exquisitely opulent fantasy about the meaning of life which seamlessly mixes elements of comedy, romance and horror and emerges as an unjustly neglected minor classic - so much so that dear old Universal has deemed it fit to only give it a DVD release by proxy, unceremoniously slapping it onto their "Ultimate Edition" DVD of its overblown and unnecessary remake, MEET JOE BLACK (1998). Fredric March is superb in the lead and only confirms his position as one of Hollywood's finest, most versatile and consistent character actors (despite being blessed with matinée idol looks); March himself considers this to be one of his favorite roles. This was only Mitchell Leisen's second film as director, and his production designer past is still much in evidence, but he would go on to make several accomplished films - particularly EASY LIVING (1937), MIDNIGHT (1939), ARISE, MY LOVE (1940) and KITTY (1945) - before his career gradually petered out in the late 40s. A strikingly similar film to DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY which I also would love to watch is Harold S. Bucquet's ON BORROWED TIME (1939) with Sir Cedric Hardwicke playing Death and Lionel Barrymore as his unwilling "client" - but it never seems to get shown on TV in my neck of the woods!