We watched the 1943 Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire move "Holiday Inn" a lot this weekend. My 5-year-old daughter found a few favorite scenes in it and my mother said she'd never seen the movie. She really liked it. I bought the DVD of "Holiday Inn" a few years ago when I found out that the Valentine's scene was being edited from certain TV broadcasts because it was deemed offensive. I watched the movie with that in mind and found that the black face scene was not offensive, but it was an integral scene to the movie.
There's one song from the "Holiday Inn" which keeps playing through my head. It's the "Song of Freedom", sung by Bing Crosby. The words are so basic, yet true. The video is a wonderful reminder of our past fights for freedom. Please take a few minutes to watch the scene from "Holiday Inn" where Bing sings "Song of Freedom":
And, yes, this song makes me think of Bill Edwards!
PS: Interesting trivia about the movie "Holiday Inn"...it was the first movie to feature Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas". The 1954 movie "White Christmas" is loosely based on "Holiday Inn".
Also..."The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii occurred halfway through filming. As a result, the Fourth of July segment was expanded beyond Fred Astaire's fire cracker dance to include the patriotic number that highlights the strength of the U.S. military." (wikipedia)
And..."There was one more legacy that Holiday Inn contributed to American culture: the hotel chain, Holiday Inn, was named for the movie" (Turner Classic Movies online)
