Holiday 1938
Holiday opens with Johnny Case (Grant) returning home from a skiing trip where he met and fell in love with Julia Seton (Doris Nolan). The pair plan to marry straight away but things prove to not be as simple as Johnny assumed. You see, when he heads to Julia’s home he finds she’s part of an incredibly wealthy family. Johnny is a promising businessman but he’s from a working-class background, getting where he is through hard graft from an early age. Julia’s father, Edward Seton (Henry Kolker), is initially troubled by the fact Johnny is not of ‘good stock’, but he’s eventually talked around. However, another twist in the tale makes both Edward and Julia unsure about whether or not Johnny is worthy of marriage.

Director: George Cukor
Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Doris Nolan
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Most people are completely unaware that George Cukor's film is not the only cinematic adaptation of Philip Barry's play. Almost a decade earlier, in 1930, Edward H. Griffith was the first to bring the play to the silver screen, and the screenwriter he collaborated with, Horace Jackson, earned an Oscar nomination. Both films are included on this release.


BD50, 2xDVD9 | 1080p AVC, NTSC 4:3 | 01:35:35 | 44.4 Gb + 12.3 Gb
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:

The 1930 Version - presented here is Edward H. Griffith's 1930 version of Holiday, starring Ann Harding, Mary Astor, and Robert Ames. Remastered. In English, not subtitled. (91 min, 1080p).

Sragow and Schlesinger - in this new program, critic Michael Sragow and filmmaker and distributor Michael Schlesinger discuss the main differences and similarities between the 1930 and 1938 cinematic adaptations of Philip Barry's play. The program was produced exclusively for Criterion in September 2019. In English, not subtitled. (35 min, 1080p).

George Cukor - presented here is an audio excerpt from an oral history recorded for the American Film Institute in 1971 and '72 in which director George Cukor discusses Holiday with author and screenwriter Gavin Lambert. In English, not subtitled. (22 min, 1080p).

Costume Gallery - presented here is a collection of design sketches for various costumes created by Roberto Mero Kalloch III for Holiday. (1080p).