Death Takes a Holiday (1934) User Reviews

A Little Dance With Death

[gftbiloxi · 7/10 · 30 March 2005]

Based on an Italian play that performed on Broadway in 1929, the 1934 DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY would be the inspiration for the 1998 Brad Pitt film MEET JOE BLACK--but whereas MEET JOE BLACK proved a highly literal interpretation of the theme, DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY is unexpectedly lyric in tone.

The story is a fantasy. Death has grown weary of the fear he inspires in human beings, and in an effort to understand the tenacity to which they cling to life he decides to take a three day "holiday." He accordingly presents himself at the house of an Italian nobleman as "Prince Sirki," and soon discovers that human beings pass their lives in games, none of them of any great importance or interest. But there is one "game" he has yet to play: love.

Like many films of the early 1930s, the script is a bit talky and the cinematography a bit static; with the exception of Evelyn Venable (as Grazia) and Henry Travers (as Baron Cesarea) the cast, including the usually subtle Frederic March, tend to play in a somewhat theatrical manner. Even so, the overall tone of the film is unexpectedly touching, lyrical, and strangely lovely. It is also, on occasion, gently humorous. And before Death resumes his true identity and returns to the business of mortality, we receive unexpected food for thought.

The film is not widely available on either DVD or VHS, nor is it frequently televised. That is unfortunate, for fans of 1930s cinema will find it darkly charming. Worth seeking out!

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

"Why Fear Death...?"

[theowinthrop · 8/10 · 8 October 2006]

There is a subject that might be brought into the sphere of a masters degree thesis: how the destruction and death of World War I created a wave of theatrical and cinematic creativity dealing with life after death, and that death is not an ending but a beginning. This trend mirrored the rise of spiritualism (as pushed and advocated by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Oliver Lodge, and others) as a way of healing the real emotional losses felt by millions of people around the world after 1914 - 1918. It produced some works of stage and screen such as the anti-war FIFTY MILLION GHOSTS (attacking armaments king Basil Zaharoff - young Orson Welles appeared on stage in it), the play and film OUTWARD BOUND by Sutton Vane, and (probably best of all) Albert Casella's classic DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY. It's still produced occasionally, and even made it to a television version (in 1971) and a recent remake (MEET JOE BLACK).

Supposedly, as the "Lusitania" was going to the bottom of the Irish Sea, producer Charles Frohman said to his friends standing with him on deck, "Why fear death? It is the most beautiful adventure in life?" or words to that effect. Frohman (who did drown in the disaster) was quoting the words of his close friend and business associate James Barrie from PETER PAN. In a sense, Casella's story follows this particular point of view. Death (Fredric March) has come to the palazzo of Duke Lambert (Sir Guy Standing) and is intent on taking his daughter Grazia (Evelyn Venable), but instead makes a deal. He has heard a great deal about the human emotion of love, and has never experienced it. Instead, the only experience with human beings he has had was fear. So, he will not take any of Lambert's guests, family, or friends on this visit, if Lambert will allow him to stay as "Prince Sirki", a recently deceased nobleman whose form is available. Lambert agrees.

The film actually (like the play) is quite probing, into the nature of death, love, and life itself. We see the various people who are in the palazzo, some of whom have lives of pleasure or adventure, and March constantly finds small flaws in these things that the humans overlook. When he meets one who races at high speed, he asks (straightforwardly, but with a heavy ironic undertone), "Why haven't we met before?" Henry Travers in a supporting role is a lover of fine food and drink - and obviously he too may soon meet March again under different circumstances.

But it is Venable who is the key to March's humanization. She is not impressed by the wonders of life and the world her friends push. She seeks something more meaningful. A beautiful woman, she is pursued in the film (by Carrado - Kent Taylor), but finds his heavy sensual love not what she wants. It is only with March, also seeking an answer, that she finds the match to herself.

March too is pursued, by the social climbing Gail Patrick and Helen Westley, and both are quickly shown the valuelessness of "titles" and status. March willingly shows them (briefly) his real self, and they flee him in terror.

Both March and Veneble are incomplete: he by the seeming void in his eternal duty of ending life and being feared for it, she by her realizing what the book of ECCLESIASTES said two thousand years ago that is still true: "Vanity of Vanities...all is vanity!". The one exception is true love, and both find that in each other that goal is met. So at the end Grazia willingly goes with Sirki, because there is no fear for both when together - for together they can face the universe and eternity.

The Grim Reaper vacations in Italy

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 30 March 2005]

"Death Takes a Holiday" was based on a play, and it's interesting that another playwright was called upon to adapt it for the screen. The original piece by Alberto Casella feels almost Pirandellian, in that it elevates every day things into a philosophical realm. Maxwell Anderson's respect for the original text shows in his elegant treatment of the material. The film is greatly enhanced by Mitchell Leisen's direction.

The people behind this 1934 film gathered an interesting cast to play Mr. Casella's characters. The idea of making death a human being was a novel idea. When the Grim Reaper becomes real in the person of Prince Sirki, it opened the possibilities for how he looked at life from this new perspective.

The idea of bringing Prince Sirki into the Duke Lambert's palatial home was the right setting, for it gives the movie an elegance that only in that context could be achieved. It's clear that Prince Sirki falls for the beautiful Grazia instantly. Grazia is almost engaged to Corrado, the Duke's son.

It's a joy to see these aristocrats at play when they encounter the figure of the prince. Only the Duke knows about him and is always by the prince's side in order to help him grasp the earthly nuances that supposedly, Sirki knows nothing about.

The ensemble performances Mr. Leisen achieved from his cast shows on the finished product we see. Fredric March makes an elegant presence as Sirki. The beautiful Evelyn Venable is perfect as Grazia. Guy Standing makes the most of his Duke Lambert. Henry Travers, Kent Taylor, Gail Patrick and Katherine Alexancer are seen in minor parts.

How can anyone compare this elegant production with the recent remake of this film? It is a puzzle to this observer, at best.

Dark and Romantic

[tdldewitt-1 · 2 April 2004]

I have watched this movie many times over the years and I continue to love it, even more than the remake `Meet Joe Black' with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins (On it's own a great movie with wonderful actors).

However, In this original movie, `Death Takes A Holiday' the title role is played by the incredibly talented Fredric March, as he portrays an intensely charismatic Death/Prince Sirki. Here you will find an innocent, charming stranger who is learning from his host and the guests surrounding him yet is also imparting his own knowledge and wisdom.

The path Death has taken is a journey in which all of us partake. What makes us human? What brings us joy and happiness in this lifetime? All that Death has ever seen of our world is fear as he greets those who enter his world. So, he enters our world to see and feel what more there is to our existence. In fact, we could learn a great deal from the character Death, for he reminds us of that which we take for granted in this life, and is denied to him as Death.

`Death Takes A Holiday' may seem dark and forbidding but it is filled with hope that is encouraging; and love which should follow us past this life and into the next.

An uneasy blend of fantasy, romance and sophistication

[[e-mail] · 7/10 · 20 April 2004]

Many contemporary viewers will find the dialogue here hard going, for the film shows its stage origins; the heightened rhetoric and often extended speeches that have the characters speaking at, rather than to one another, create a rather wooden effect on the screen. This film could not have come from any studio other than Paramount during the 1930s: the only studio that produced what might be called today art films, including this one. From Mae West, W.C. Fields and the Marx Brothers; to the Lubitsch musicals with Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette Macdonald and his European-like sophisticated romantic comedies; to an occasional deMille spectacular; Paramount provided the most diversified output of the early studio era. Yet,with the exception of the occasional action costume drama, most Paramount films seem to have been made on a relatively low budget, with only one or two sets, including this film. However, since set design was always done with some elegance, economy is not as noticeable as with the Warner films. (Where a devotee has seen the same apartment set so often that s/he feels right at home).I notice that most IMDB reviewers give positive comments. Perhaps I was just not ready for this one last night (I recall having enjoyed it more years ago); but for me the components never jelled so as to provide a consistent development of plot or characterizations.

An interesting twist to the old myth of gods walking among us mortals

[Tobias_R · 7/10 · 22 January 2007]

This fascinating curio from the 1930s is based on an Italian stage play that posited the simple question: Would Death be intrigued by why we mortals cling so stubbornly to life in spite of our self-evident self-destructive urges. Death, in this movie, is at a disadvantage in this since he is immortal and can never death itself. It posits a question that has been posed as earlier as the ancient Greek playwrights such Euripides: Are the gods inferior to mortals because the former have no knowledge nor capacity for understanding the deep suffering the latter are capable of because mortals are always aware on some level that they will ultimately die? This story, Death Takes a Holiday, is reminiscent of aspects of Christian theology that posited Jesus, as the Son of God, was part of the divine Godhead and thus by allowing Jesus the Crucifixion, God could come to understand the suffering of which His creation was capable. By that understanding, Jesus could redeem the sins of mankind as God, through Jesus, gained an understanding of what it meant to be human. Even though this perspective isn't strictly orthodox, it was best illustrated in another movie, The Green Pastures, which was made in 1936.

As to the film itself, the presentation has definitely dated aspects. What keeps the film in the category of a flawed classic rather than a dated curio is Frederick March's wonderful performance as Death who comes as Prince Sirki to a weekend gathering of Italian aristocrats at the villa of one of those aristocrats. March captures ideally the worldliness of an ageless figure, such as death, who has seen everything and his endearing naiveté as Death realizes he's actually experienced nothing of what he sees. It's when he falls in love with the beautiful Grazia that he begins to understand the suffering of which humans are capable. Indeed when Grazia wishes to go with Sirki/Death, Death feels the anguish that a person feels who must part from one he loves. It is when she declares that she knew who he really was all along and isn't afraid to follow him to his realm that Death grasps the power of love in the face of death. March conveys all of this beautifully and even makes his final rather overwrought speech memorable and moving.

Unfortunately, from those thespian heights, the other aspects of the film are a rather mixed bag. The young actress who plays Grazia is given overdone dialog that irresistibly reminds me of the lines of the "serious" play that Katherine Hepburn's character in the movie, Backstage, is auditioning for. That's the play with the classic line, much parodied, "Father, the calla lillies are in bloom again..." Grazia's lines approach the laughable. Also, for a group of Italian aristocrats, the guests at the house sport frank American or English accents while the few working class Italians that appear are pure stage Italians out of the Chico Marx mold.

But despite these limitations which led me to subtract three stars out of ten, it's a film well worth seeing.

Death takes a breather

[st-shot · 7/10 · 8 June 2021]

A tuckered out Death (Fredric March) decides to take some time off and allow life spring eternal over a three day vacation. Taking the identity of a recently expired prince he shacks up with a group of upper crust at an Italian Villa amusing and edifying himself while mystifying and fascinating others. The prince quickly charms the ladies while intimidating them at the same time. One, Grazia ( wonderfully performed by Evelyn Venable) falls completely under his unintentional spell however and contemplates seeing her existence through with him.

March flirts with going full Bela Lugosi in moments but charms and tones down enough to pose some interesting viewpoints and inquiries on this thing called life. Retaining his suave cold demeanor throughout he linchpins both the terror and humor of the film while director Mitchell Leisen tarts matters up with his usual lavish set design. And who could fault death for hanging with the conspicuous consumption crowd as opposed to the skid row consumptive crowd? A disturbingly entertaining film.

Getting philosophical about death

[BrandtSponseller · 9/10 · 26 April 2005]

Adapted by Walter Ferris, Maxwell Anderson and Gladys Lehman from Alberto Cassella's 1929 play La Morte in Vacanze, Death Takes a Holiday features Fredric March as the titular Grim Reaper. Death becomes curious about why he is so feared. He wants to understand humankind better. So through some unspecified means he becomes corporeal for a three-day period, beginning and ending at midnight. He chooses to take the form of a Prince Sirki, recently deceased, and takes his holiday at the palatial Italian villa of Duke Lambert (Guy Standing). Will he discover what makes humans tick in only three days? This is a highly successful, unusual film. It has strong touches of horror, even though it's more of an art-house drama cum romance flick. It's also frequently philosophical, and director Mitchell Leisen easily sustains dramatic tension for close to 90-minutes despite the fact that this was only his second feature, and a very "talky" one at that, which takes place primarily in a single setting (the play only had one set, but the film adds a couple other scenes).

Of course March's performance is crucial to making the film work. He has the difficult task of playing both a personification of a menacing supernatural force and a chimerical human trying to "act natural" and slightly failing. That March plays the role so impeccably is made all the more fascinating in light of the fact that he was filming All of Me (1934) at the same time. He borrowed a woman's bicycle (his wife Florence Elridge's) to enable him to quickly travel from one set to the other on the Paramount studio lot. March has said that Death/Prince Sirki was one of his favorite roles, and he willingly reprised it both on radio for Lux Radio Theater in March of 1937 and on stage, in a production by Baltimore City College in May of 1938.

As impressive as March is, he is initially upstaged by the fantastic special effects. We first see Death as simply a shadow. Later, March appears in more traditional Grim Reaper garb, which is eerily transparent and surprisingly modern in design. Leisen demanded that the transparency effect be achieved in-camera rather than a later manipulation during the film processing stage. So Gordon Jennings employed the same technique that made The Invisible Man (1933) invisible. Parts of the set were recreated in black velvet. These were reflected in a partially transparent mirror, which was then superimposed over March (you can see a related effect "live" in the ballroom scene of Walt Disney World's The Haunted Mansion ride). March's elaborate cloaks were composed of layers of chiffon in dark hues from gray to black. Jennings also installed tiny lights under March's "hood" to light up his skull make-up.

The rest of the cast is excellent, too, if maybe a bit too sprawling for the film's length. But there needs to be a larger number of characters, as a hinge of the film is that three different women fall in love with Prince Sirki during his brief visit, one of them eventually being discouraged by his bizarre behavior, the other by being able to see his "true self". Sirki ends up falling in love with Grazia (Evelyn Venable, in her second role after 1933's Cradle Song), who is supposedly the fiancée of Corrado (Kent Taylor), but with him, she is oddly aloof. Despite the romance between Death/Sirki and Grazia, March and Venable never kiss in the film, as Venable's father had a clause written into her contract forbidding it.

Leisen creates a thick, almost creepy atmosphere for much of the film (although it's strongest when Duke Lambert first encounters Death), which gives it much of its horror overtones. For me, the romance aspect has a slight (appropriate) morbidity because of this, and it's questionable whether the film should even be considered a romance. The set design is also fantastic--the villa is breathtaking; it's too bad Leisen couldn't show it off more.

The constant tension invoked by Death/Sirki always being on the brink of "blowing his cover" keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat more often than one might expect. But Death Takes a Holiday is most fascinating when it waxes philosophical. Because death is on holiday, numerous accidents occur that people just walk away from (this was an intriguing and logical aspect that was absent from the 1998 remake, Meet Joe Black). This makes the newspapers, and Death finds it particularly ironic that humans seem to almost lament that war is not working correctly. He promises to the unwitting that humankind will soon again be able to blow each other up. Baron Cesarea (Henry Travers, who also played Dr. Cranley in The Invisible Man) offers that there are three "games" in life--money, war and love, and Death/Sirki ends up agreeing. Love finally gives him the answer of why humankind fears him so, and finally shows why life is not futile or simply a frittering away of time while people wait for him to arrive in his natural guise. The ending of the film was quite controversial, and suggests that love can even surmount death; it almost seems to say that possessing love, death might not be such a bad thing after all.

Death Takes a Holiday (1934) ***

[JoeKarlosi · 7/10 · 26 April 2005]

Effective fantasy where the fearsome visage of the Grim Reaper is transformed into the human form of Prince Sirki, played by a handsome Fredric March in his prime. As Death, March decides to take a three day vacation from his usual duties and mingle among people to try to learn why they fear dying so much, and to ultimately discover the complexities of falling in love.

Nice touches of humor, mixed with the glow of mystery and the unknown. As an added bonus, the movie also has something to say regarding death which may cause you to think differently about that unavoidable day when the Grim Reaper comes knocking on your door. *** out of ****

Holiday Affair

[telegonus · 9/10 · 13 May 2002]

Adapted from a play by Alberto Casella, Death Takes a Holiday is a more charming film that one might imagine. Death, using the name Prince Sirki, comes to earth in human form to learn a thing or two about life and human nature. He gets more than he bargained for. This is one of the first directorial jobs Mitchell Leisen had at Paramount, and he makes the most of it. He manages to make the film at various moments gloomy and romantic, lighthearted and very serious. At no time is the movie depressing, and the ending surprisingly uplifting.

Fredric March makes a handsome, almost soulful Prince Sirki, and delivers a fine performance. I only wish that he had used the same restraint in his later, flashier character-acting roles. Offering strong support are Evelyn Venable, Guy Standing and Henry Travers (later to play an angel of mercy in It's a Wonderful Life). There's a lot of good luck on the side of this film. Paramount was the right studio to make it. They tended to bring a light touch to nearly everything they did in those days, and it is most appreciated here. I highly recommend this movie to pessimistic know-it-alls who think they have everything figured out.

Enjoyable Hour or So - Death Takes Holiday

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 23 March 2022]

Frederic March is perfect casting for the Grim Reaper; he always does serious very well. The rest of the cast does an adequate job, but it is the story that retains the interest of the viewer.

The Grim Reaper takes human form and, of course, inevitably falls victim to the foibles of the human condition, which is to say, humans fall in love. The romantic interest is interesting, as well as the conclusion, which I will not reveal to you. See for yourself.

Death Takes A Holiday (1934) ***1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 8/10 · 14 April 2005]

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!

death as a character

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 8 June 2022]

Death (Frederic March) takes a three days holiday. He wants to learn about the mortal world and why they fear him. He reveals himself to Duke Lambert (Guy Standing). The Duke suggests that he takes the identity of Prince Sirki. He joins the Duke's guests at the palatial estate.

Death as a shadow is interesting. His first meeting with the Duke is haunting and terribly compelling. I would like Death to be a little more fish out of water. It is an interesting concept and the ending is doing something compelling.

"Pre-code" dated talky meditation on death does not stand the test of time

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 7 June 2022]

I have my reasons for disliking many films from the early 30s. Due to the technical limitations of the time, many of those films were based on stage plays in which most of the action is confined to one or two sets. Death Takes a Holiday is no exception with the script based on a 1924 Italian play La morte in vacanza by Alberto Casella.

Of course, many later films are also based on stage plays and feature a surfeit of dialogue. But it's often the declamatory way the actors at the time delivered their lines as long-winded speeches as opposed to the ebb and flow of natural dialogue between the players we're used to watching today.

In Death Takes a Holiday it takes about half an hour before the main character of Death, disguised as Prince Sirki, played by the famed thespian Frederic March, appears. We meet all the guests of Duke Lambert (Guy Standing) at his Italian villa who are almost all killed in respective car accidents as the two cars they're driving in swerve to avoid a vendor and his horse on the road.

Much is made of Death's "shadow" who some of the guests complain about seeing before their near brush with eternity. It's all melodramatically overdone as the shadow is designed to foreshadow the entrance of the Prince (Death now in the mortal form of Prince Sirki).

The Prince's motivation for taking a holiday on earth is explained when he informs the Duke he wants to find out why humans fear him so much.

The narrative is so incredibly one-note. There are assorted jokes about how the prince is nonplussed when he no longer has the usual effect on humans or nature due to taking mortal form for three days. For example, when one of the houseguests puts a flower on his lapel, he simply cannot believe it that the flower doesn't wilt.

During his "holiday," people expected to meet their end are given a lease on life. Another type of joke has the prince attempting to hide his glee whenever a candidate is presented about to meet their end. He remarks that he feels "responsible" when someone who is supposed to die, does not.

Instead, he offers to send a "letter of condolence" to the man who cheats death (in this particular case, it's a man who jumped off the Eiffel Tower and survived!).

Aside from the repetitious humor, the machinations involving the houseguests is by and large forgettable. Eventually they all get wind that the prince is actually death himself and basically try and contain themselves from freaking out.

The main plot involves the prince falling in love with Grazia (Evelyn Venable), the only houseguest who recognizes who the prince really is and is not afraid of him. She opts to go with him at film's end, thus choosing death over life. But the prince learns a valuable lesson too-that love is just as strong as the fear of death which gives humans their purpose in this world.

Director Mitchell Liesen reported that he received approximately 8,000 letters following the film's release in 1934 from viewers that claimed the film helped them overcome their fear of death.

Frederic March really has the only memorable part as Prince Sirki, effecting a Transylvanian accent throughout which reminds us of Count Dracula.

One might conclude that the film's overall message is an admirable one: "don't be afraid of death"-although the dated way the narrative is presented ensures that this is a film that certainly hasn't stood the test of time.

Very worth seeing, but frustrating

[oliverkneale · 11 June 2000]

First of all, the director of this film, Mitchell Leisen is one of the most underrated talents of 30's and 40's. He's acquired something of a bad reputation because of pretty vicious remarks made about him by Preston Sturges and Billy Wilder when talking about the films he directed from their scripts in the days before they were allowed to direct their *own* scripts. However, he doesn't deserve the derision. He's made some fluff films, for sure, but he's a consistently entertaining filmmaker who, more often than not, really delivers.

Anyway, Death Takes a Holiday is sort of his "art film" and it has a lot of great things in it. Fredric March's performance as Death is wonderful, the atmosphere is thick, the humor works, the scene setting is smart and romantic, and the opening titles are fun and weird, immediately presenting the film as something that's going to be a little unusual.

The problem with the film lies in Fredric March's romance with Evelyn Venable. The idea of Death falling in love with a human is great, but it's just not convincing here, mostly due to Venabale turning in a wooden performance that almost suggests she might be hypnotized. Also, the dialogue between them, particularly in the closing scene, is melodramatic and pseudo poetic beyond belief. You almost want to laugh at it.

It's a shame this most important aspect of the movie was handled so badly because just about everything else in film is great, particularly the interaction between Fredric March and just about everyone else in film who isn't Evelyn Venable. All of the good stuff just bursts with intruiging ideas.

And for that I would recommend the film to all potential viewers. The film is not without it's problems, but the good stuff is just good enough for me to say that the proverbial glass is definitely half full.

What If Prince Sirki Decided To Hang Out With Some Working Class Folks

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 4 June 2008]

The Twenties post World War I saw a great revival in spiritualism of which the play Death Takes A Holiday is most certainly part. It was hard for rational man to fathom the cost of the greatest war yet fought on the planet. People sought answers in things not comprehensible in this world.

Death Takes A Holiday occurs in Italy during World War I which had its own front in that war with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Seeing so much of it with the accompanying fear in men's eyes, Death in the guise of the recently departed Prince Sirki takes a three day holiday and spends it at the estate of Guy Standing and several other guests.

Maybe one day someone will write a story where death personified spends time with some poor or working class family on the globe somewhere. I'm sure he'd get quite a different perspective on life. Spending a holiday with Guy Standing or with Anthony Hopkins in Meet Joe Black is not the general rule of things.

Fredric March as Prince Sirki cuts a romantic and rather lonely figure and is grateful for the company for those three days. One of the guests, Evelyn Venable is a woman with rather strange ideas. What she does in the end is just a wee bit too weird for my taste.

Death Takes A Holiday is a romantic drama with spiritual overtones, directed in a lavish style by Mitchell Leisen. It's an interesting, but I think at this point rather dated film.

"I came here looking for a game to play..., a game worth playing."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 19 September 2018]

I'd like to be able to see the romance in this film as some other reviewers seemed to, but I thought it was just a bit creepy. I didn't mind the premise of the story, but as it progressed I was disappointed with aspects of the characters and the way the picture played out. The voice of 'Shadow Death' when he first revealed himself to Duke Lambert (Guy Standing) sounded like a caricature of someone speaking and not realistic at all. And after making Lambert promise not to reveal his true nature, Prince Sirki as 'Death' (Fredric March) began freely dropping hints as to what he was all about. To one of the Villa's guests, Death remarks "I have been known to inspire fear", which isn't exactly the type of statement one would make to put others at ease. And then, contrary to Death's initial caution to Lambert not to tell his guests who or what he was, when Lambert did state the truth, there were no consequences. So that inconsistency in the story bothered me somewhat.

But the biggest problem I had with the story was the character of Grazia (Evelyn Venable). All throughout the film she maintained a conflicted personality regarding her fiancé Corrado (Kent Taylor), son of Mr. Lambert, and wasn't able to fully articulate her ambivalent emotion toward him. Yet she fell completely under the spell of Sirki who she had just met and felt some sort of connection with. I hate to say it, but her response at the end to choose actual death in order to accompany Sirki back to his unearthly realm suggested that there might have been a degree of mental illness involved on her part. The staging of that finale made it look like they were both about to experience some sublime majesty, while if you think about it, Grazia was happily willing to commit suicide for no apparently good reason.

Hilarious and heartbreaking interaction of "death" and mortals

[ioannesp · 7/10 · 21 March 2020]

I don't want to refer to the original playwright and the philosophical level that was referred to it because it doesn't suit with the love story which has a main aspect in this script. This film is an alternative version and follows its path. Fredric March dominates this film but he is too young to contribute the achievement of an overall general outcome to make this one an overall good movie. He expresses his great talent with words, with monologue and dialogue, with gestures, with his monocle figures, his movements and "savoir vivre" overall outcomes (where the hell "death" knew them?) and above all with his humor! He has calculated everything in his part and role... Except to make it believable! But this is Fredric's(death) point of view and I enjoyed the "hilarious" outcome. His voice tends to be unnatural {in his viewing angle to perform "death"} when he is not performing the kind "sheep" all human would love to adopt... Its not "death" that want to be adopted but it is Fredric! Death is just a step to another path ...etc, etc. And that is what makes this film hilarious. "Death" by Fredric's performance has humor and he is actually very well accepted by human ears!!! On the other head, I enjoyed very much Fredric voice because it is crystal clear and you can hear and understand every word he says (without the use of english subtitles)! The leading actress shows from the beginning that she is a spoiled child, perhaps a spoiled actress too. She isn't going to grow up, she doesn't know what she wants in her life, in fact she doesn't has a clue about it... When "death" "falls" in her path she on the other hand turns to be "stimulated" by his touch, although first she fears him... She falls for a love without boundaries for the "void" of death... better not to be explained further... That's why she sounds so wooden and untruth until she actually leads "death" to take her with him. The dominant character of Fredric"Death" falls apart for the love of hers!!! The dialogue between them is melodramatic and needs courage to stand it, but fortunately only a few lines are to swallow them... On the other hand the dialogue and the interaction between Fredric(death) and the other actresses and a few actors is exceptional fine and turn to be interesting and enjoyable, many times filled with humor by Fredric(death).

In general terms, film is enjoyable and turns to be a comedy with many melodramatic tendencies.

Extremely Brilliant

[kennyx6 · 10/10 · 28 December 2005]

This movie made my top ten list. All of the actors gave very good performances. The selection of costumes, wardrobes and jewelry were excellent. The special effects (1934) weren't overwhelming or too far-out. The location setting was reasonable for such a low budget firm. The direction, lighting and audio were first rate. Its a shame that someone hasn't done a re-make of this classic film. With the right cast, director and resources this film could win an Oscar. Perhaps, I'll make an attempt with a short version on video.

As far as I started to explain, I felt very please, entertained and taken by every line of this film. It would be a worthwhile purchase for someones personal movie library. If not available for sale. Please set your VCR for it the next time its listed on the Classic-Movie cable channels. You and your friends (if you like real-good movies) wouldn't be disappointed...enjoy, Kenny

Nice, but...

[sb-47-608737 · 7/10 · 25 January 2019]

The movie left a lot to be desired - and there is no surprise that it wasn't too enthusiastically taken at box office on its release - and it is surprising that - having an element of Ich Klage An (I accuse) - why that wasn't identified ? I haven't seen anywhere that being done - The German movie was on promoting Euthanasia - for terminally ill - which now is almost getting legal - whereas this is on the era which is unlikely to get legalized - suicidal tendency.

The brief plot is - as covered in all other reviews, but I will have to repeat, Death, surprised and dismayed at the way the people of the world fear him, whereas, as he himself mentions, he is gate to the world different and definitely happier (another promotion of suicide) - decides to mix with the people and understand them, for exactly three days. Naturally to get first hand knowledge, he had to become one of them - so he takes a human form, and after sharing his identity and purpose - enters a Baron's home as his guest. There are conditions - breaking them is Death - that the guests living there should stay (his study subjects), and no one else should know his identity - and take him in the Avatar he has assumed - a powerful prince of another land - Prince Sirki (who had very recently, as yet unknown to the people there, entered his realm). There are a few guests - an American society girl Rhoda (Gail Patrick), a flighty Countess, Alda (Katharine Alexander), a man in love with her (Eric), along with the host, Baron (Sir Guy Standing), baroness (Helen Westley) , their son (Kent Taylor), son's fiancee Grazia (Evelyn Venable), Grazia's mother, Princess Maria (Kathleen Howard) and a family friend Baron Cesarea (Henry Travers). Alda and Rhoda -considers the Prince to be a prize catch and compete with each other to bag him. Grazia is attracted, but also slightly discomfited, and the Death, now in human body, gets some human feelings too slowly getting diffused in him. In the end, he falls in love with Grazia, and she reciprocates, and in the climax, when his three days are over, and he has to go back to his shadowy form and world, it is understood that if she accompanies him, that means she is going to die. He magnanimously leaves the choice to her, and the others, including her fiancee, to call her back.

If i leave aside the supernatural element - and look at more human angle, it slightly changes into a story - where a powerful and feared person goes incognito and falls into love with a subject of his empire - and in the end, he has to decide whether taking her to his class would be better for her, or leaving her in her class.

It has some influence of legendary Harun Al Rrashid (the emperor moving incognito to understand subjects) and Cinderella (the prince, while incognito falls in love with a peasant girl). Of course the question in the end, which is relevant, wasn't there in "and the happpily..." Cinderella - how well she would fit in the palace. Will she be happy being away from all the people whom she knew, and cared for (there were others too than her evil steps), just for the sake of one person ? There is no right or wrong answer, many different stories have treated it differently - there was one on Judge - who goes to country and falls in love with a woman, unlike Cinderella, to finally leave her there and go back to his world. He too wasn't wrong in his way of thinking, though most, e.g. Devil and Mrs Jones took the Cinderella path.

The movie was alright, watchable but not extraordinary. And it has something more to do with the controversial ending - both the Hero and heroine were not very convincing. Evelyn was certainly lovely - so lovely that I wonder why she isn't in "the most beautiful actress ever" list, she could be on the top few of it. But that's all, I haven't seen in any movie her emotive prowess. And in a movie like this - the inner conflict of the two are very critical - and could justify the ends - if it isn't there - in this case both failed - the only good performance was from the Duke - the host, and heroine's prospective father in law. Katharine Alexander too was good, but had less presence. Except these two, none other pulled their role through. And that left not a too good taste at the way it ended. A good actress (and actor) could have changed a lot there - by acting it out, not just by looking extremely beautiful / handsome. Had that been there - I would have easily given it another couple of points.

I suspect there is something more to this movie - than just a fairy tale and romance - was it a Propaganda movie ? I find it extremely likely - probably the Hollywood didn't understand it - and may be not many who have watched it. The scare of the powerful unknown, despite it being actually benign - and in the end the beauty falling in love with it (despite being aware of the identity) - was it Communism ? or something similar - which people at that time considered sinister ?

An interesting thought came to my mind, when I looked at the original dramatist, Alberto Casella's life - he was as active fascist - and the fascism was just taking root when this drama was written and staged (around 1920s). Though some literature tells it was his musings during his WW1 experience as a soldier which created the play, but I wonder.

The original is the best

[sshshoret · 8/10 · 4 September 2006]

This is one of the films that everyone should see in their lifetime.

For me, my first viewing was a very personal event. The next day I went to the hospital to see my great-aunt for the last time. Her questions to me were, "What did you do last night?" "I watched an old movie on TV." Then she asked, "What was the movie?" I'll I could say was, "I don't remember." Funny how these little lies just happen and haunt you forever.

The old Hollywood knew how to take a play and make it into a real movie. The staging and the effects made Death believable unlike Mr. Black. Though it is obvious in Death that it is a stage play taken to the screen, Mr. Black does an excellent job of using the current technology to make a visually stunning film. Too bad that was not the point.

Enjoy them both for what they are, live each day like it might be your last and don't visit your favorite aunt on her death bed after you have seen the original.

Peace...

INTRIGUING IDEA DOESN'T HOLD UP WELL...!

[masonfisk · 6/10 · 23 June 2022]

Fredric March plays Death in this oddity from 1934. When a bunch of well to do people get together while on holiday in Europe the patriarch gets a visit from a most unexpected visitor; Death. He informs the host, Guy Standing, he will be around for three days to take in the human condition as it were but ends up falling in love w/a woman, Evelyn Venable, who happens to be seeing Standing's son. Humorously while Death is on sabbatical, all deaths stop as people survive car accidents & natural disasters. Being such heady material made during the early days of the talkies probably attracted the audiences it did (I read it was a big hit at the time) but the arch presentation & March's decision to play the role using a vague European accent doesn't engender much accessibility but as a piece of celluloid curiosity, it may be worth a peep to some. A remake was attempted when 1998's Meet Joe Black starring Brad Pitt as Death, Anthony Hopkins as the Duke (changed to a captain of industry) & Claire Forlani as Death's love tried to undo the original's wrongs but its bloated running time (the original's 90 some odd minutes as compared to the nearly 3 hour run time of the new copy) & assumed importance sunk it at the box office, oh well third time's a charm?

Death Takes a Holiday is an all time classic

[ozthegreatat42330 · 10/10 · 28 March 2007]

Long before the atrocious "Meet Joe Black" came the classic story of love, romance and death. Suave Fredrick March portrays Prince Sirki, an Aristocrat whose identity Death has chosen so that he might better understand the fear that all people seem to have of him. For three days he stays at the villa of a minor aristocrat, during which time no one in the world dies. Evelyn Venable is the girl filled with melancholy who falls in love with him, and unknown to all the others has seen him for who he really is all along (Venable was a popular actress of her day but is best known as the Columbia Lady with the Torch symbol)A sophisticated play of manners as well as a touching and sensitive love story this one will last through the ages. Sometimes black and white is better.

I see living people

[lee_eisenberg · 5/10 · 26 January 2020]

Mitchell Leisen's "Death Takes a Holiday" came to many people's attention with the release of "Meet Joe Black" in 1998. I just watched the insipid remake, so I naturally I had to watch the original. I understand that the idea behind the original - itself based on a play - was to look at what makes us human. This movie is a worthy effort, although I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. It takes a long time for things to happen. Still, it's better than the remake.

Far superior to the remake

[morticia-1 · 4 August 2001]

I saw this film as a teenager and became an immediate Fredric March fan. I can't even imagine someone like Brad Pitt playing this haunting, romantic character. If you want to own this movie on DVD, though, the two-disc set of Meet Joe Black does contain a beautiful transfer of the original 1934 classic on the second disc in the set.