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Alec Guinness stars in "Last Holiday," a 1950 British film which was remade years later with Queen Latifah as the star. Though I enjoyed the warmth of the later version, the Guinness "Last Holiday," no surprise, is superior.

Guinness plays a lower class Brit, George Bird, who is told he is going to die of a rare disease and has maybe a few months left to live. George quits his job, takes his savings, and goes to stay at a ritzy resort. There, he changes, and circumstances change for him. With nothing to loses any longer, he becomes outspoken. He also wins at poker, croquet, and a horse race. He's offered jobs. And there's the possibility of romance.

This is supposedly a comedy, but it's not an uproarious one. It's more drama, in fact. George Byrd finds that all these wealthy people aren't all they're cracked up to be. He also finds out that when you let go and stop trying, opportunities appear. And he learns the difference between passing the time and doing something with your time.

Alec Guinness is brilliant as George, timid at first, gaining stature with his new clothes, and asserting himself once he gets to the resort. It's a beautifully layered performance.

Despite some sadness within the film, this is an excellent story of a man who learns life's lessons in a narrow space of time.

Although most Americans have little knowledge of his work other than Star Wars, Alec Guinness produced an amazing body of work--particularly in the 1940s-1950s--ranging from dramas to quirky comedies. I particularly love his comedies, as they are so well-done and seem so natural and real on the screen--far different from the usual fare from Hollywood.

This movie is the story of a man who thinks he is dying and decides to go out in style--living it up among the wealthy and well-bred. After all, he figures, he certainly won't need the money after he's gone! The marvelous acting and experiences among the upper crust make this a must-see. However, be forewarned, this is an incredibly depressing film. I doubt if I would have allowed the movie to be as dark as this one, but at least I can commend those who made it for not taking the easy way out and making a typical Hollywood style ending.

Unadventurous and safe agricultural equipment salesman George Bird (Alec Guinness) is diagnosed with Lampington's disease and told within a matter of time he will eventually painlessly slip into a coma before passing on. On the advice of his doctor as George has no close friends, is unmarried, and has no living family he liquidates his savings and insurance with his intention being to travel to the opulent Regal Hotel with his plans to spend every bit of his money and live more than he had up to that point.

Last Holiday is a 1950 comic drama directed by theater turned film director Henry Cass, and written by noted novelist, playwright, and political commentator J. B. Priestley. While a relatively small film in its day, retrospective analysis has been favorable to it, particularly in the performances of Alec Guinness as George Bird, Kay Walsh as Mrs. Poole, and Sid James as Joe Clarence with many divided on the film's "trick ending". Despite some very questionable decisions involving the ending, Last Holiday is a very poignant story that works on both a humorous level as well as a character based one.

The plot of Last Holiday is pretty thin at first glance as the movie is pretty much the setup with George Bird being a simple working-class man of strong character and principles who's been overly cautious throughout his life while neglecting things like the cultivation of friends and family. Guinness is undeniably the heart of this film as there is a humorous element to seeing George Bird throw caution to the wind with thoughts of the future and societal and cultural expectations placed to the wayside as Bird enters the opulent world of The Regal and his knowledge of how things work on a day-to-day basis serve to humble those of a higher class. In many ways you can see Bird as something of a precursor to other similar characters such as Peter Sellers' iconic Academy Award nominated performance as Chance the Gardener/Chauncey Gardener where the deceptive simplicity of the character is contrasted against the considerably emptier characters who pride themselves on status, prestige, and influence. Guinness is given no shortage of supporting players to play off against with particularly good exchanges coming from head housekeeper Mrs. Poole played by Kay Walsh with the two forming a low key romance that is very endearing, and Sid James is quite entertaining as Joe Clarence. Unfortunately the movie makes a massive mistake in its application of a twist ending that feels like it robs the story of emotional impact and it really seems like it ends on a downer note for no other reason than to catch the audience off guard. I'll admit it's a bold move in terms of an ending but not only does it needlessly turn tragic it leaves a feeling of "so what?" to everything we've seen.

There's a fantastic film for 95% of the running time thanks in no small way to the legendary Alec Guinness as George Bird who we really grow to care about as a likable everyman in an extraordinary set of circumstances. There's some on point social satire involving the contrast of Bird's working class principles against the "view from 20,000 feet" held by those of higher status at The Regal, but the ending they go with detracts from those solid points and takes a story that should be uplifting and turns it rather bitter and cruel.

This film happen to be at the top of my all time favourites.

I always thought that Alec and Kay had a sparkle when acting together..."Oliver Twist";"Last Holiday";"The Horses Mouth";"Tunes of Glory"...I did not mention "Scrooge" because they did not appear together in any scene.

It is interesting to note that if two actors have a close rapport then their performance reflects this very well.

In "Tunes of Glory" a number of scenes were cut that had both actors in it. I remember one scene Still had Jock and Mary in bed together. Maybe it was deemed unnecessary and the censor would have made it an "A" movie instead of a "U".

I would greatly appreciate any comments you may have concerning these two actors as I am writing a book about British Film Actresses and a large section will be devoted to Kay Walsh.

Thank you,

MCG

Last Holiday contains the first really dramatic performance by Alec Guinness. It's also the first time he's carrying a film as per the billing on the strength of his abilities. It's one beautiful performance in a picture with a universal message.

Alec Guinness plays your British every man who having no wife, no family, and no close relatives is likely to be remembered by very few when he passes on and then for a short time. He's given the news that the grim reaper is close, it might be a matter of a few weeks or a few months. What to do but go out and just enjoy things while you can.

So he packs off and stays at the small but posh Regal Hotel, a seaside resort much prized by the British vacationers. And he has some phenomenal luck there, winning huge poker pots, longshot horse racing bets coming in. He even finds some love with hotel housekeeping manager Kay Walsh. But how to tell the new friends he's made what is in store for him?

J.B. Priestley wrote the original script and in my opinion should have been a candidate for all kinds of awards. It is direct and simple and never maudlin. Guinness got the character down perfectly. And the ending is truly ironical.

Which must have pleased and singed director Henry Cass a bit. Back in the 30s when Guinness was starting in the profession he tried out for a stage production directed by Cass who told him in no uncertain terms he was a no talent bum. This comes from a biography of Guinness. Kind of like Phil Rizzuto who was told he'd never be a ballplayer by Casey Stengel and then having him as his manager on the Yankees after becoming an All Star.

One should watch Last Holiday together with Grand Hotel and note some of the similarities and the differences with Lionel Barrymore and Alec Guinness both portraying men under a death sentence.

I think the message is the same, you never know when you're checking out so live accordingly.