Strange Holiday (1946 film)

Strange Holiday (1946) is an American film directed by Arch Oboler. Claude Rains stars as a man who returns from a fishing trip to find America overtaken by fascists.

Introductory material included with the video release of this film states that it was underwritten by General Motors and was initially shown in private screenings for the corporation's employees.

Martin Kosleck, a German actor who had played a Nazi or Nazi supporter in numerous American films during The Second World War, is featured prominently as a local authority of the new oppressive regime. The new government makes prominent and continual use of an emblem consisting of two crossed swords in much the way the Swastika had been employed by Nazi Germany.

An important theme in the film is the contrast between brave individuals such as Rains who oppose the new tyranny and the many who quickly alter their thinking and behavior to stay in line with the new authority. In this the movie resembles Jack Webb's later anticommunist film Red Nightmare.

Cast

• Claude Rains as John Stevenson
• Bob Stebbins as John Stevenson Jr.
• Barbara Bates as Peggy Lee Stevenson
• Paul Hilton as Woodrow Stevenson Jr
• Gloria Holden as Mrs. Jean Stevenson
• Milton Kibbee as Sam Morgan
• Walter White Jr. as Farmer
• Wally Maher as Truck Driver
• Tommy Cook as Tommy, the Newsboy
• Griff Barnett as Regan
• Edwin Max as First Detective
• Paul Dubov as Second Detective
• Helen Mack as Secretary
• Martin Kosleck as Examiner
• Charles McAvoy as Leonard, the Guard

External links

• Strange Holiday at the Internet Movie Database
• Review of film at Variety
• Review of film at New York Times
• Strange Holiday at TCMDB