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Death Takes a Holiday

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Death Takes a Holiday

Released Feb 23, 1934

1h 18m

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Death (Fredric March) is unable to relate to humans, so he takes the form of Prince Sirki, and tries life as a person. Many women are instantly attracted to Prince Sirki, but once they really get to know him, they become frightened. It isn't until he meets the beautiful Grazia (Evelyn Venable) that Death finally learns what it is to love. But when Grazia's father (Guy Standing) learns of Prince Sirki's real identity, he tries to break up the relationship.

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Rosalie Kicks

MovieJawn

This Pre-Code is such a great example of the time aged phrase, “They don’t make romantic dramas like they used to.”

Rated: 3./4

Jun 19, 2024

Full Review

Sarah Boslaugh

TheArtsStl

The real visual treats in Death Takes a Holiday, however, come from the art decoration by Hans Dreier and Ernst Fegté.

Rated: 6/10

Jul 23, 2019

Full Review

Helen Brown Norden

Vanity Fair

Fredric March plays Death as if he thought he might possibly be Dracula; and he intones all his words with an awesome, old-Shakespearian-actor solemnity. Evelyn Venable is contrastingly starry-eyed and vernal as his love.

May 17, 2019

Full Review

Shane Burridge

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Death...as a house guest that can't be gotten rid of

Jun 13, 2007

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

In this wearisome and predictable plot line, Death falls in love and bores us to death talking about it.

Rated: C+

Dec 27, 2005

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jun 23, 2005

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Claudio C

Death Takes a Holiday (1934) The Three-Day-Vacation of Death (11,701 –18 May 2025 – by Claudio Carvalho) Duke Lambert (Guy Standing) hosts several friends at his mansion after partying in the town. The beautiful Grazia (Evelyn Venable), who is the romantic interest of Duke Lambert’s son Corrado (Kent Taylor) in a unrequited love, faints while walking alone on the garden and spends the night with her mother Princess Maria (Kathleen Howard) in Duke Lambert’s mansion. After the guests move to their rooms, Duke Lambert stays alone in a room when a shadow comes and talks to him. The shadow explains that it is Death and would like to spend three-day-vacation mingled with humans and would like to be hosted by Duke Lambert along these days. Further, Death explains that would take the mortal form of Prince Sirki (Fredric March) to learn why people fear him, but Duke Lambert shall not disclose who he is to his guests. Prince Sirki is welcomed by the guests and begins to learn human pleasures. Soon he falls in love with Grazia and has the intention of taking her with him. However, Corrado asks him to let Grazia choose her fate. “Death Takes a Holiday” (1934) is a supernatural romance with a nice story of Death taking three-day-vacation mingled with humans to learn about life and why he is feared. The plot is excellent, with witty dialogs, great acting and wonderful cinematography. It is funny to see people surviving to accidents since Death is on vacation, and his conclusion that people he chose is futile. The final words of Death are also great, concluding that “love is greater than illusion and is as strong as death”. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): “Uma Sombra que Passa” (“A Shadow That Passes”) My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/19/25

Full Review

Thomas L

I advise people to grow up and get past the material indications that this is a 1930’s movie and realize that this is a profound and passionate exploration of life, death, love, and the time we waste in frivolous pursuits that ignore the mysterious and magnificent realities of existence.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/19/24

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Steve D

Really different and really interesting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/03/23

Full Review

Doug H

Fredrick March. I can't tell if he was overacting or underacting. It's just too obvious that he is ACTING. (Which breaks any spell there might have been.)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/09/23

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Audience Member

It's a beautiful horror love story.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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Audience Member

The best romance movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Mitch Leisen

Director

Fredric March

Death

Evelyn Venable

Grazia

Guy Standing

Duke Lambert (as Sir Guy Standing)

Katharine Alexander

Alda

Gail Patrick

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Synopsis

Death (Fredric March) is unable to relate to humans, so he takes the form of Prince Sirki, and tries life as a person. Many women are instantly attracted to Prince Sirki, but once they really get to know him, they become frightened. It isn't until he meets the beautiful Grazia (Evelyn Venable) that Death finally learns what it is to love. But when Grazia's father (Guy Standing) learns of Prince Sirki's real identity, he tries to break up the relationship.

Director: Mitch Leisen
Producer: E. Lloyd Sheldon
Screenwriter: Maxwell Anderson, Alberto Casella, Walter Ferris, Gladys Lehman
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 23, 1934, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Runtime: 1h 18m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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