Holiday Camp (1948)

I love this movie so much

Instant Favorite.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

The Drummer in the Ballroom scenes ........is that Spike Milligan ?

This film perfectly sums up the two-faces of the post-war generation, on the outside people put on a brave face, whilst just under the surface they are in emotional distress. It is very different to the other films in the Huggett series, which are primarily cheerful family comedies.Mr & Mrs Huggett and their grown children arrive at a holiday camp to "enjoy" themselves and put the worries of war time behind them. The people at the holiday camp do tightly scheduled activities, distracting themselves from dwelling on their past and present problems. (Keep look-out for the hilarious novelty bicycles that regularly roll through the background). The only truly happy characters in this film are Mr & Mrs Huggett and their two youngest children, who seem oblivious to the tightly guarded emotional problems of the adults around them.The eldest daughter of the Huggett's is clearly depressed by the loss of her husband, and yet social pressure from friends and family forces her to begin dating again. At one point, she refuses to enter a beauty pageant with her friend, so she is physically picked-up and carried by two men who drop her into the ques of beauties. All the single women we meet are full of sad nervous energy as they desperately try to work-out how to appease the men around them.This film contains themes of suicide, teen-pregnancy, substance-abuse and loss, all set against ridiculously cheerful backgrounds of people enjoying wholesome holiday activities. If you want to avoid devastation, DON'T watch the last 20 minutes. This film unexpectedly ends in the worst tragedy for the most vulnerable character, whilst contented characters remain innocently oblivious to the suffering around them.

This is one of my favourite films, I first saw it when I was about 18. It reminds me of when I was young and used to go on holidays with my family. ( Not that I was around in the war, I'm to young ). Jack Warner is brilliant in it and so are the other cast members.It's about what family's should be like. The plot of the film is, Joe Huggett and his family go to an holiday camp for a week, while they are there is a murderer is on the loose, a teenage girl is on the run with her boyfriend and finds out she is going to have a baby and she is only 15, quite scandalous in those days. All in all this is a great film, the cast are great, and it's a feel good film, it should be released on DVD.

Holiday Camp shows a fascinating look a life in the late 40's. After the depravation of the war years, the first holiday camp to open was guaranteed to be a success. The story starts with Joe Huggett (Jack Warner ) and his family arriving at the camp ,and in next to no time he is involved with card sharps, a murderer on the run and a young couple who have left home, when the girl discovered she is pregnant. This particular story line was very daring considering when the film was made. All in all a very interesting look at life after the war, and well worth seeing.