MovieChat Forums > Born Yesterday Discussion > Holliday's Voice

Holliday's Voice

posted 18 years ago by Harold_Robbins
13 replies | jump to latest

I've just watched BORN YESTERDAY again for the first time in many years, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Did Holliday deserve that Oscar? Yes, she did - it's a terrific performance - it's just that some people feel that Holliday's win (for a definitive performance) robbed Gloria Swanson and/or Bette Davis of a win for their definitive performance - as has been mentioned, Academy voters had a tough job that year. Personally, I'm a great admirer of all three performances, and it's really hard to pick one over the others without feeling somewhat disloyal. For many people Holliday's win has always had a little cloud over it, for which she's certainly not to blame: she did her best work and was rewarded for it.

I was struck again by Holliday's remarkable voice, over which she seemed to have complete mastery - it could be shrill, or a squeak, or a whine, or a bark or a low-timbered rumble, and it could be very, very plaintive and touching - whatever was called for, she delivered.

"I don't use a pen: I write with a goose quill dipped in venom!"---W. Lydecker

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] xylonian-1 17 years ago

I must admit, the first time I tried to watch this, I turned it off 'cause' I just didn't like it ...

Glad I gave it a 'second chance' though. It was much better as it turned out, than I could have possibly imagined, but....will probably never be the biggest fan of this movie, for some reason.

Her voice was a contributing factor of me turning it off the first time....I thought she was trying to outdo Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont (which I thought was a great role). It must be noted that that is part of the trouble with people like me trying to 'catch up' on classic movies. "Singing in the Rain" was made later....

"The Flagon With The Dragon Has The Brew Which Is True"

[–] miaguirre 16 years ago

Jean Hagen was actually inspired by Judy Holliday's voice when she was playing Billie Dawn on Broadway,Jean was actually her understudy.

[–] Rand-o 16 years ago

What's really fun is watching the two of them (Holliday and Hagen) together in Adam's Rib! Judy Holliday supposedly got the film role of Billie due to her success in AR.

I turned 'Stranger' into 'Starman' in the Sunday New York Times.

[–] raketex 15 years ago

re: xylonian-1

Just had to respond to your sign-off line, "The Flagon With The Dragon Has The Brew Which Is True" from Danny Kaye's classic movie, "The Court Jester."

That movie is one of THE funniest movies around. I would say it is Danny Kaye's best as a leading man.

Hilarious laugh-out-loud set pieces like the one you refer to, the swordfight when Danny switches back and forth between a cocky swashbuckler and a scared hapless noob, and the knight-training sequence.

Great movie! Thanks for the reminder.

[–] Harold_Robbins 16 years ago

Legend has it that "Lina Lamont" was written with Holliday in mind - Comden and Greene were longtime friends and co-workers - Holliday, the star Columbia's Harry Cohn didn't want, was probably under contract to Columbia by then after the success of BORN YESTERDAY and thus unavailable for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN.

What's also interesting is that Hagen made her first major film apperance in ADAM'S RIB, playing the girlfriend of Holliday's philandering husband.

"Somewhere along the line the world has lost all of its standards and all of its taste."

[–] Xcalat3 14 years ago

loved her voice!

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] nutsberryfarm 12 years ago

yep, very...vocal.

Where there's smoke, there's barbecue!

[–] amdew717 11 years ago

i find her voice extremely annoying. i keep trying to appreciate her as i've seen "adams rib," "bells are ringing," and now this and i don't think she will ever click for me. sorry

[–] djrumback 11 years ago

You nailed it Harold_Robbins, along with the other devotees of Holliday's voice. What the posters who express annoyance fail to catch is how she balances her shrill parts with other instances where her voice is silk-smooth, tenderly lilting with the most subtle inflections. Like her scene with Holden eating ice cream in D.C. and conversing. Her terrific vocal nuances balance the shrill parts. She's unique . . . many film actors are captivating because the camera "likes" their faces' contours and subtle movements. With Holliday, it is almost that the "microphone likes her voice."

[–] fanaticita 9 years ago

Her voice is hilarious, and her trademark apparently. Very unique and original.

[–] HarlowMGM 9 years ago

I agree with everything you wrote. While I would have voted for Swanson, I think Judy more than earned her Oscar and her performance holds up beautifully. As you noted, Judy's was outstanding in using her voice, for broad comedy to vulnerability but it's also worth mentioning how superb she was here being physically funny at perfect moments: her walk, her head tilts, etc. Like Chaplin, Keaton, and Lucille Ball she instinctively knew how to make everything count for laughs.

[–] fanaticita 8 years ago

Saw Born Yesterday for the first time a few days ago and absolutely loved it! I wonder if Billy Holliday off the screen voice was the same or different? I've never seen her in any other film.