In 1942, the musical film Holiday Inn, directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Marjorie Reynolds, became the first to showcase Crosby's timeless tune "White Christmas", written by Irving Berlin. The movie was heralded by critics and audiences alike, receiving three Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Original Song. To this day, it is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding productions in the history of the musical film genre.