Category Archives: Judy Garland

1944 Films, Best Film of the Year, Judy Garland, Leon Ames, Lucille Bremer, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Musical, Vincente Minnelli

Meet Me in St. Louis-1944

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Meet Me in St. Louis-1944

Director Vincente Minnelli 

Starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien

Scott’s Review #845

Reviewed December 19, 2018

Grade: A

With talents such as Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland involved in a project, it is tough for the results not to be resounding, and this is the case with Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), a treasured musical with enough songs and melodrama to last a lifetime.

The film is a lively and earnest achievement from both stars when each was at their prime and is rich with flavor containing a myriad of good touches.

Meet Me in St. Louis is an ensemble piece featuring many actors, but the film belongs to Garland for the musical numbers alone. The film is groundbreaking and sets the tone for the slew of MGM musicals to follow during the 1950s and 1960s.

The film is considered one of the greatest and most memorable musicals of all time and I certainly share this sentiment.

The story revolves around the upper-middle-class Smith family and the setting is 1903, St. Louis. In the lovely form, the film is composed of seasonal vignettes over a year.

Trials and tribulations erupt especially involving the romantic entanglements of eldest sisters Rose (Lucille Bremer) and Esther (Garland) and the possibility of the family relocating to New York City.

Along with the Smith parents, Rose and Esther are three other siblings, Grandpa, and Katie the maid.

The household is filled with glee, music, and heartbreak.

The setup the film showcases is a huge success and elicits a warm sensation. As the title card displays “Summer 1903” we are welcomed into a sunny and picturesque street amid the St. Louis backdrop, perfectly mid-western.

The Smith home is showcased, and the viewer is welcomed into the idyllic world of a bonded family.

Meet Me in St. Louis feels homespun and like a good best friend, able to be watched and re-watched many times over and during any season of the year as it offers a summer fair, a spooky Halloween sequence, and a dazzling Christmastime segment.

Other than Esther, the most memorable and fascinating character is Tootie (Margaret O’Brien). O’Brien gives a startlingly good turn and packs an emotional wallop enriching a character arguably interpreted as being obsessed with death with some needed humor.

She buries her dolls on a dare and throws flour in a man’s face on Halloween thereby “killing” him.

Her biggest scene though occurs during a melt-down when Tootie destroys her beloved snowmen on the family lawn. The actress portrays such rage and despair during this scene that is easy to forget how young she was.

She was rewarded for her efforts with an honorary Oscar.

The musical numbers by Garland are absolute treasures. Highlights include “The Trolley Song” performed as Esther rides the afternoon trolley across town hoping that the boy next door that she is madly in love with, John (Tom Drake), will be on the same trolley.

The gorgeously performed number “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” is my favorite.  Following a lavish Christmas Eve ball, Esther sings the song to Tootie, and nestled within its lyrics are emotions such as hope and sadness.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) is a film that has it all and can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. With memorable musical numbers, romance, drama, and a wholesome, timeless sensibility, the film is a favorite to be dusted off.

Like the finest of wines, this film gets better and better with age.

Oscar Nominations: Best Screenplay, Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Song-“The Trolley Song”, Best Cinematography, Color

1954 Films, Drama, George Cukor, Jack Carson, James Mason, Judy Garland, Lucy Marlow, Musical, Musical Drama

A Star Is Born-1954

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A Star is Born-1954

Director George Cukor

Starring Judy Garland, James Mason

Scott’s Review #175

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Reviewed September 25, 2014

Grade: B+

A Star Is Born (1954) was considered Judy Garland’s much-touted comeback film and was very expensive for Warner Bros. to produce.

Garland delivers her finest career performance, even better than her portrayal of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939). The performance is multi-faceted, complex, comical, silly, poised, emotional, dramatic, and heartfelt.

Playing Esther Blodgett- later changed to Vicki Lester for more Hollywood potential, she is a struggling lounge singer who meets a successful actor, named Norman Maine, played wonderfully by James Mason.

Esther saves Norman from public humiliation at a function where he attempts to take the stage while inebriated.  They strike up a friendship and he convinces her to pursue films and, through a series of misunderstandings, she assumes he has ditched her.

Determined to become a star anyway, Esther forges her path to success. Norman and Esther reconnect and Norman recognizes her talent and pursues her professionally and romantically. They marry and she becomes a star while his career hits the skids, largely due to his alcoholism.

The talented Mason and Garland are at the forefront of the film and are the reasons for its success.

A few key scenes stand out to me as powerful or important- The scene involving a musical number over a dinner of sandwiches in their posh living room is wonderfully merry and light; a delivery boy who does not know who Norman is ruins the mood and causes jealousy to come to a head in his marriage to Esther.

Garland’s emotional scenes are excellent- especially in her dressing room where she crumbles, realizing that Mason has hit rock bottom.

And the best scene of all is the Academy Awards scene where a drunken Norman causes a public spectacle as Esther receives her top honor, spoiling her night, and accidentally hitting her in the face in front of millions.

What a forgiving woman Esther is for staying with him and ultimately choosing him at the risk of ruining her career.

An interesting aspect of the story is that Garland’s character is not some ugly duckling that is transformed into Hollywood royalty- she has the talent already, she needs a break, but is not down on her luck or starving- she makes a decent living with a touring band and she is torn about leaving them.

The musical numbers are inspiring and one is reminded why Garland is such a star as she belts them out of the park like nobody’s business, however, they do little to further the plot.

At times, more often the case in the first half, the film drags a bit, but the second half (post-intermission) is brilliant, and the ending is tragic yet heartwarming.

Will Esther’s career continue to flourish?

A major flaw with the film is the usage of still frames with dialogue overlapping due to lost footage. This makes following the story very tough and the continuity is affected. It also looks ridiculous and for the viewer to be captured by the story only to view a discolored still shot with audio is disappointing.

Surely, this can be corrected.

A Star Is Born (1954) is the perfect vehicle for Garland to return to her grand position among the Hollywood treasures.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor-James Mason, Best Actress-Judy Garland, Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Song-“The Man That Got Away”, Best Art Direction, Color, Best Costume Design, Color

1939 Films, Bert Lahr, Best Film of the Year, Billie Burke, Charley Grapewin, Children, Clara Blandick, Fantasy, Frank Morgan, Herman J. Mankiewicz, Jack Haley, Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Mervyn LeRoy, Musical, Ray Bolger, Scott's Top 100 Films, Victor Fleming

The Wizard of Oz-1939

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The Wizard of Oz-1939

Director Victor Fleming

Starring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Frank Morgan

Top 100 Films #11

Scott’s Review #34

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Reviewed June 17, 2014

Grade: A

The Wizard of Oz is a magical film and one of my all-time favorites- made in 1939 it still holds up amazingly well and the nuances continue to be admired- especially given the time in which it was made. 1939 belongs to this film and Gone With the Wind- as both were and are true classics.

This film is so embedded in people’s minds that it can be tough to look at from an objective point of view. I fondly recall watching this gem annually as it aired on television each holiday season- traditionally around Thanksgiving if memory serves.

It’s a marvel from start to finish and masterfully artistic. How creative to show the first portion in black and white with dusty muted colors, not to mention the astounding twister sequence- done using a stocking.

Then, we are introduced to a magical world filled with luscious colors and art direction still mind-blowing in depth. Munchkin-land, Glinda the Good Witch, and Emerald City are beautiful, lavish, and treats.

Who does not become teary-eyed during Judy Garland’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”? The poignancy is becoming given the tragic (yet successful) life the star would lead.

Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch/Elmira Gulch is delicious in her nastiness. As she mocks Dorothy, who whimpers in tears while missing Auntie Em, she almost sneers at the camera. One can tell she had a ball with this role.

And The Wizard of Oz is not simply a pop culture hit- it has merit and creativity. The special effects hold up tremendously well and were simplistic back then, no CGI in those days, but many ways better than the CGI of today.

Audiences of all ages must see this film at least once, preferably on Blu-Ray. Judy Garland, later a tragic, troubled, lost figure, captured an innocence that was so sadly lost through the years.

All of the characters (The Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man) are perfectly cast and are uniquely created without being too over-the-top.

Very few films are timeless and this is one of them.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Outstanding Production, Best Song-“Over the Rainbow” (won), Best Art Direction, Best Special Effects