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