The Great Movie Re-Watch
Director:
Vincente Minnelli
Writer:
Irving Brecher
Fred F. Finklehoffe
Starring:
Judy Garland
Margaret O’Brien
Mary Astor
Lucille Bremer
Leon Ames
Tom Drake
Marjorie Main
Harry Davenport
Henry H. Daniels Jr.
Joan Carroll
Blurb:
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.
Thoughts:
Something I learned in my most recent re-watch of Meet Me in St. Louis was that in the sixties, they tried to make a TV Show based on the movie. The pilot was on my blu-ray, and I managed to watch about seven minutes before stopping. It was… interesting.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas comes from this movie. Along with several fantastic songs that have not made it into our lexicon but make the film a pleasure to listen to. There are also a few fun dance numbers. It’s a classic musical that has Judy Garland at her best.
The Smith family is prone to drama, and seeing each of them, at some point, succumb to its draw is amusing. The older girls are obsessed with boys. The younger girls are obsessed with violence and death. The father has a bit of a temper and can be hyperbolic at times. The mother and son seem to be the least dramatic, but even they have their moments. As a family, they’re bursting with character, and there are very few moments that lag.
I am a fan of musicals, as you’re about to see if you continue following my blog. This is one of my all-time favorites and remains to be even after all these years.
Dynamite Review 