meet me in stlouis

THE FLICK: While an appreciation for Judy Garland has become the butt of one-joke sitcoms like ÒWill & Grace,Ó her talent remains unsullied by all the drag queens and closeted metrosexuals that have come since. And thereÕs no better showcase than ÒMeet Me In St. Louis,Ó an unapologetic ode to turn-of-the-century Americana directed by GarlandÕs soon-to-be-husband, Vincent Minelli, a master of the musical form. When the Smith family faces an impending move from their beloved city of St. Louis to New York (just before the 1904 WorldÕs Fair, mind you), the news hits everyone hard, particularly Esther (Garland), a young woman in the midst of her first teenage crush, and Tootie (Margaret OÕBrien, who won a special Oscar for the role), whose mental state was never that stable to begin with! The ins and outs, ups and downs, through all the seasons of the year leading up this tragic event are told through some of the most memorable songs ever put to music (ÒHave Yourself A Merry Little ChristmasÓ & ÒThe Trolley SongÓ). But ÒMeet Me In St. LouisÓ isnÕt a classic merely because of its nostalgic photography and toe-tapping tunes. In fact, itÕs the still-contemporary script and humor that make the film play just as well today as when it premiered in 1944. Most of that comes from the character of Tootie, modeled after author Sally Benson herself, a wild child obsessed with all things gruesome (she buries her dolls in the backyard and hacks off the heads of helpless snowmen). Just as with ÒThe Wizard of Oz,Ó thereÕs a comforting theme of that reinforces the idea, ÒThereÕs no place like home.Ó But where the fantasy-land of Oz and itÕs flying monkeys were a nasty metaphorical threat, the idea of being uprooted from oneÕs childhood home is all too identifiable. ÒMeet Me in St. LouisÓ manages to balance sarcastic wit with homespun family values in a way very few films have ever done since. It can warm even the coldest cynics heart and bring any drag queen to tears. THE FEATURES: Warner has gone all-out with this special edition, remastering the picture and audio, along with a full disc of extras. First is ÒThe Making of an American Classic,Ó hosted by Roddy McDowall, a 30-minute trivia tour about the film with interviews from many surviving cast members and creative contributors. Composer Hugh Martin reveals his original lyrics for ÒMerry Little ChristmasÓ were so depressing that Garland asked for them to be changed on the spot. And the late Vincente Minelli describes how he got the young OÕBrien to cry on cue: he told her he would kidnap and kill her dog! Next is the Dick Cavett narrated ÒHollywood: The Dream Factory,Ó a loose 50-minute collection of film clips from the studioÕs golden era juxtaposed with auctioneers selling off bits of memerobilia. ThereÕs a lot of replay value here with some of the best (and worst) films of all time cleverly edited together to tell the story of HollywoodÕs rise and fall. The 1966 TV pilot for ÒMeet Me in St. LouisÓ (starring a young Shelly Fabares of ÒCoachÓ) in included in its entirety. A standard sitcom plot of good intentions gone bad, thereÕs not many laughs but itÕs great to for some historical value. Of course, there are several other extras that focus strictly on Judy Garland, including ÒBecoming Attractions,Ó a made for Turner Classic Movies production that tracks Garland career from child star to fallen star. And ÒBubblesÓ is an early Warner Bros. Short that features some of the earliest known footage of Garland. Another early short, ÒSkip To My Lou,Ó stars songwriters Martin and Blane performing the song exactly as it appears later in ÒMeet Me In St. Louis.Ó Another song, ÒBoys And Girls Like You And Me,Ó was deleted from the film. The soundtrack however survived and is presented here over a photo montage of still from the cut scene. And closing disc two is a Lux Radio Theater broadcast (1946) of ÒMeet Me In St. Louis.Ó Backing up to disc one, along with the feature is a running commentary from Garland biographer John Fricke, co-star Margaret OÕBrien, plus composers and screenwriters. And for those interested in listening to just the score, a music-only option is just a click away! FINAL SCORE: A vibrant example of the Hollywood musical at the top of its game, ÒMeet Me In St. LouisÓ has aged beautifully. And WarnerÕs two-disc special edition is a fitting addition to film history, both in terms of a/v quality and well-designed extras.