Meet Me in St. Louis Review

Meet Me in St. Louis

Release Date: 12th July 1945 - Australia

Production Companies

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (presents)

Genre: Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 108 minutes

Budget: $1,885,000

Box Office Gross: $12,883,122 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

The year is 1903, the place

is St. Louis. The wealthy 

Smith family has four 

daughters, including 

Esther and young Tootie. 

Esther, who is 17, has

fallen in love with John,

the boy who has just

moved in next door.

Intially, however, he 

barely notices her. To the

family's shock, Mr Smith

announces that he will be

transferred to a lucrative

position in New York,

meaning they will have

to move away from St.

Louis and miss the World's

Fair.

Cast

Judy Garland - Esther Smith

Margaret O'Brien - "Tootie" Smith

Leon Ames - Alonzo Smith

Mary Astor - Anna Smith

Lucille Bremer - Rose Smith

Tom Drake - Tom Truett 

Marjorie Main - Katie (Maid)

Harry Davenport - Grandpa

Henry H. Daniels Jr. - Lon Smith, Jr.

Joan Carroll - Agnes Smith

June Lockhart - Lucille Ballard

Robert Sully - Warren Sheffield

Hugh Marlowe - Colonel Darly

Chill Wills - Mr. Neely

Crew

Director - Vincente Minnelli

Based on the Book - Sally Benson

Screenplay - Irving Brecher,

Fred F. Finklehoffe, Victor

Heerman (Uncredited),

William Ludwig (Uncredited),

Sarah Y. Mason (Uncredited) 

and Doris Gilver (Uncredited)

Producer - Arthur Freed

Associate Producer/Music (Uncredited)/Musical

Adaptation - Roger Edens

Art Directors - Lemuel Ayers, Cedric Gibbons and Jack Martin Smith

Set Decorations - Edwin B. Willis 

Costume Designer - Irene Scharaff

Makeup Creator - Jack Dawn

Director of Photography -

George J. Folsey

Dance Director - Charles Walters

Musical Director - Georgie Stoll

Songs & Lyrics - Hugh Martin

and Ralph Blane

Film Editor - Albert Akst

Recording Director - Douglas Shearer

Music (Uncredited)/

Orchestrations - Conrad Salinger

Awards

1945 Academy Awards

Juvenile Award - Margaret

O'Brien (Won)

-------------------------------

Best Writing, Screenplay -

Irving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe (Nominated)

Best Cinematography, Color - George J. Folsey (Nominated) 

Best Music, Scoring of a Motion Picture - George Stoll (Nominated)

Best Music, Original Song "The Trolley Song" - Ralph Martin and Hugh Blaine (Nominated)

Review

A charming and entertaining vintage musical of its time, its appeal hasn't waned since its 1944 release. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS was released when war was nearing its end. It is a step-up from those old-time MGM musicals from the 1940s and early 1950s. The movie's direction was all thanks to producer Arthur Freed and director Vincente Minnelli. They made this a more sincere effort for its star, Judy Garland, who had previously played a Kansas farm girl in The Wizard of Oz. She has matured and plays her part as the leading lady very well, adding refined elegance to the film. I'm still not a huge fan of her other talents, including her music. The movie has its moments, with songs, such as the catchy "Trolley Song" and the melancholy "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS is probably not my favourite movie, but it's a great musical that I must see again. In the future, you could watch its cinematic version or, if you prefer, a live stage production of the film adaptation.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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