Meet Me in St. Louis Review

Meet Me in St. Louis

Release Date: 12th July 1945 - Australia

Production Companies

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Genre: Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 108 minutes

Budget: $1,885,000

Box Office Gross: $12,800,125 (Worldwide - figure subject to change)

Plot Summary

St. Louis 1903. The well-

off Smith family has four 

daughters, including 

Esther and little Tootie. 

Seventeen year old Esther

has fallen in love with the

boy next door who has 

just moved in - John. He 

however, barely notices 

her at first. The family is 

shocked when Mr. Smith 

reveals he has been 

transferred to a nice 

position in New York, 

which means the family 

has to leave St. Louis 

and not attend the St. Louis 
Fair. (Source - IMDb)

Cast

Judy Garland - Esther Smith

Margaret O'Brien - 'Tootie' Smith

Leon Ames - Alonzo Smith

Mary Astor - Anna Smith

Lucille Bremer - Rose Smith

Tom Drake - John Truett

Marjorie Main - Katie 

Harry Davenport - Grandpa

Henry H. Daniels Jr. - Lon Smith

Joan Carroll - Agnes Smith

June Lockhart - Lucille Ballard

Robert Sully - Warren Sheffield

Hugh Marlowe - Colonel Marly

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

Costume Designer - Irene Scharaff

Makeup Creator - Jack Dawn

Director of Photography - George J. Folsey

Dance Director - Charles Walters

Songs & Lyrics - Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

Film Editor - Albert Akst

Music (Uncredited)/

Orchestrator - 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 for a film of its age hasn't lessened a bit since its release in 1944. 'MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS' was produced when war was nearing its end and probably a huge step-up to those old-time MGM musicals that were on a successful period around the 40s and early 50s. The movie of this direction was all thanks to producer Arthur Freed and director Vincente Minnelli who both made this as a more sincere effort for its main star Judy Garland who used to play a country girl out of Kansas City in 'The Wizard of Oz'. She has matured since then and plays her part as the leading lady well, adding the refined elegance to the film. I'm still not a huge fan of her other talents including her music. The movie does have its magical moments with such songs, as the catchy melody of the "Trolley Song" and the melancholy "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - have remained as timeless and remembered tunes in history.

'MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS' is probably not a favourite movie of mine, but it's a great musical that I must see again. Who knows, maybe in the future you might like to see 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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