Reviews (30)

Star-Studded Recounting of Legendary Nazi Trials
This star-studded film vividly captures the characters on all 3 sides of the spectrum: The accused, the victims, and the international tribunal judging the perpetrators of unspeakable atrocities against fellow human beings. It is shocking to see how many of the people responsible for the gruesome deaths of millions justified their actions.

After hearing witnesses who often were tortured, mamed by sadistic doctors, and had their loved ones murdered, I can not grasp the fact that the majority of those on trial were released after serving minimal prison terms. Some of them are still among us, while millions of victims lie in their graves at the hands of an evil minority!

Stellar performances by an International cast. Most noteworthy are Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland as testifying victims, Maximilian Schell as Prosecutor (Oscar Winner), Marlene Dietrich as wife of a defendant, and an elderly Spencer Tracy, trying to make sense of it all.

Effective use of B&W photography, first rate sets and costumes, along with many other production values, make this a timeless Classic. Although considerd over-long by some, I recommend this film to be shown to high school classes as a reminder that these things happened in a not so distant past.*****

SCHELL, TRACY, GARLAND, LANCASTER, CLIFT & WIDMARK GREAT!
This is a superb film by Stanley Kramer with an unbelievably great cast at the height of their craft. Each of the legendary actors were at the top of their performances in the reinactment of the Judge's Trial at Nuremberg. The world was tired of the Nuremberg trials. This one was a mopping up operation. Against a backdrop of an escalating Cold War with the Soviet Union, the selling out of justice by prominent Nazi judges serving the Third Reich is put on trial. Spencer Tracey plays Judge Dan Haywood, a retired Maine circuit court judge brought out of mothballs to serve as the chief justice. Amazingly, the usual action actor Burt Lancaster plays the top Nazi judge who at first does not recognize the Nuremberg tribunal's authority to judge him. For some mysterious reason, critics over the years failed to acknowledge the tremendous acting job he did in convincingly carrying off what was perhaps this film's most dynamic character change. However, my personal favorite was Maximillian Schell whose quintessential Germanic Hans Rolfe, the defense attorney released the full range of this incredible actor's virtuosity. For this he deservedly won an Academy Award Oscar.

One thousand words are not enough to celebrate this timeless film: Judy Garland (in perhaps her last film role) delivers a heartbreaking middle aging Irene Hoffman, reliving her experiences of Nazi cruelty on the witness stand; once again. However, not very good was the young Canadian actor, William Shatner playing Army Captain Byers, the aide de camp to Judge Haywood (Tracy). [The Starship Enterprise didn't seem to improve Shatner's skills any.] Richard Widmark (the moody, hostile prosecutor) and Montgomery Clift [who begged for the role he was willing to play without pay!] were excellent. Clift plays a slightly retarded German laborer, sterilized by Nazi doctors because of his mental slowness. This is among the very best films made by Kramer in the decade of the 1960s. Amazingly, it was released one year after INHERIT THE WIND, another Tracy-Kramer classic!

MASTERPIECE
What happens when Stanley Kramer teams Tracy, Dietrich, Garland, Schell, Clift, Lancaster and Widmark in a drama based on the trials in pos-war Nuremberg??? It`s vintage Hollywood; still 1 IF not THE BEST about the horrors from World War II ..... The film should be in every school-library across the world

MASTERPIECE
What happens when Stanley Kraner teams Tracy, Dietrich, Garland, Schell, Clift, Lancaster and Widmark in a drama based on the trials in pos-war Nuremberg??? It`s vintage Hollywood; still 1 IF not THE BEST about the horrors from World War II ..... The film should be in every school-library across the world

Wooooooooow
Ok, you`ll get Garland, Dietrich, Clift, Tracy, Widmark & Schell - the production headed by Stanley Kramer.... the result is pure Hollywood vintage combined with horrors from the 2nd World War??? But indeed; it is a masterpiece.... It should be in every school-library all over the world:-) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (Widescreen 30th Anniversary Edition)
Having proven itself as a favorite film of children around the world, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is every bit as entertaining now as it was when originally released in 1971. There's a timeless appeal to Roald Dahl's classic children's novel, which was playfully preserved in this charming musical, from the colorful carnival-like splendor of its production design to the infectious melody of the "Oompah-Loompah" songs that punctuate the story. Who can forget those diminutive Oompah-Loompah workers who recite rhyming parental warnings ("Oompah-Loompah, doopity do...") whenever some mischievous child has disobeyed Willy Wonka's orders to remain orderly? Oh, but we're getting ahead of ourselves ... it's really the story of the impoverished Charlie Bucket, who, along with four other kids and their parental guests, wins a coveted golden ticket to enter the fantastic realm of Wonka's mysterious confectionery. After the other kids have proven themselves to be irresponsible brats, it's Charlie who impresses Wonka and wins a reward beyond his wildest dreams. But before that, the tour of Wonka's factory provides a dazzling parade of delights, and with Gene Wilder giving a brilliant performance as the eccentric candyman, Wonka gains an edge of menace and madness that nicely counterbalances the movie's sentimental sweetness. It's that willingness to risk a darker tone--to show that even a wonderland like Wonka's can be a weird and dangerous place if you're a bad kid--that makes this an enduring family classic.

The Wizard of Oz
When it was released during Hollywood's golden year of 1939, The Wizard of Oz didn't start out as the perennial classic it has since become. The film did respectable business, but it wasn't until its debut on television that this family favorite saw its popularity soar. And while Oz's TV broadcasts are now controlled by media mogul Ted Turner (who owns the rights), the advent of home video has made this lively musical a mainstay in the staple diet of great American films. Young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), her dog, Toto, and her three companions on the yellow brick road to Oz--the Tin Man (Jack Haley), the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), and the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger)--have become pop-culture icons and central figures in the legacy of fantasy for children. As the Wicked Witch who covets Dorothy's enchanted ruby slippers, Margaret Hamilton has had the singular honor of scaring the wits out of children for more than six decades. The film's still as fresh, frightening, and funny as it was when first released. It may take some liberal detours from the original story by L. Frank Baum, but it's loyal to the Baum legacy while charting its own course as a spectacular film. Shot in glorious Technicolor, befitting its dynamic production design (Munchkinland alone is a psychedelic explosion of color and decor), The Wizard of Oz may not appeal to every taste as the years go by, but it's required viewing for kids of all ages. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Description

When a nasty neighbor tries to have her dog put to sleep, Dorothy takes her dog Toto, to run away. A tornado appears and carries her to the magical land of oz. Wishing to return, she begins to travel to the city of Oz where a great wizard lives. ... Read more

Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Description

Judy! Judy! Judy! Judy Garland: The Signature Collection includes 7 of Judy's unforgettable performances including A Star is Born and The Wizard of Oz! The Collection also includes 4 new-to-DVD titles starring the legendary Judy Garland: Love Finds Andy Hardy, In the Good Old Summertime, Ziegfeld Girl, and For Me and My Gal. A great Mother's Day gift! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is a good view of her talent
Judy was a magnificent talent with personal problems that makes it amazing that she could produce such beutiful prductions. These movies are a very good cross section of her talent. The Andy Hardy series was a wonderful joining of two great talents that represent a part of her career that many have been the happiest. There are many others that could have been chosen, but whatever was put in would require taking something out. I think "The Wizard" was the one waste, since there are much better copies out, and another Judy and Mickey would have been more fun.
But at least these are great, and others can be bought.

"films of the little girl with a big voice ~ Judy Garland"
Growing up in the midwest, all the entertainment came from the movies ~ "Judy Garland:The Signature Collection", featuring the golden age of musicals starring our favorite female lead at MGM Studio, Miss Judy Garland. Her voice and talent takes you into the world of make believe...are you ready...well here goes!

Let's start with "FOR ME AND MY GAL"(1942), featuring George Murphy and Gene Kelly (with commentary by Garland biographer John Fricke/vintage shorts/radio programs/audio outtakes/theatrical trailer) ~ "THE HARVEY GIRLS"(1945), featuring Ray Bolger, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury and Preston Foster (commentary by director George Sidney/3 deleted musical numbers/music cue sessions/theatrical trailer) and "On The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe" remixed in stereo ~ "IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME"(1949), featuring Van Johnson, S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, Spring Byington, Buster Keaton and Nellie Burke (introduction by Garland biographer John Fricke/Vintage Fitzpatrick Traveltalks Shorts/theatrical trailers of this film, "The Shop Around The Corner and "You've Got Mail) ~ "LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY"(1938), featuring Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Cecilia Parker and Fay Holden (introduction by Garland biographer John Fricke with Ann Rutherford/Leo is on the air radio promo/Andy Hardy trailer gallery) ~ "A STAR IS BORN"(1954), featuring James Mason, Jack Carson, Charles Bickford and Tom Noonan (special features: documentary network telecast of Hollywood premiere and newsrell coverage of Post-Premiere Party/3 alternate filings of "The Man That Got Away"/deleted song "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street"/soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1/theatrical trailers of the 1937, 1954 and 1976 film versions) ~ "THE WIZARD OF OZ"(1939), featuring Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Berlahr, Jack Haley and Margaret Hamilton (behind-the-scenes documentary/"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" & "The Making of a Movie Classic" hosted by Angela Lansbury/vintage movie & cartoon clips/theatrical trailers/outtake musical numbers/cast interviews and much, much more) ~ "ZIEGFELD GIRLS"(1941), featuring James Stewart, Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner, Tony Martin, Jackie Cooper and Edward Everett Horton (introduction by Garland biographer John Fricke/vintage musical short/Our Gang short "Melodies Old and New"/2 outtakes the musical number "Too Beautiful To Last and a deleted "We Must Have Music Finale"/theatrical trailers of this film, "The Great Ziegfeld" and "Ziegfeld Follies") ~ all new digital transfer.

The clarity of picture and the re-mastered sound of each film is overwhelming ~ Garland is at her captivating best ~ each cue is an eye full with behind the scenes that every collector will cherish...gotta love it!

Total Time: 7-CD-Set ~ Warner Home Video 49832 ~ (4/06/2004) ... Read more

Description

A Star is Born marked Judy Garland's return to movies after a four-year absence, director George Cukor's first musical and first color film, and a showcase for great Harold Arden/Ira Gershwin songs in state-of-the-art stereo.One of the most beloved show-business stories of all time, it represents a career peak for many involved.Garland is singer Esther Blodgett, an undeniable talent on the rise.She catches the eye of Norman Maine (James Mason), an alcoholic actor in career decline.Their intense love transforms them both.Only one will survive Hollywood's slings and arrows.Shortened in response to exhibitor complaints after its premiers, the movie underwent one rebirth in 1983 when film historian Ronald Haver found almost all the cut sequences and supervised a reconstruction to near its original length.Its new rebirth is this breathtaking digital surround stereo track and incorporating picture and musical material recently found in the vaults.Star always had a shine to it.Now watch it sparkle as never before. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

One of the Greatest
This film belongs in the library of any serious collector. It is a beautiful love story involvong two people whose mutual dependency on each other deepens as the story progresses. Much of the credit for a job well done of course goes to the films director George Cukor. Judy Garland returns to the screen after a prolonged absence, and reaches her peak both dramatically and vocally. A pinacle I don't believe she ever achieved again. Her musical interpretations are a credit to George Gershwin and Harold Arlen James Mason, in his portrayal of an alcoholic movie star, gives a sterling performance. He is always aware of his tendency toward self destruction."I destroy everything I touch," he warns Vickie. Comparing this performance to his portrayal of Brutus in Shakespeares' "Julius Ceasar" indeed shows a wide dramatic talent. All the supporting players turn in solid performances with Charles Bickford as Oliver the studio head and friend to Vickie and Norman, Jack Carson as the studio Mr Fixit and Tommy Noonan as the friend in need. Truly a movie that is not to be missed.

A Star is Re-Born!
Returning to the screen four years after leaving Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Judy Garland is just superb in A Star is Born. Always giveing an honest performance, Judy gives it her all in this classic! This movie has it all, comedy, drama, and most of all, music! Co-staring with James Mason, Garland was nominated for an Oscar for her performace! Although she lost is to Grace Kelly (Judy was beat by only one vote I'll have you know! "The Biggest Robbery Since Brinks!")she deserved that Oscar! This film is simply great!
The widescreen aspect, offered by this DVD, is an extra treat. Also included are outtakes from the film: including three versions of "The Man That Got Away", the broadcast of the premire of the film, tape of the after party at the Coconut Grove, and the film's trailer!
This film is well worth every penny, since it was reconstructed in 1982, after being butchered before it's release in 1954! Buy the video if you have to, but the picture and sound, oh the sound, make me recomend the DVD although it costs a little more it's well worth it!
Lastly, buy this if you just love a great film, or of course, if you love Judy Garland!

I Couldn't Be More Pleased
The film A STAR IS BORN, the 1954 Judy Garland musical for Warner Bros., has been through nearly as many trials and tribulations as any real-life movie-star wannabe to maintain its reputation and realism. The director--George Cukor's--love/hate letter to the joys and sorrows of Hollywood stardom came in just over three hours long--181 minutes. In an ironic affirmation of the film's recognition that "the lush days are over" for Hollywood, the studio cut the actual release print down to 154 minutes so that theater owners could squeeze in one extra screening per evening. That is the only version we had between 1954 and 1983, and any revivals, cinematheque offerings or TV broadcasts--quite enough to sustain the cult of the movie and Judy Garland's bravura performance as a Hollywood star married to an alcoholic has-been--sprang from that truncated release.

In 1983, a partially restored, 170-minute-long version of A STAR IS BORN hit first-run movie screens after long and loving archival and editorial struggle. It was a matter of using anything available to make up for the scenes Warner Bros. had hacked out--stills, amateur home movies made from the set, audio tracks--anything. Most significantly, the restoration reinstituted the entire portion of the movie which appear in the DVD as all of Chapters 14, 15 and 16 in which Garland's character takes a long-shot chance at an acting career; but although that enhanced plot-line was reintegrated into the movie, the static and museum-like restoration was in many ways more admirable than lovable. Still, it gets across the idea that Judy Garland's character--singer Esther Blodgett--faced her own trials and tribulations on the way to becoming "Vicki Lester" the film star.

The current 1999 DVD goes the 1983 theatrical release two better: it incorporates even more material previously thought lost--in particular audio--and the newer computer technology was used for a thorough digital "scrub" of the already handsome restoration. Previous reviewers are right: the restored sequences can still be a bit off-putting, but the DVD now for sale at 176 minutes is a noticeable improvement over the 1983 release and probably the closest we'll ever get to Cukor's original masterpiece. Is the color perfect? No, 1954 Technicolor was still garish and candy-colored; interestingly, the scenes filmed outdoors at night come across as more realistic than some of the interiors, and the character's facial tones look more realistic. Is the sound perfect? It's a good 5.1 multitrack engineering that sounded good on my budget-level home theater, and it certainly holds better aural technology than was available in 1950s movie houses.

A STAR IS BORN is very much a movie about movies, a "backstage" musical something like CABARET where the singing and dancing occur as staged performances or otherwise make sense as something the screen characters would naturally do. (As opposed to the more impressionistic, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN type of movie where characters break character and burst into song artificially.) Judy belts Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin's unforgettable "The Man That Got Away" in an after-hours club, an impromptu performance later described by eavesdropping leading man Norman Maine (James Mason) as "singing just for yourself and 'the boys in the band.'" (And with those last five words, a play was born.)

The performance-within-a-performance element that any backstage music requires come from two indelible production numbers from Vicki Lester's films. "Born in a Trunk" is by far the better known but the restoration added the endearing "Lose That Long Face," in which another unsinkable Vicki character sings a message of undying optimism as she tap-dances and flat-foots through studio-set rainy streets (Hmm, wonder where they got that idea?)

But most of Garland's performances are in more intimate venues. After rising starlet Vicki Lester becomes Mrs. Norman Maine, her husband puts her to use as "my own little jukebox" as she sings hit songs from her movies. In a particularly charming sequence, Garland's character plays homage to--and gently spoofs--the Fifties penchant for grandiose fantasy production numbers by acting out the round-the-world extravaganza ("Somewhere There's) A Someone At Last" to a background record, using what's available in the living room to mimic props and delighting the sophisticated Mason. The message is clear: it's the star, not the production values, that matter most.

Indeed, Judy Garland IS the star who makes this movie; her fictional Vicki Lester comes alive when fused with elements of Garland's own poignant and turbulent life as an all-too-visible film personality. In this movie her performances--as actor and song stylist--were never better; volumes of praise have been written to which I happily agree. But those who surround "Vicki Lester" are a key component of the film's success, too: James Mason's "Norman Maine" confronts his wife's tendency to overdramatize with a subtle performance as the self-deprecating, self-loathing alcoholic who increasingly becomes the object of his wife's charity. Jack Carson the perennial WB "heavy" of the postwar years (recall him from "Mildred Pierce" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof") is in full force as Matt Libby, the gladhanding and cynical studio publicist. Charles Bickford, perhaps best remembered today as father to Lee Remick's character in "The Days of Wine and Roses," adds humanity to the thankless role of the authoritarian film-studio owner Oliver Niles. And Tom Noonan is perfect as the buddy to impart real-life wisdom to "Mrs. Norman Maine."

People who love Judy Garland certainly should go for this improved and more watchable classic, even if they already have a prior version at home. I think lovers of musicals in general will agree that A STAR IS BORN deserves a place among the tip-top musicals of the 1950s, whether or not they are satisfied with the cardboardish ersatz for Chapters 14-16. Just hop over those with your DVD remote and find out what Warner Bros. left after its butchering! A great film at a great price; go for it.

A Star is Born
I read all the reviews listed prior to purchasing and I didn't read anywhere that reconstruction actually meant that they put black and white still pictures in the place of the missing moving picture sequences. At one point I felt like I was watching a slideshow presentation with music and sound! I had no idea the movie would be so choppy and for that I'm deeply disappointed.

I don't feel like it was worth the price and I probably won't ever watch it again. Too bad too, because what I did see of the performance was good. Unfortunately, I felt like I only got 3/4 of the movie and the rest was fill in the blanks.

The Ultimate Musical
The best. Absolutely the best film Hollywood has ever offered. It is a musical which has not only heartwarming songs and dances but one with a real plot, a story so often repeated in this world- a story of dizzying rise and dizzying fall- and a story which stood up to being exposed without the songs. ... Read more

Description

St. Louis 1903. The well-off Smith family has four beautiful daughters, including Esther and little Tootie. 17-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 that he has been transfered to a nice position in New York, which means that the family has to leave St. Louis and the St. Louis Fair. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

An American Classic In A Memorable DVD Package
Many critics consider MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS the single finest Hollywood musical of the 20th Century. Produced by Arthur Freed, directed by Vincent Minnelli, and sporting a flawless ensemble cast led by Judy Garland, the film was immediately hailed when it debuted in 1944--and time has only added luster to its name. Now, after several home market incarnations, it at last receives the edition it deserves on DVD.

Given its stature, it is ironic that both MGM and Judy Garland originally fought the project. Based on a collection of autobiographical stories by Sally Benson, the script is little more than a series of domestic adventures in the lives of the Smith family of 1903 St. Louis. But it became a thing of wonder: a careful balance of sly but gentle humor, a collection of memorable performances, an understated score shorn of the usual movie-musical affectations, and at the center of it all Judy Garland, one of Hollywood's most memorable talents.

The transfer is excellent, capturing every nuance of the film's meticulously and beautifully designed sets in full Technicolor; the sound elements, remastered in Dolby 5.1, are equally fine and Garland's unique vocal skills are undimmed by time. All in all, it seems safe to say that not even the original 1944 theatrical release could surpass the quality of picture and sound offered here.

Although the bonus package would have better without the awful pilot for a failed television series based on the film, by and large it offers a superior collection. Previously available on VHS, the Roddy McDowell-narrated "making of" documentary is worth revisiting, as is the TCM-produced "Becoming Attractions." While a number of later documentaries surpass it, "Hollywood: The Dream Factory" has never before been widely available and offers an inside glimpse of the famous 1972 MGM auction. The Martins' performance of "Skip to My Lou" a reconstruction of "Boys and Girls Like You and Me," and a collection of Vincent Minnelli movie trailers round out the offerings, all of them entertaining.

The notable audio commentary is led by film historian and Garland scholar John Fricke. I regret to say that I have several issues with Fricke, who seems to rely excessively on Vincent Minnelli's autobiography I REMEMBER IT WELL and who has a tendency to perpetuate certain myths about the film--chief among them the idea that Garland did "The Trolley Song" in a single take. (Garland prerecorded the song, the overall sequence involves at least seven unique camera set-ups, and although Garland performs most of the solo in a single take there is a change in camera set-up toward the end of her vocal.) Even so, Fricke offers considerable insight into the cast, crew, and production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, and the commentary is laced with remarks (some of them archival) by the likes of Margaret O'Brien, Hugh Martin, and Irving Brecher; in spite of my occasional misgivings, it really is everything one could wish an audio commentary to be.

These aside, the bonus package contains one significant and unique prize: the short film "Bubbles" and a notable audio commentary led by Hollywood and Garland historian John Fricke. Long thought lost, "Bubbles" is one of several shorts made in the early 1930s that include The Gumm Sisters, the youngest of whom would become better known as Judy Garland--a true rarity indeed.

Given the beauty of the transfer and the generally exceptional bonus package, it is difficult to imagine a better edition of this uniquely American classic. I strongly recommend it.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

All-New 60th Anniversary Digital DVD transfer is AWESOME!!
Director Vincente Minnelli's 1944 "Meet Me in St. Louis" in TECHNICOLOR starring his future wife, Judy Garland proved to be MGM's biggest box office hit ever and proved to the world the musical with Garland ruled.

Now co-operatively Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc., Turner Entertainment Co. and distrubuted by Warner Home Video Inc continues their fantastic Two-Disc Special Edition Series with the 60th Anniversary Digital transfer from restored picture and audio elements of "Meet Me in St. Louis". This is a must have DVD set!!!!

This all-star cast; Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Aster, Majorie Main, Tom Drake and Lucille Bremer lead this special intergrated story with a perfect mix of music. The "Trolley Song" (Oscar nominated song - lost), and the infamous xmas song, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". And of course the movie title song, "Meet Me in St. Louis".

This 2 - Disc set is loaded with everything about the movie, Judy Garland and the Dream makers of HOLLYWOOD. Disc 1 - Has an Introduction by daughter Liza Minnelli The Feature film in gorgeous TECHNICOLOR in Standard Format and Dolby Digital Sound. Audio Commentary by Judy Garland Biographer John Fricke with Margaret O'Brien, Composer Hugh Martin and Screen Writers Irving Brecher & Barbara Freed-Saltzman. And finally a Vincente Minnelli Trailer Gallery including 8 of his movies.
Disc 2 - 45 minute Making of Documentary hosted by Roddy McDowall. 60 minute MGM Studio Profile film "Hollywood: The Dream Factory" hosted by Dick Cavett. A 45 minute 1966 "Meet Me in St. Louis" TV series Pilot starring Shelly Fabares, Celeste Holm & Rita Shaw. 35 minute Becoming Attraction: Judy Garland hosted by Robert Osborne (a brief history through her movie trailers). 1930 Vintage Vitaphone Musical short featuring a very young Judy with her sisters (The 3 Gumm Sisters). Vintage Soundie "Skip to My Lou". Deleted Song (an Oscar / Hammerstein) "Boys & Girls Like You & Me". 60 minute Lux Soap Radio Theatre 12/2/1946 Broadcast of "Meet Me in St. Louis" starring Garland, O'Brien and Drake. and Finally a 80 photo Stills Gallery.

This is a must have for the family DVD library. See Judy Garland at her best and see why Hollywood gambled and won with her outstanding talent to act and sing flawlessly. You'll love Judy Garland, this movie, the Smith Family and Margaret O'Brien (received a special minature Oscar award for her performance). Enjoy!!!

One of America's Greatest Musicals
Meet Me in St Louis is one of the greatest musicals ever made! Combining the talent of Judy Garland and scene stealer Margaret O'Brian and wonderful songs Meet Me In St Louis is a treat for all!

excellent
This is a great dvd of "Meet Me in Saint Louis," the wonderful classic musical. It's beautifully packaged and contains so much behind the scenes and extra bonus material it's well worth the price. A great addition to any musical dvd collection. I highly recommend it and was very pleased with it. Also Judy's daughter LIza is interviewed also. Great dvd a classic to keep!

One of the great American musicals ever filmed!
This exquisitely laid out 2 DVD issue of Meet Me in Saint Louis is an absolute must have for any Garland fan, Vincent Minnelli fan as well as fans of the major American musicals of all time. The movie itself is introduced with a short talk by Liza Minnelli to whet the viewer's appetite for the film; then the film is beautifully reproduced on the DVD for the viewer. One small disappointment: the film is shown in full screen; there is no letterbox version of the film on this 2 DVD set. The set is chock full of great extras which offer the viewer a rather comprehensive introduction (or review for seasoned fans) of Judy's work in such shorts as Bubbles as well as trailers for both Judy's films and Vincent Minnelli's films. The sound quality is excellent and the video quality is equally superlative.

The movie itself is the story of the life of an American family in 1903 in Saint Louis and their ups and downs throughout one year's time. Does the father take that new job and move the family from Saint Louis to New York? Do Esther (played by Judy) and Rose find the loves of their lives? Watch and find out! A special treat is the strikingly convincing acting of Margaret O'Brien as the youngest sibling in this large family from the last turn of the century. Margaret won an award at the Oscars and she very much deserved it-she acts her little heart out!

In short, this movie is a BUY! Go get it! Order it here, or shop for it anywhere-but just get it and enjoy a great American musical and the numerous bonus extras that are very hard to find elsewhere! ... Read more

Description

When a nasty neighbor tries to have her dog put to sleep, Dorothy takes her dog Toto, to run away. A tornado appears and carries her to the magical land of oz.Wishing to return, she begins to travel to the city of Oz where a great wizard lives. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Why no commentary?
I already expected this DVD Gift Set to be 5 stars in every way, and for the most part it is, but i was just wondering if anyone else out there has the Laserdisc "Ultimate OZ" set that came out a few years ago. It has everything this new package has (minus the great menu scenes) but something that i was sad to see is missing from the DVD version: where is the running commentary from OZ expert John Fricke? That was one of my favorite parts of the Laserdisc OZ special edition and i guess i just assumed it would be included here. I feel sorry for those OZ fans who might never get to hear the interesting and fun facts and anecdotes. For example: the coat that Professor Marvel wears was bought from a second-hand store and when they turned out the pockets the letters LFB were stitched inside-Baum's widow confirmed that the coat had indeed belonged to her husband; the female voice heard during the TinMan's song ("wherefore art thou Romeo") is the voice of Snow White- without the success of that movie OZ might never had been made; when Jack Haley replaced Buddy Ebsen thay shot for three days before anyone noticed that he was wearing Buddy's shiny Emerald City outfit instead of the rusty one for the woods scenes- the footage had to scrapped at an estimated cost of $60,000- another time when Oz production was almost shut down. There are also great stories about all the major players and hpw they felt about OZ and each other. Well, maybe you don't care to know all this but it added another fun dimension to my OZ watching and I'm curious why DVD owners were left out. Otherwise i couldn't be happier with the transfer of this classic and would definitely recommend it OZ- and DVD- fanatics alike.

Attention viewer from San Jose
First, excellent DVD Deluxe Edition. Second, I would like to respond to the "viewer from San Jose" who posted on 10/20/99. Movies made before 1953 were filmed in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Television has an aspect ratio of 1.37:1. When you view a movie such as THE WIZARD OF OZ in a full screen transfer you are losing a mere .04:1 of the original aspect ratio. If you would like to understand widescreen ratios better send me an email and I would be glad to assist you.

Oz is "OZsome!"
This is like the best movie ever filmed! It is so cool, and what makes it even better is the cool things you get when you purchase the gift pack. Everyone should own this gift pack!

The girlfriend loves it!
Bought it as a gift for an Oz lover - forget it - she loves it so I'm a hero!

Cautionary 5 Stars!
I give this DVD version a cautionary 5 star rating only because of the actual film itself, which stands on it's own as a wonderful classic for all ages. However for the extra money you'll shell out for the "Deluxe" DVD version be warned this is only for the true OZ collector. The boxed set includes some very nice suitable for framing lithographs, a large, paperback bound script and of course the DVD itself. Finally that's where my caution comes into play, the usual added tidbits on the DVD are nice but the Angela Lansbury 50th Anniversary section is obviously transferred from video and though watchable it is still slightly fuzzy. Last but not least is the film itself which is still wonderful and magical but be warned there is no "widescreen" version included and this was my biggest disappointment with this Deluxe version. ... Read more

Description

Andy frantically tries to juggle two girlfriends at the same time. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Andy Hardy Finds......Judy Garland!
After MGM wasted Judy's talent for a few years after she was signed in 1935, and put her in a few dud pictures that didn't help her stardom one bit, they put her in this picture with Mickey Rooney, a winning combination!
When viewing this film it is interesting to note that it was filmed in omly 19 days, but then again Metro Goldwen Mayer was the "dream factory"!
Judy plays in this film Betsy Booth, a well-to-do girl who is visiting the house next door to Andy's when she meets him and is attracted to him, but he not to her. This makes for some interesting comical situations, since Andy alreay has a girlfriend!
Since this is Judy Garland, there is plenty of singing thrown in to sweeten the pot!
But I warn you, once you view this film, you will want to buy the other Andy Hardy pictures that Judy co-stars in. I would say, go ahead, as long as it's Mickey and Joots (Mickey's name for Judy) it's sure to be a winner!
In Judy's career her very next film would sign her signature into stardom, The Wizard of Oz.
Next after that was Babes in Arms. If you love Love Finds Any Hardy, you'll love Babes in Arms! It contains that winning combination of Mickey and Joots, so how could you go wroung?
You Can't!
Buy this movie if you love Mickey Rooney!

Buy this movie if you love Judy Garland!

Buy this movie if you love the chemistry they contain!

A Film You Can't Help But Love
MGM recently released five films in DVD format as a tribute to Judy Garland and one of the titles is LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY. Though the movie was released in honor of Garland, it really is Mickey Rooney's film. He plays the loveable teenaged Andy Hardy. Young Sandy has a heart of gold but often seems to get things mixed up a bit which lead to his easily solved difficulties. His problem in this movie is one that follows him in other films: girls. He is supposed to take one girl to a dance, but she cannot go, so he agrees to take another, but then meets a third. Of course one of the girls becomes available again, and the whole situation becomes a mess. Yet in true Hollywood from, all ends happily ever after.

The film has quite a few strengths. First, it does take us back to another place and time when life's problems could easily be solved by the wisdom of Dad and a dose of common sense. Families were dedicated to one anther and communities were close-knit and wholesome. While it is not all that original a film, somehow it is not cliché. We believe that the story could happen. We like Andy Hardy who seems like everybody's nephew, son, kid brother, or next door neighbor. We know that when Judy Garland's character Betsy Booth matures a little, the two will be inseparable sweethearts. The film is a treat which allows us to see both Judy Garland and Lana Turner in early roles. Garland has a certain sweetness as Betsy Booth, Andy's next door neighbor's granddaughter. She is believable as a young innocent. While she sings a few musical numbers, this is not a musical and we see Garland's abilities as a young actress.

While the DVD release does not have as many special features as some of the other recent MGM re-releases, it doe shave an introduction to the film by Garland's biographer and also a "Christmas card" film from the cast that was probably aired with trailers in the 1930's.

Surprisingly Fresh
I'd never seen an Andy Hardy film but I'd read that they reflected L.B. Mayer's delusional vision of American, full of sanctimonious lectures about the virtues of clean, small town living. But if "Love finds Andy Hardy" is typical of the series, then this view is both harsh and narrow. Yes, this is a story about a very white, very Christian small town but there aren't many lectures and the story is simple and unpretentious which allows the actors to develop their characters. The film suggest a way of living that allows for disagreement, sibling rivalry, unrequited love but doesn't transform any of that into pathos or moral tales. Instead, scenes unfold naturally and easily with a certain sweetness that is warm and inviting not cloying and artificial. Maybe this film has worn well because in its simplicity is a portrait of a period of American culture that seems geniune and lost forever. It doesn't feel dated because the film doesn't aspire to be ahead of the times but very much of it.

Clearly this is Mickey Rooney's movie. I've never been fond of him as an actor. His mugging and frentic energy make me turn away in embarrassment. However, in this film there are many moments when his enthusiasm is more infectious than his mugging is distracting. He works well with Lewis Stone and Judy Garland. Also he conveys his internal dilemma dealing with two girls with comedy and concern. There are also many moments when he hams it up so I don't want to mislead anyone! But at least I could see why he was so popular which is something that had escaped me despite watching several of the Garland-Rooney musicals.

The reason I watched this film was to see Judy Garland and I wasn't disappointed. This film was shot shortly before, "Wizard of Oz" and she is awkward and somewhat unfocused but alas she is Judy Garland which means despite her lack of maturity, she is the best thing in the film. Her musical numbers are delightful and her predicament of being too young for Mickey is touching and sweet. Sure, she doesn't know what to do with her hands and occasionally mugs for the camera but at sixteen Judy Garland is clearly bursting with talent, promise and excitement.

False advertising!
This movie deserves 5 stars but the false advertising that it is in color was why I purchased it. I already owned it in B/W on VHS. The Amazon.com listing for this movie says FORMAT-COLOR. The only thing in color is the special feature with John Fricke and Ann Rutherford. Beware of Blandings Builds His Dream House and My Favrite Wife and Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer as when they are released on DVD, they are also being marketed as color. Check before buying. Otherwise Love Finds is a great movie with a special Christmas trailer of the Hardy Family.

Who Cares About the Plot!
In the remarks of the company critic at the top of the page he mentions the plot to be very dated. I say who cares! I saw the movie two weeks ago and remember very little of the plot but the scene of Judy Garland singing "Meet the Beat of My Heart" was seared into my memory. To mangle its lyrics a bit this performance and a hundred others Excited, Delighted and Ignited the thought that this was the greatest song and dance entertainer ever!
"It Never Rains But It Pours" is also really good. "In Between," "Awful In Between" or whatever that song is called reflects somewhat on her own personal and professional quandaries close to the time of its performance.
If you think 10 minutes of music is worth the purchase price buy the DVD. If not do not. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sometimes lively, sometimes pokey, this Technicolor MGM musical inspiresmixed feelings in aficionados of the form--except on one point. No viewer willquestion why "On the Atchison, Topeka, & the Santa Fe" won the best song Oscarfor 1946. This is a brilliant, inventive song given an epic staging. Director George Sidney pullsout all the stops for this wowser--even Marjorie Main sings, an eardrum-testingsound. The real-life Harvey Girls were waitresses imported to the far-flung FredHarvey Hotels, civilizing oases along the railroad lines out west. The fictionalHarvey Girls is set in Sandrock, where the traveling waitresses arejoined by a sort of mail-order bride (Judy Garland) whose prospective husband isa bust--he's a roughhewn rancher played by Chill Wills. Garland is in finespunky form; unfortunately, her romance is with John Hodiak (as the owner of adance hall), that uninspiring World War II-era lead. The film's other greatJohnny Mercer-Harry Warren song is the unexpectedly melancholy "It's a Great BigWorld," performed in a lovely trio by Garland, Virginia O'Brien, and the youngCyd Charisse. The tall, deadpan O'Brien also does a comic take on "The Wild,Wild West" while shoeing a horse. With kewpie-faced Angela Lansbury as abespangled dance-hall gal and Ray Bolger high-stepping through a dance solo,there are enough good people on board to keep the wheels a-turning "all the wayto Californ-eye-yay." --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (38)

STUNNING! This HARVEY GIRLS DVD is "Metro-GARLAND-Magic"
Hats off to Ted Turner's crew and their partners at Warner Home Video for a simply stunning DVD presentation of THE HARVEY GIRLS. The film looks sumptuous. A thrilling example of Technicolor at its most splendid. Although THE HARVEY GIRLS is a thoroughly delightful entertainment, there isn't much substance to the plot. It seems to hardly matter, as the film's major virtues are its great score by Johnny Mercer and Harry Warren, superb performances from a great cast, and of course, the peerless Judy Garland.

If anyone else had played the lead in this picture, it would have been long forgotten. This is Judy's show, all the way, and everything about it is designed to show off her immense talents.
She is at the top of her form here...looking lovely, singing gorgeously, dancing with aplomb, and handling both dramatic and comedic scenes better than anyone else could ever dream to. The biggest highlight of the film is the mammoth eight-minute production number ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA, AND THE SANTA FE which ended up winning a Best Song Oscar. This sequence alone is worth the price of the DVD, and the Warner Home Video people give us an extra bonus by presenting the number separately in TRUE STEREO! Astounding!

The supplementary materials are vast and beautifully assembled. The commentary by recently-deceased director George Sidney was fortunately captured for this release, and his thoughts and reminiscences are entertaining and charming. There were four musical numbers intended for this picture which were cut before release. MARCH OF THE DOAGIES and its reprise and MY INTUITION are the three that were filmed, and they are included on this DVD, looking like they were filmed yesterday (actually they look TOO good to have been filmed in this day and age). The one unused song that was recorded but not filmed called HAYRIDE is among the more than 20 pre-recording sessions included on the DVD's "Sing Song Express". A captivating opportunity to be present on the Metro recording stages as they laid down these historic tracks. You can hear the starts and stops, the banter and laughter...It's almost like being there. The disc also includes a trailer.

Hats off to Warner and Turner for a splendid job well done, a VAST improvement from the once-impressive laserdisc release, which is now unwatchable in comparison to this DVD. Add to this the VERY reasonable price of this movie, and it can't be beat. Now the big question: "When will Warner give us MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, EASTER PARADE and the rest of the golden Garland catalog?" Let's hope it's soon. If this DVD is any indication of what those will be like, we are in for a treat.

Judy at her comedic best!
"The Harvey Girls" is my favorite of the MGM musicals. It has everything: a superb star (Judy Garland), a great supporting cast (headed by a young Angela Lansbury, with Ray Bolger and Marjorie Main), fantastic songs (featuring the Academy Award winning "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe"), and a funny plot. Susan Bradley (Garland) decides to marry the man she has been writing love letters to, and travels with the Harvey restaurant chain to a town in the Old West to meet him. When she gets there, she realizes the romantic letters were written by his friend, the owner of the town saloon (played by John Hodiak). Susan decides to join the Harvey girls in setting up the new restaurant. When the town leaders try to scare the Harvey girls away because they are taking business from the saloon, Susan must help keep the restaurant in order. Angela Lansbury shines as the villainous saloon girl, as do Marjorie Main as the Harvey House cook, and Ray Bolger as the local blacksmith.

Something for everyone.
Even though the film starred Judy Garland, what I really enjoyed about The Harvey Girls is that it operates as an ensemble musical. That is, it gives features and spotlight numbers to just about everyone in the mammoth cast. This kind of thing is usually done for all-star films or stage musicals only, but back in 1946 MGM's roster of talent was strong, if not yet infamous. Players like hypnotic deadpanner Virginia O'Brien and dancer Cyd Charisse were fairly new back then, but this film gives them individual spotlights: not only do they both sing with Garland in the nighttime ballad "It's A Great Big World," but O'Brien gets to sing "The Wild, Wild West" (with comic blacksmith Ray Bolger looking on) and Charisse gets to display her ballet dancing opposite Kenny Baker's ballad "Wait And See." Marjorie Main sings bits of "The Waltz" and "The Train Must Be Fed;" Angela Lansbury is featured in *two* saloon numbers, and Ray Bolger gets to do some of his rubber-legged dancing at the Harvey House party. And, of course, it seems like everyone on the planet is assembled for the big, eight minute production number "On The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe." There's literally something for everyone- even the oil-and-water romance (if you like that sort of thing) between Garland and John Hodiak.

Bravo! Bravo!
This is definetly one of Judy Garland's best movies. I think the songs are great,and Judy is so funny when she holds up the bar across the street just to please her customers. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you have to see the movie to understand. I also loved the casting. Angela Lansbury was wonderful and the "villian". And for anybody who's a Judy Garland fan, you must see this!

That Garland Magic!
To those people who are new to a Judy Garland musical, excluding those who have seen OZ. I highly recommend mandatory Judy Garland Musical watching. No one in this life, past or present can ever compare to this stunning singer and actress as she was and still is the greatest musical star ever. Streisand attempted to take her place in the late 60's but lets be honest. No one ever could. Judy is in a category all her own. The Harvey Girls is just another example of her brilliance as entertainer. Watch "One Take Judy" as George Sidney affectionately calls her as he remembers in the audio commentary of her delivering one of her most memorable performances in one take, yes one take of Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe. She generally recorded her songs in one take and could watch a stand in doing the movements before camera and step in and do it exactly in one take. Amazing. This film is one of those examples of that talent. The songs in the movie are all very well crafted with stunning results like the opening song, "In the Valley where the evening sun goes down" and It's a great big world". Virginia O'Brien adds some sass, which we miss later in the film after she has exited due to pregnancy. I always wondered why her character disappears without a word and this audio commentary explains all. Angela Lansbury is interesting to watch being that she was all of 18 years old and plays a worldly older woman to Judy's character and does it excellently. Its interesting hearing her do an American accent so well. She never looked more beautiful than in this film. Glorious Technicolor is very well utilized in this film. The restoration work that went into this film is amazing. It is crystal clear and the colors, oh the colors! For anyone who has never seen this film I recommend it greatly. They just don't make it like this any more. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This DVD is the Top !
'You're the Top' is a short, but worthwhile trip through the turbulent life of a 20th Century Icon. A great deal of depth and insight is communicated by sharp editing and carefully selected film clips. Originally this was an hour long Television special. Don't let that put you off, the word 'special' is very appropriate here. Why should you buy this Documentary? To appreciate and enjoy his musical talent chiefly by a bewildering number of rare excerpts from films and TV shows (notably a Kinescope of the original cast of 'Kiss Me Kate') and see the ironies of someone who lived a private life very different from his public persona. Even today, the classy image of Porter as generated by his timeless songs and music hide a veil of a tragic and melancholy man, who was born into success, but died unhappy. His story is not just of music, but of a struggle against life itself. What makes this a special event is that the combination of good interviews with contemporaries, the relaxed and adult approach make for repeated viewing and a thirst for more. Whether you are a Porter fan, or have never heard of him, you will gain something special from this documentary, and perhaps learn a little in the moral sense of the pitfalls and unhappiness that can come, even with great wealth. What lives on is his music, which history will never erase. Watching this Documentary will leave you feeling better for the experience.

I want more!
This is really a wonderful treat for fans of Cole Porter or those who know little about him. It has a nice mix of rare and familiar songs mixed with thoughts and recollections about Cole by various friends, musicians, and performers. You get a nice sense of what his life was like along with a decent overview of his music.

If you have never heard of Cole (or know very little about him), you will probably be a fan after viewing this. Even if you are very familiar with Cole, you still will find some interesting tidbits in the DVD. My only complaints with this are the length (only an hour) the lack of additional material. It would seem that so much additional material could have been placed easily on this DVD; but the only additional material is a listing of the songs on the DVD (without any information about them) and quick list of his musicals. How about fleshing out some of that information?

Definitely recommended.

Informative but limited
This dvd was informative as a standard biography, however there is not much in terms of extras on the disk. The DVD format provides an opportunity for a topic such as this to be covered richly. Unfortunately that is not the case with this disk. ... Read more

Description

Musical remake of "Shop Around the Corner" involving two feuding store employees who are unknowingly engaged in a romantic relationship as anonymous pen pals. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

No bad scenes - good family video
"In the Good Old Summertime" featuring Van Johnson and Judy Garland is a good video for the entire family viewing. There are no immoral scenes and no improper language. For families that have members that love musicals and members that hate musicals, this story will satisfy everyone. There is some singing in it, but not enough to drive you crazy. This is not a musical where everyone in the cast breaks into spontaneous singing--any music performed is germaine to the story.

Contrary to its title, "In the Good Old Summertime" can be considered a Christmas film and I recommend it for holiday viewing.

For those who like modern story lines, some people say it is similar (in a vague was) like "You've Got Mail."

Buy, view, and enjoy a delightful film.

P.S. Buster Keaton (who played the Scarecrow in "Wizard of Oz")does a magnificent job in this movie. 5 starts for Buster, too.

This is a cute film and you really must pay attention to the secondary characters as well. Especially Buster Keaton.

IMPRESSIVE LOOKING TRANSFER OF AN AVERAGE GARLAND FILM!
"In The Good Old Summertime" is a musical remake of "The Shop Around The Corner" (also available from Warner and the preferred version of this movie). In place of the obviously poignant and tender chemistry that James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan brought to the original we are given shrill ineptitude, a la the usually brilliant Judy Garland and mean spirited inclinations via the embittered Van Johnson. Really, I can't see how anyone would believe Garland and Johnson could be in love, much less have a child, by the final fade out. (Film trivia: the child in the last shot of this film is Liza Minnelli.) The remake, while short on the sprite gaiety of the original, nevertheless has its moments. Garland - although wrong for the part, is nevertheless in good voice and her songs sparkle with a vintage and professionalism that only a great artist like she could make of them in an otherwise uninspired production. In the supporting cast we have one of the cinema's great joys to watch - S.Z. Sakall, as the portly, easily flustered Mr. Oberkugen - proprietor of the music shop where both Johnson and Garland work and spar. Buster Keaton is wasted in his role.
THE TRANSFER: Warner gives us a very clean looking DVD. Colors are somewhat dated and in spots faded, but overall the Technicolor is rich and vibrant. Age related artifacts are present throughout but do not distract. Black levels are solid. Contrast levels tend to be just a bit too low for a picture that doesn't quite deliver as much visual punch as it should. There are no digital anomalies. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
BOTTOM LINE: This is another film that die hard Garland fans will snatch up quickly. But one wonders why Warner chose "In The Good Old Summertime" over say, "Summer Stock" or any of the Mickey Rooney/Garland vehicles.

Captivating Christmas Story With Judy Garland In Fine Form
Despite this charming film's misleading title the majority of the story takes place in winter in the lead up to the Christmas season. It does however feature one of Judy Garland's best later performances made in an all to rare trauma free moment in the late 1940's for this legendary actress/singer when her health problems were affecting her ability to perform before the camera. Amazingly none of that is evident in "In the Good Old Summertime", which finds her delivering a wonderfully controlled and at times wistful performance as a young employee of a music store in turn of the century Chicago who is having a romantic letter correspondance with a penpal who addresses himself simply as "dear friend". Given its setting of a music shop "In the Good Old Summertime", also offers Judy Garland a number of opportunities to present some fine musical interludes in her unique style.

It was a stroke of genius by MGM to decide to remake as a musical it's earlier 1940 classic "The Shop Around the Corner" which starred James Stewart and another highly strung female performer in Margaret Sullavan. The results here are almost as effective as in the earlier film and Garland and Van Johnson make a delightful screen team. Based on the play "The Shop Around the Corner ", by Miklos Laszlo, the action this time has been moved from present day Budapest to turn of the century Chicago. Indeed this beautiful film bares a strong resemblance to Garland's earlier classic "Meet Me in St. Louis",and here the atmosphere is just as rich where the action centres around Oberkugen's Music Store run by the memorable Otto Oberkugan (S.Z.Sakall), and his colourful group of employees in the store. Chief among them is Andrew Larkin (Van Johnson) who is a promising store clerk. Andrew however has a very prickly relationship with new employee Veronica Fisher (Garland)and both seem to always find something to disagree about. However what both dont realise is that the romances they are respectively enjoying via the mail out of work hours and which have progressed from "intellectual topics" to real love, are actually with each other! As the pen pal letter exchange deepens into love it is agreed that the two will meet. Andrew however sees Veronica already waiting in the restaurant and in his disappointment decides not to go in. Thinking about it longer and realising Veronica is his pen pal Andrew decides to give her a hard time about it and in a funny situation enters the restaurant and engages her in conversation much to Veronica's consternation as she believes her "date", will be due to turn up at any minute. Back at the store however things slowly begin to thaw between the two and when Andrew gets into deep trouble with Mr. Oberkugan for lending his prize violin to friend Louise (Marcia Van Dyke), for an audition he finds himself fired. The staff rally around him and its up to Otto's long suffering secretary Nellie (Spring Byington)and Veronica to make him see the error of his ways. Otto relents for his behaviour and Andrew is made the new manager however Veronica decides she must be the one to leave and its only during a romantic interlude alone in the darkened shop on Christmas Eve that Andrew reveals his real love for her. Veronica also confesses her deep love for her former antagonist and the scene cuts away to the couple in a warm summer setting happily married and with a beautiful young two year old daughter (Liza Minneli).

"In The Good Old Summertime", boasts many memorable musical numbers including the title song, "I Don't Care", "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey", the comical "Play The Barbershop Chord", and my personal favourite "Merry Christmas". In all of these numbers apart from her beautiful singing style Judy Garland proves what an exceptional talent she was in comedy, pantomine and more energic pieces such as the barbershop number. Here is a talented actress in the full bloom of her capabilities who was unfortunately just about to exit the musical movie stage for quite some time. The supporting cast is exceptional with such fine comic talents as S.Z. Sakall and Spring Byington providing the top level support that they delivered in film after film in this period. Some rarities also pop up in "In The Good Old Summertime", as we see veteran Buster Keaton play Otto's brow beaten nephew to fine effect in his last MGM appearance and in the final scene reality and movie fantasy cross as Judy Garland's real life daughter Liza Minnelli plays her and Johnson's movie child in the last scene. Silent star Anna Q. Nilsson also has a small part as a woman buying one of the infuriating harps that reoccur in the story. MGM talent is abundantly on show in all departments here. The director Robert Z. Leonard who helmed the classic "Maytime", for MGM, was only brought in after Garland nixed plans by the studio to give the assignment to her husband Vincente Minnelli as the pair were having difficulties at the time. The choreography is top rate and was handled by Robert Alton who was responsible for the innovative dance numbers in Garland's previous film "Easter Parade". Cedric Gibbons' fine work in set design also deserves mention for giving the film its beautiful appearance and period flavour.

After this effort Judy Garland sadly went into a steep decline health wise and after completing only one more film "Summer Stock", and being released from an aborted attempt to film "Royal Wedding ", with Fred Astaire her MGM contract was terminated. None of this sadness is evident in "In The Good Old Summertime", thankfully and what we have here is a movie with gorgeous technicolour, many fine musical numbers delivered by Garland and a funny, and touching story set against a beautiful "MGM", Christmas. Enjoy Judy Garland at the top of her talents in MGM's "In The Good Old Summertime".

The (Music) Shop Around The Corner
I've yet to see "The Shop Around The Corner" so I can't compare "In The Good Old Summertime" to it, but I will say that "You've Got Mail" pales in comparison to "Summertime". All of the simple charm of "Summertime" is absent from "Mail". That aside, this is a good transfer of a film I've loved for 20 years. I still wish they had released it with a more fitting title, as it takes place mostly in the fall and winter, but it is a charming film filled with terrific acting and witty dialogue. It's generally thought of as a musical, as it stars Judy Garland and she does perform several wonderful songs, but the musical numbers are short and many are understated. I think the movie more correctly falls under the category of "comedy". As with a lot of 1940s era comedies, there are some kind of hokey things about this movie, such as the way the orchestra has to punctuate so many of the comic bits. But that's the way things were then and I certainly prefer it to a scene from a more recent film ("You've Got Mail" comes to mind") that shows a character dancing while a Motown song plays. (A pointless aside regarding music in "You've Got Mail": I liked the way Nilsson's "Remember" was used in the scene where Meg Ryan is decorating the Christmas tree. There. Something I liked about "You've Got Mail".)
My only complaint about this DVD seems to be a problem with a lot of DVD's these days. The music is much, much louder than the dialogue, and the dialogue isn't even cosistent in volume all the way through. So you have to keep adjusting the volume on your TV over and over. That's very annoying. I don't know if they can fix that on such an old film, but they should look into it. ("They" being the people who remaster the sound of these films for the digital release.)
I enjoyed the extras. It's nice to see the theatre previews for all three filmed versions of this story. It shows you how much more clever romantic comedies were in the 1940s compared to more recent years. I liked the Chicago travelogues as well. Great nostalgia! I will also state in agreement with other reviewers here that "Last Night When We Were Young" should have been included too.

Loses a star due to extras
The most disappointing DVD in the Signature Collection.
The included Chicago travelogues while curiosities tangentially worth including aren't worth trading off for in lieu of the missing deleted scene.
Why didn't WB include Garland's version of "Last Night When We Were Young," which was filmed but not used for this movie, on the DVD?
We know they have it .
We've seen it.
If they are saving it for the That's Entertainment Trilogy, I would have bought it anyway.
This ommision is not inadvertent and only created ill will. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Judy Garland's last, and perhaps best, film
Yes, you read that title right. I think "I Could Go On Singing" is greatly underrated. I actually consider it better than the excellent "A Star Is Born," which frankly -- George Cukor, forgive me -- needed some of the cuts it got.

In the semi-autobiographical role of Jenny Bowman, Garland gives an amazingly vulnerable and vital performance. She's in great vocal and physical form for the musical numbers, and although she doesn't look her best (you'd swear she was 10 years older than her actual age), she's fully engaged dramatically as well. Her hospital scene with Dirk Bogarde, where she talks about the life of a performer, has so much subtle shifting between emotions that it takes one's breath away. That alone should have earned her an Academy Award for this performance.

But the film offers even more than that. It's extremely well directed by Ronald Neame. The musical numbers boast very creative camerawork that considerably heightens the excitement -- "It Never Was You" is a case in point. They are the closest we have to seeing Judy Garland "in concert" in a movie (it can be argued that her TV series did the same on the smaller screen).

And the supporting performances are very fine. Bogarde, always an excellent actor, holds his own against the force of nature that is Garland by playing ying to her yang. The other actors are equally good. The script, too, is solid, and it refuses to take the easy "happy ending" route at the end, to its credit.

Unfortunately, MGM has released this movie with minimal care. The image transfer should have been much better (the reds, in particular, are highly unstable). As another reviewer mentioned, the DVD should have been anamorphic (enhanced for widescreen television). This film also deserved a commentary track and other extras, and there are none here. But, that said, this bare-bones DVD is inexpensive, so don't hesitate to buy it. Perhaps if MGM sees a high demand for this title, it will release a Special Edition in the future -- not likely, I know, but we can always hope.

Judy went out with a Bang!
This is probably in my top five favorite Judy movies! She is and always will be the greatest entertainer who ever lived. This film shows that Judy was an amazing actress! In the early MGM days, she made some fabulous films, but they never gave her the chance to play a dramatic role she deserved. I think another reason Judy was so amazing in this film is that she practically lived the life of Jenny Bowman. I also love the plot, Judy is kind of an Auntie Mame charecter, anyone who's seen the film knows what I'm talking about. It's a great movie for anyone who likes Judy, drama, or just a damned good film! What's also interesting is that in the hospitol scene (which I'm sure most of you know) Judy helped write a great deal of the dialogue. I'm glad they finally gave us a dvd of this film. I've been waiting forever! I actually paid $80 for a vhs copy of it a few years ago! But of course I still bought the dvd lol, after all, IT'S JUDY!

Judys last is her best
Judy is without a doubt at her best in her last movie role. She plays the title role with such pazazz that you would think its her life shes playing. A big plus is all the songs she sings are from one of her concerts. A must have for any Judy fan!!!!!!!

CLASSIC GARLAND TOUR-DE-FORCE!!! BRAVO JUDY!!!
By the time Judy Garland filmed her final classic "I Could Go On Singing", she knew how to act and pull out all the stops better than anyone and was in superb voice giving many of the most powerful film vocal performances ever in this sadly overlooked brilliant motion picture that has for years been one of my favorites!!! Judy looked sophiscated and every inch the superstar that she was and had a great supporting cast who were all perfectly cast including an engaging performance from Jack Klugman as her fiesty manager. Musical numbers filmed before a live audience added so much excitement to Judy's magnificent performances and the electricity of Judy's preparation moments before her entrance before the audience are incredible to experience!! Garland was the most soulful performer around and this performance should have been nominated for an Academy Award just as Miss Garland should have won Best Actress for the classic "A Star Is Born" but that is a totally different story that is one of the legendary "Oscar Blew Stories"! I was in High School when this classic came out and played at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. and people wildly applauded after the musical numbers and I have only witnessed this in the musical films of Judy, Barbra, and Liza!! The power of Judy's performances of the riviting "By Myself" which is a powerful vocal masterpiece and the stunning "Hello Bluebird" are among the all time top performances ever in motion picture history. The quite and haunting "It Never Was You" which has Judy just with a piano is a masterful live take that is Judy at her sublime best and again incredibly riviting on the great title song "I Could Go On Singing" and you just wish she would have! Dramatic scenes are intense and try not to be incredibly moved when you watch the brilliant interplay between Judy and Dirk during the amazing hospital scene!! Throughout Judy is at a dramatic peak playing out each scene with her "Son" and his "Dad" with remarkable depth and sensitivity. Thankfully this movie has been preserved first with its VHS release and now on DVD for anyone wanting to enjoy the best entertainer of the century giving one of the greatest performances of her incredible lifetime!! Bravo Judy!!! I am happy that this classic Legend happened in my lifetime...Enjoy!!!!!!

Garland Shines In Simple Story
Where does Jenny Bowman end and Judy Garland begin? That is the question one asks when viewing her last completed film, "I Could Go On Singing." It is a modest little film with a weak story about a singing mega-star who tries to reconnect with her child some fourteen years after giving him up to his English father.
Dirk Bogarde gives a solid and thankless performance as Jenny's lost love and father of her son. He seems to be present only to give Miss Garland something to rail against. Gregory Phillips plays the young son with charm and genuine gentleness. Jack Klugmann is the irascible manager to Jenny during her tour. The ever wise and understanding Aline MacMahon presents the ever wise and understanding Ida, assistant and soggy shoulder to Jenny.
What holds this film together is the incomparable talent and presence of Judy Garland. She gives it her all and shows us something of what the mythmakers might call "a glimpse of the really Judy Garland" in several scenes. In particular the scene in the hospital room with Dirk Bogarde seems to slide from fiction to a revelation by Miss Garland of what it cost her each time she walks out on a stage to sing. There is no doubt that we get to see Miss Garland at the peak of her performing style both as an actress and a singer. For this reason she raises the film to the level of beyond what could be expected of a lesser talent. The concert segments of the film are particular highlight and have a wonderful documentary feel to them. We are given a view of her transformation just before going on stage at which point Miss Garland sings at the top of her form and is both stunningly powerful and touchingly vulnerable. The highlights are "So Long Bluebird" and "By My Self".
The DVD is picture is fine despite a few odd lights tha