A film that has a Christmas song, gives it guaranteed viewers. Some of these movies are good, some aren’t. Meet Me in St. Louis gave us one of the best songs for the holiday ever written or performed in a movie. That song was Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It has been performed many times by countless singers. Judy Garland does the best version of anyone.
This movie, shows why MGM, dominated Hollywood for a generation. It was produced in technicolor, and directed by the up and coming, Vincente Minnelli. The studio was impressed by his work on Cabin in the Sky. They gave him this film and his career skyrocketed. He went on to direct some of the most famous musicals in history. One of these is the academy award winning, An American in Paris. This movie is often lauded as the best movie musical.
Vincent Minnelli did more than impress studio executives. He impressed the studio’s huge star, Judy Garland. She gave a terrific performance for him as Esther Smith. She impressed Minnelli so much, that he married her after the completion of the film. The union didn’t last long, but produced a daughter, Liza. She nearly eclipsed her mother’s fame as a movie star and singer.
Meet Me in St. Louis is a simple story about a year in the life of the Smith family. It covers summer 1903-spring 1904. The family consists of Mr. Alonzo Smith, (Leon Ames), Mrs. Anna Smith (Mary Astor), Esther, Tootie, (Margaret O’Brien), Rose, (Lucille Bremer) Agnes, (Joan Carroll), Lon Smith Jr, (Henry H. Daniels Jr.) Grandpa, (Harry Davenport) and Katie,(Marjorie Main). Katie is the maid, but is an unofficial family member. Marjorie Main would later star in her own series of films as Ma Kettle.
The main story revolves around the two oldest daughters, Rose and Esther and their romances with Warren Sheffield, (Robert Sully) and John Truett, (Tom Drake). This wouldn’t be a musical without songs. Judy Garland sings The Boy Next Door, about John Truett. She also performs one of her signature numbers, The Trolley Song. This movie shows her acting and singing talents like never before. Her performance in this movie, is considered her first adult role.
The film is nearly stolen by Margaret O’Brien. She does a song and dance with Judy Garland and Lucille Bremer. She is very convincing as a broken-hearted child, after finding out the family is moving to New York. This is when Judy Garland sings Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to her. Margaret O’Brien’s performance, did not go unrewarded. She received a juvenile acting award from the academy.
This movie is not only a charming musical, but it is filled with with very good performances. Mary Astor does very well as the Smith family matriarch. She performs well alongside Leon Ames, the Smith patriarch. Mary Astor started in the silent films and transitioned to sound. She played opposite Clark Gable in Red Dust. She played the femme fatale opposite Humphrey Bogart, in The Maltese Falcon. Her career waned after Meet Me in St. Louis, but she is an actress who was there at the beginning of Hollywood’s golden age. Her role in this movie gives her lasting fame. This is something that so many in Hollywood never achieve.
Leon Ames does well in his role. He is a little clueless as to his daughter’s personal lives. One of the film’s highlights is his performance of You and I with Mary Astor. This sums up the couple’s feelings for one another. Ames became somewhat famous for playing father figures in other films, starring Doris Day. He had a long acting career, transitioning to television. He not only acted, but was a founding member of The Screen Actors Guild. He also served in executive positions for many years, including president.
Harry Davenport is an example of an actor, who can make a character stand out. He spent years acting on the stage, and later made the move to films. This was a great career move. He played the fatherly Dr. Meade in Gone With the Wind, giving Scarlett O’Hara a much needed lecture. His turn of Grandpa, gives the film warmth and charm. He appears just to be an elderly man living in the Smith household. He is much more. He recognizes wrong behavior. Grandpa points out Esther’s bad behavior toward Lucille Ballard, played by June Lockhart, television icon. He makes Esther dance with the less than desirable boys, that she set up for Lucille. After this punishment, she dances with Grandpa, disappearing into the Christmas tree. She then emerges with John Truett. This is a magical scene, that MGM specialized in doing.
Meet Me in St. Louis isn’t technically a Christmas film. The scenes that take place at Christmas are the best ones in the movie. It is shown every year during the holiday season. This film when it was released, made more than any other film for the studio in twenty years, with the exception of Gone With the Wind. It doesn’t matter how this film is classified, it is an enjoyable viewing experience.