20 year old Judy Garland takes her first stab at adult acting in this great musical that naturally makes you cry. Before this 1942 debut, Judy had played those child/juvenile roles. (like Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz) Even a few years later, in 1944, she still played a 17 year old Esther Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis. Also, Gene Kelly, who will always credit Judy to abolish his "camera fright" has his movie debut in this movie. He, of course, was fresh off Broadway.
This movie is about a song and dance team in those "good old days of vaudeville", back in 1917, where Jo Hayden (Judy) teams up with Harry Palmer (Gene) as a song and dance team. However, when Jo senses unfaithfulness in Harry, she moves to performing soldiers out in France during World War I. It only worsens when Harry is drafted............
This was released when men were fighting out in the pacific and European theatres, and it was not pretty. Japanese and Nazi advances were at their extent, and MGM decided to make a movie to spark "patriotic" interest, with the abstract idea that you should enlist or buy war bonds. The first time I saw this, even I wanted to buy war bonds.
I recommend this movie to anyone because it will tug at your heart and make you really proud of the US.
This movie is about a song and dance team in those "good old days of vaudeville", back in 1917, where Jo Hayden (Judy) teams up with Harry Palmer (Gene) as a song and dance team. However, when Jo senses unfaithfulness in Harry, she moves to performing soldiers out in France during World War I. It only worsens when Harry is drafted............
This was released when men were fighting out in the pacific and European theatres, and it was not pretty. Japanese and Nazi advances were at their extent, and MGM decided to make a movie to spark "patriotic" interest, with the abstract idea that you should enlist or buy war bonds. The first time I saw this, even I wanted to buy war bonds.
I recommend this movie to anyone because it will tug at your heart and make you really proud of the US.