This film came as complete and wonderful surprise to me, as somehow or other I've never come across it or even heard of it before watching it on DVD recently.
Right from the off it's American self-mythologising at its best, with a light-hearted tongue in cheek humour that suggests British rumours that Americans have no sense of irony are not just exaggerated but downright lies. If you're wondering how the West was won, watch "The Harvey Girls" and you'll learn it was won by waitresses with spotless aprons and fanatical devotion to duty and attention to detail. I hope that's not a spoiler as its more or less the premise of the film from the opening scene, and if that's not enough to captivate you then just wait until you see Judy Garland eat a sandwich!
This film is a joy to watch, not just for Judy Garland, for its lavish and colourful costumes, or its precision controlled big song and dance numbers, but for its witty script, and its excellent supporting cast, which includes Ray Bolger as a blacksmith with a fear of horses, Cyd Charisse as a wannabee dancer, and Virginia O'Brien as a self-deprecating and supposedly unattractive best friend and room mate to Judy. It's not often I find myself wishing a film were longer, particularly a musical as lavish as this, but I was left wanting more, especially of Ray Bolger and Virginia O'Brien.
So, I'd have given this film 10/10 for its glorious use of Technicolor, its unusual scenario, its perfect execution, and wonderful acting., but was sorry we didn't get to see a happy ending for Judy Garland's friends as well as Judy herself. I was especially puzzled by the unaccountable disappearance of Virginia O' Brien, after a wonderful scene with Ray Bolger, so good and so quirky it may live longer in my memory longer even than the deservedly Oscar winning number "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe". It turns out that Virginia O'Brien was pregnant at the time of the shoot and some of her scenes had to be cut. Apparently some footage from some of these scenes is included on some DVDs of this film, so I'll certainly look out for them.
I should also give a mention to Angela Lansbury, who is also excellent, and glamorous enough to fully merit her role as prime female rival.
I realise I've hardly mentioned this film's leading men. That's not because there isn't anything nice I could say about them, but because they're not what makes this film special for me. That's not to criticise their performances.
I can only sum up by saying this: Watch this film, you won't regret it!
Right from the off it's American self-mythologising at its best, with a light-hearted tongue in cheek humour that suggests British rumours that Americans have no sense of irony are not just exaggerated but downright lies. If you're wondering how the West was won, watch "The Harvey Girls" and you'll learn it was won by waitresses with spotless aprons and fanatical devotion to duty and attention to detail. I hope that's not a spoiler as its more or less the premise of the film from the opening scene, and if that's not enough to captivate you then just wait until you see Judy Garland eat a sandwich!
This film is a joy to watch, not just for Judy Garland, for its lavish and colourful costumes, or its precision controlled big song and dance numbers, but for its witty script, and its excellent supporting cast, which includes Ray Bolger as a blacksmith with a fear of horses, Cyd Charisse as a wannabee dancer, and Virginia O'Brien as a self-deprecating and supposedly unattractive best friend and room mate to Judy. It's not often I find myself wishing a film were longer, particularly a musical as lavish as this, but I was left wanting more, especially of Ray Bolger and Virginia O'Brien.
So, I'd have given this film 10/10 for its glorious use of Technicolor, its unusual scenario, its perfect execution, and wonderful acting., but was sorry we didn't get to see a happy ending for Judy Garland's friends as well as Judy herself. I was especially puzzled by the unaccountable disappearance of Virginia O' Brien, after a wonderful scene with Ray Bolger, so good and so quirky it may live longer in my memory longer even than the deservedly Oscar winning number "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe". It turns out that Virginia O'Brien was pregnant at the time of the shoot and some of her scenes had to be cut. Apparently some footage from some of these scenes is included on some DVDs of this film, so I'll certainly look out for them.
I should also give a mention to Angela Lansbury, who is also excellent, and glamorous enough to fully merit her role as prime female rival.
I realise I've hardly mentioned this film's leading men. That's not because there isn't anything nice I could say about them, but because they're not what makes this film special for me. That's not to criticise their performances.
I can only sum up by saying this: Watch this film, you won't regret it!