Meet Me in St. Louis [1944]

I just watched this famous film for the first time in my life and I LOVED IT! Below, more of my impressions, with some limited SPOILERS! In this 1944 film we meet the financially comfortable Smith family, which lives in the good city of St. Louis, Missouri. The year is 1904, and all city talks only about World's Fair which will open towards the end of the year. The head of family, Alonzo Smith (Leon Ames), is a very busy lawyer. His wife, Anna Smith (Mary Astor) watches over the five children: one son, Lon Jr (who soon goes to college) and daughters Rose, Esther, Agnes and "Tootie". The daughters are the focus of the film. Rose (Lucille Bremer) is the oldest of all children and all family worries that in her middle 20s she is not yet married. Esther (Judy Garland) is barely 18 and she is desperately in love with their neighbour, a rather handsome but shy young man. Tomboyish and cat loving Agnes (Joan Carroll) is in her early teens. And last but not least there is "Tootie" (Margaret O'Brien), a delicious chatterbox aged seven, afraid of nothing, always looking for more mischief and trouble - and having a VERY special relationship with her dolls...))) Finally, there is also the ancient and wise, but still cheerful and young at heart Grandpa Smith (Henry Davenport) and the aging maid Katie (Marjorie Main), who is actually more like an extra family member. This film is a delicious story, merry, happy, heart warming and with excellent songs. All actors gave the maximum of what they could give and the director and scenarist did also an amazing job. At the end of the film, all is well in the best of the worlds - and it is good to see this kind of movie from time to time... Judy Garland shines in this film brighter than she ever did, so full of wit and joy of life she is. Small wonder that the director of the film, Vincente Minelli, ultimately fell in love with her -they were married one year later and Liza Minelli was born as the result in 1946... But all great as she is in this film, even Judy Garland was OUTSTAGED by 7 years old Margaret O'Brien, who plays "Tootie" - she actually got an Oscar for this role, an Academy Juvenile Award, the same prize Judy Garland got five years earlier for "Wizard of Oz". Rarely was an award so much deserved... Sadly it was also the only Oscar this wonderful film obtained, even if it was desservedly nominated four times. Bottom line, I absolutely loved this film and I will keep it preciously for future viewing. Enjoy!

Meet Me in St. Louis [1944] is a classic. The film is very well acted and filmed. This is a lovely family, funny, enjoyable, feel good film for Christmas and any time.

I've loved this film ever since seeing it for the first time. Yes, it's a brilliant musical, Hollywood at its best, with perfect songs for the unfolding story. Yes, it's got Judy Garland at the top of her form, belting out the 'Trolley Song', then softening for the heart-ripping 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' (if you don't well up with tears here, check you heart is still beating!). It's got a very un-Hollywood, honest, look at how strange childhood can be for little people (the Hallowe'en sequence, and the little girl smashing her snow people as an expression of grief and loss at the thought of leaving her home). Chiefly - and this only struck me recently - it is a war-time film, and reflects an awareness of families scattered and separated, and the dislocation that brings. When Garland sings "some day soon we all will be together, if the fates allow ...." she's singing to soldiers far from home, as much as to her own family. Watch it, have a good cry, and be enriched by it!

This brought back nice memories but now I am old I realise that really it is the lovely songs that make this film. Other than that I now find the film slightly irritating but worth it for the costumes and music.

As described daughters fav movie

Love this film, dvd is of excellent quality

A film that is firmly ticking all the boxes for those looking for a family classic to admire and tap your feet along with. This delightful musical deals with one family and their struggle to deal with the changing of the times at the turn of the century. When the Father is requested to move to New York permanently with his job, the rest of the family are not that keen to leave their memories and their beloved home in St. Louis, and in to the mix is the varying degrees of blossoming love involving the elder daughters and their respective beaus. This film is just so gorgeous on many fronts, the colour beautifully realises the tremendous scope director Vincent Minnelli brings with his recreation of the era, the attention to detail is quality supreme. The story is good and earthy, a sort of tale to have the viewer hankering for the good old days before the world got itself in one big hurry. The songs are crackers, enjoy standards such as The Boy Next Door, The Trolley Song, and the simply precious Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. The cast are across the board doing good work but it is of course Judy Garland who carries the movie firmly on her slender shoulders, and here she has never been prettier, and her voice is practically as good as it ever was in her career. A film for all the family to enjoy, a film that is from the top echelons of musicals, and a film that simply demands you relax and enjoy. 9/10 Right, I'm off to get a piece of cake..............

Meet Me In St. Louis is one of those MGM movies when everything is perfect, firstly the songs come at the right time!, and with Frances Gumm (Judy Garland) starring and her husband to be directing Vincente Minnelli, you cant go wrong. This was One of Garland's most successful films and one of her favourites for MGM, in which she introduced three brillient songs: "The Trolley Song", "The Boy Next Door", and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". It tells the story of four sisters living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana World's Fair in 1904. One of the sisters being Margaret O'Brien. its a wonderful movie and one my favourites out of all the MGM musicals. And one of my favourite songs done also by Judy Garland " the trolley song". Sometimes I always thought that MGM didnt use her voice, Judy Garland always had a 40's kick butt voices, she was excellent at up beat songs, hence the trolley song being one of my fav's. Thanks Judy.

it won't play on my dvd, but I will keep it anyway. thanks

goede musical zoals men ze niet meer maken spijtig genoeg

Muy buena película

Peccato solo che i sottotitoli non siano previsti anche per le canzoni - essendo un musical, sarebbe importante. Per il resto, tutto benissimo e film stupendo!

Loved the movie!