Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Let’s take a little trip through the Jake Ehrlich archives and go way back to the 1940’s. Yeah, not really a great time in our world’s history, but they did have some killer movies that came out during this time. From films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Bambi, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Maltese Falcon, the list goes on and on. And now I get to add Meet Me in St. Louis to this list. I feel kind of bad saying that the only Judy Garland movie I had seen before this was (surprise, surprise) The Wizard of Oz but I guess even a routine ranger like myself can manage to broaden his horizons every now and then. And, I’m glad I did, because this was a very heartwarming and entertaining experience. If anyone knows anything about Judy Garland, she was one of the most tragic movie stars in Hollywood but she always had a charming screen presence that could be emotional, relatable, expressive, and her singing voice was incredible. Everyone talks about what made her so good in films and after seeing this one, I can see what people are talking about. I feel like I got to see just how talented she was here and I can’t wait to discuss it further.

     The movie tells the story of the Smith family living in St. Louis, Missouri, in the year leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair. I’m actually not sure where I begin to describe this movie. Maybe that’s just my overloaded brain talking but there is so much to love about this film. I guess I can start with how much I loved Garland’s character Esther and her relationship with her family. It was both funny and sweet. There was also the costume design for the time period the movie’s set in. I’m not sure how accurate it was or if it was over-the-top or not but I thought the costumes were glorious to look at. I thought the acting was well-done in terms of the film’s tone. Garland gave a magnetic performance full of joy, longing, heartbreak, and when you combine her musical talents with this, there’s no stopping her. Another standout was Margaret O’Brien as Esther’s younger sister, Tootie. O’Brien gave Tootie a mix of mischief and melancholy that felt both quirky and dramatic, and she was only seven years old at the time. The rest of the cast did a superb job as well and made the Smiths feel like a real and loving family. Every actor brought warmth and dimension to their roles. I also loved the musical numbers. They tie in very well to the story, they’re super catchy to listen to, and I’m not sure I’ve seen a musical with song numbers to make me smile so much since I first saw Singin’ in the Rain. There’s so much else that could be said about this movie but I’ll just let the viewer decide what they think.

     This was a very memorable film experience for me. I laughed, I smiled, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried, too, and that’s coming from blank slate who rarely shows any emotions. This was a total feel-good movie and sometimes those are the kinds of things we need in this day and age to help us get by. If you’re like me, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. For that reason and everything else I said, I would have to give this movie a perfect 10 out of 10. If you’re into the classics, Judy Garland, or if you’re just looking for something to lift your spirits, then definitely check this film out. Cozy, colorful, and impossible to resist.