Musical Mondays: Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

     Meet Me in St. Louis was released on February 28th, 1944. It is directed by Vincente Minnelli and stars Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Mary Astor, and Lucille Bremer.  In it Esther Smith (Garland), a young lady living with her family in St. Louis, Missouri, falls in love with John Truett (Drake), the boy next door. She and her family are shocked when they find out that their father has been offered a better position in his firm and is planning to uproot the family and move to New York.

     Meet Me in St. Louis is told in a somewhat episodic fashion, split into three seasonal vignettes. The first, taking place in the summer of 1903, introduces the Smiths, a middle class St. Louis family consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Ames and Astor, respectively) their four daughters, Rose (Bremer), Esther, Agnes (Joan Carroll) and Tootie (O'Brien), their son Alonzo Jr. (Henry Daniels) their grandfather (Henry Davenport) and their maid, Katie (Marjorie Main). Esther has a crush on John Truett, the boy next door, who she meets at her family's neighborhood house party. Alonzo, the father and breadwinner of the family, is often kept out of the loop as to the goings on within his home. Much of this first act deals with Esther and John falling in love and with the family's efforts to help Rose receive a long distance call from her beau Warren Sheffield in private. An act which is thwarted by Mr. Smith, who is unaware that his daughter is expecting a call from a suitor.

     The next act, taking place on Halloween of 1903, introduces some conflict into the story as Mr. Smith, arriving home after a rather hectic Halloween, announces his plans to move the family to New York so that he can take advantage of a business opportunity there. Much to his surprise this greatly upsets his family, who have their roots in St. Louis and are loath to leave the city, especially so close the the World's Fair, which will open the following Spring. Ultimately though, the family support their fathers decision to leave.

     The final act, taking place over Christmas, serves as the films climax. Preparing to leave their beloved city for New York after the holiday, the Smith's remain somewhat tense. Rose's boyfriend, Warren, has decided to go to the Christmas Eve ball with Lucile Ballard, the girl her brother Lon wanted to go with. This causes some animosity between the siblings but Esther convinces them to go to the ball together. Esther herself is devastated when John reveals that he won't be able to take her to the ball as his tuxedo's locked up at the tailor's. Hoping to cheer her up Esther's Grandpa offers to take her to the ball himself, an offer she accepts. In the end Lucille Ballard decides to dance with Lon and Warren with Rose, leaving only Esther without her desired partner but John shows up, surprising her, and he proposes to her outside of the ballroom. Esther returns home worried about whether her relationship with John can survive their separation when her family moves away. She comforts Tootie, who is greatly upset about the upcoming move and Mr. Smith, witnessing this, realizes how much leaving the city will affect his family and decides not to take the job in New York. That same night, Warren Sheffield hastily proposes to Rose. The film ends the following Spring, at the opening of the St. Louis World Fair, as the Smiths attend the event together as a family.

     This film is filled to the brim with memorable tunes, some of them being period songs from the time of the St. Louis Exposition and others original songs written, mostly, by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane. From the longing sighs of "The Boy Next Door" to the energetic whimsy of "The Trolley Song" to the warm sentimental tones of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" many of Martin and Blane's songs would go on to become popular standards. Producer Arthur Freed wrote "You and I" a song which serves, in many ways, as the heart of the film, with the mother and father and then the rest of the family uniting, in song in their living room despite their misgivings about moving to New York. The framing of this scene, from Minnelli, is absolutely brilliant, as the children and their grandpa gradually gather around their mother and father, symbolizing the unity of the family. Minnelli, along with cinematographer George J. Folsey give the film a picturesque look, with many shots resembling paintings by Currier and Ives.

     The film is also filled with lively performances. Judy Garland (who met and eventually married Vincente Minneli on the set of this film) is at her most luminous here, with no sign of her later neurotic tendencies. Her voice is, of course, absolutely beautiful and makes me long for the days before autotune, when Hollywood musicals cast actors who could act and sing. Tom Drake is perfect as the earnest boy-next-door John Truett. Leon Ames is surly but lovable as Mr. Smith and Mary Astor brings an air of motherly strength and authority to Mrs. Smith. Harry Davenport is simply wonderful as the sly but benevolent Grandpa. Finally, seven year old Margaret O'Brien nearly steals the show as the mischievous young delinquent, Tootie.

     Meet Me in St. Louis is simply a joy to watch. It paints an idyllic, almost dreamlike picture of turn-of-the-century life in an American town. It's a wonderful blend of music, humor, and drama held together by a touching story about family and community.

Score: 9/10