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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:25 pm
by cam
Many people feel that Christmas would not be the same without It's A Wonderful Life. Personally, this film has little appeal to me.
Christmas Day in our house would not be the same without Meet Me In St. Louis, and Judy Garland singing to a weeping Margaret O'Brien in the window. Never fails to make our 46-year-old daughter collapse in torrents of tears.
Edited By cam on 1228080385
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 3:39 pm
by Big Magilla
The character of Mr. Smith as written was a bit of a stuffed shirt and that's how Leon Ames palyed him. However, Ames tneded to play all his father characters the same way. A case in point, the TV series version of Life With Father in which he and Lurene Tuttle had the roles originated by Howard Lindsey and Dorothy Stickney on Broadway and played with such charm by William Powell and Irene dunne in the film version.
Accompanying the Special Edition DVD is the 1966 pilot to the un-aired TV series based on the film with Shelley Fabares as Esther, Celeste Holm as Mrs. Smith and her husband, Wesley Addey as Mr. Smith. It makes for an interesting comparison, but isn;t particularly good especially with the canned laugh track.
It would be nice if they would release the 1959 TV movie version which I actually remember seeing. It starred Jane Powell as Esther, Patty Duke as Tootie, Jeanne Crain as Rose, Tab Hunter as John Truitt, Myrna Loy as Mrs. Smith, Walter Pidgeon as Mr. Smith, Ed Wynn as Grandpa, Lois Nettleton as Lucille and Reta Shaw as Katie. If memory serves I saw this before I saw the original and loved it.
Edited By Big Magilla on 1228084371
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 3:02 pm
by Reza
OscarGuy wrote:The only weak link for me was Leon Ames as Mr. Smith. He just seemed to stiff, but that may be as Minnelli desired.
Wouldn't you be ''stiff'' if you had to live with all those females under one roof?
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:50 pm
by OscarGuy
For those who were disheartened by my dislike of Vincente Minnelli, you may now breath a sigh of relief. I have found a Minnelli film I like. Meet Me in St. Louis is touching, well rounded, gorgeous to look at and features some mesmerizing music. I will forever be touched by Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It has been sanitized over the years and I don't think it has ever had the sorrowful impact as when it is sung here. Margaret O'Brien is a scene-stealer.
The only weak link for me was Leon Ames as Mr. Smith. He just seemed to stiff, but that may be as Minnelli desired.