For those of you about to leave for holiday excursions: Have a good one. I didn't want you to be off without hearing a My favorite Christmas song is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and there's nothing better than hearing Judy Garland sing it. In lieu of sound, here is a lovely photo to gaze on from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) which contains both this cherished song and Judy's second best film performance. Her best, the one that should have brought her a slam dunk Oscar 10 years later, was in A Star is Born (1954). In what was possibly the kick off of the torturous "de-glam" Oscar-Bait gimmick Grace Kelly took the prize that year. She won for playing a longsuffering frumpy wife in The Country Girl. "Look I'm pretty. But I look crappy! If that's not award worthy, what is?!" This gimmick has won umpteen Oscars since and is like annual salt poured on my filmgoing wounds. Or at least fuel poured on the fire of doubts about AMPAS aesthetic discernment skills. Judy's performance is roughly 87 times more impressive. Don't even trust me on this one. See both for yourselves. You'll weep for the injustice.
Ooh, sorry got sidetracked there --Meet Me in St. Louis.
Back to Meet Me in St. Louis! Its riches don't end with Garland's beautifully sung and heartfelt star turn. It's also a heck of a movie, one of Vincent Minelli's best. It's exquisitely shot by George Folsey (who was Oscar nominated. Nobody ever made Judy look lovelier), with a fine ensemble cast. If Christmas isn't your bag, the film takes time for other holidays as well. Consider this a holiday week edition of "Classic Movie of the Week."
...and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
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