Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2980 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-05-24
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Turkish, Arabic, Czech, Danish, English, Spanish, Hungarian, Portuguese, Finnish, Romanian, German, French, Italian, Dutch
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the finest American musicals, this 1944 film by Vincente Minnelli is an intentionally self-contained story set in 1903, in which a happy St Louis family is shaken to their roots by the prospect of moving to New York, where the father has a better job pending. Judy Garland heads the cast of Meet Me in St Louis in what amounts to a splendid, end-of-an-era story that nicely rhymes with the onset of the 20th century. The film is extraordinarily alive, the characters strong, and the musical numbers are so splendidly part of the storytelling that you don't feel the film has stopped for an interlude. --Tom Keogh

Synopsis
Vincente Minnelli's classic romantic musical about a well-off family, the Smiths, in 1903 St. Louis. As the two oldest girls fret about boys and love, a darker, more serious cloud appears on the horizon: their father is being transferred to a job in far-off New York City just as the World's Fair is coming to town and making St. Louis the "centre of the world". Will they have to leave the home and town they love and their new boyfriends?

Customer Reviews

Entertaining Shmultz
Garland has a pretty nasty voice by any measure, and the songs themselves set a high standard in banalty.

The awful sweetness of this DVD would make a hardened sailor wretch, but the thing trots along briskly enoough, for which it merits 2, not 1 stars.

There was a time...
Yes, Virginia. There was a time when Hollywood used saturated color and made movies with upbeat themes and charismatic actors. But even by the standards of those bygone days, MEET ME IN ST LOUIS was a remarkable achievement.

It was based on a series of stories by Sally Benson (called "Tootie" when she was growing up) which were based on the author's life in St. Louis around the turn of that century. To their credit, the producers and studio kept the gentle plot of family life rather than add more dramatic oomph. But they did add songs - and - ooomph - what songs! Even resurrecting "Skip to My Lou" in swing time.

Judy Garland is the most famous name of the cast. But, look closely at the rest and you'll be looking at some of the best studio actors of the time. 7-year-old Margaret O'Brien, who plays Tootie, ranks on my personal list of favorite actresses of all time. This is probably her best role. Mary Astor as the mother was a leading actress for years. Leon Ames was a reliable father-type for years. Harry Davenport was the grandfather I wished I had. And Marjorie Main... well!...

Let's add this up: A simple drama set a century ago - tuneful songs - a terrific cast - packaged together with rich visuals, sets and costumes by Vincente Minelli and team.

Speaking of packages, this DVD includes an insightful "making of" featurette and a soundie (an old music video) of the movie's songwriters performing "Skip to My Lou" in the same style that would be used in the movie.

What's that? Alright, Virginia. From now on, I'll call you "Tootie".

judy at her BEST
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.