Heimweh nach St. Louis

It’s good everywhere; in St. Louis, it’s the best. A wonderfully guileless musical from a time when the nation needed some cheering up. The strengthening of traditional values and the subliminal encouragement of love of country are encoded in practically every scene. Based on their surname alone, the Smiths are a typical American family experiencing traditional situations (Halloween, Christmas). All important decisions are made by the wise and, when the moment calls for it, benevolent head of the family, and other developments in the narrative are also reserved for men. The duty of the women and girls is to lie in the arms of a strapping young man from a better family, then later cook delicious meals and support their husband (Mr. Smith’s wife is the only one who accepts the offered piece of cake). That’s not a reason to sneer, as Meet Me in St. Louis serves superbly both as a feel-good movie and as a film through which one can get a feel for the nature of interwar American society. Furthermore, Judy Garland is much more likable here, in terms of both her appearance and her singing, than she was in The Wizard of Oz. 80% (21.08.2014)

It's visually beautiful - that's just the Technicolor magic that always gets me - but in terms of story, it's not compelling enough to knock me off my feet. Judy Garland is adorable, and she yawns beautifully. There are some excellent scenes here, especially the Halloween one or the snowman scene, but otherwise, it's a film that warms your heart on a Sunday afternoon, and then you move on to do something else. (18.09.2014)