The Harvey Girls (1946)

Korina

If you love Judy Garland and old musical romances this is the perfect movie for you. June 3, 2008

Judy! Judy! Judy!

There was never a more talented actress than Judy Garland! During the 40's when very few actresses could hold a picture on their own shoulders, the entire weight of THE HARVEY GIRLS was put on Judy's shoulders. She was probably the only actress to carry a picture and outshine every other person in the movie. John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury and Ray Bolger co-star, and although they give great performances, they are dim compared to Judy's. She just shines!
THE HARVEY GIRLS is mostly noted for it's incredible and magnificent (almost 10min. long) "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" number that won an award for Best Song, but there was another number, filmed on MGM's backlot, that Judy sings entitled "March On Little Doagies," complete with flaming torches and cowboys. Unfortunetly it was cut from the movie, but fortunelty, it is included on this DVD, with yet another deleted number "My Intuition". (It's worth purchasing this DVD just to hear Judy sing "March On Little Doagies"). I had originally seen the number on "That's Entertainment!" and I knew I had to purchase the movie (it was a good decision)! I love this movie!
I would also like to note that MGM's lovely dancing star, Cyd Charisse (in one of her early roles) plays Deborah.

Note: Notice when Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse and Virginia O'Brien sing and dance to "It's a Great Big World", Judy (at 4'10") is noticeably shorter than Cyd and Virginia. Even though she has about 5" heels on and they have flats.

Enjoy! May 17, 2008

A TREAT FOR FANS OF JUDY GARLAND AND ANGELA LANSBURY

Movies often have a long history BEFORE the cameras roll. "THE HARVEY GIRLS" was originally envisioned as a straight Western, with the likes of Lana Turner (a thorn in Judy Garland's side at MGM), Joan Crawford, and Clark Gable. It was turned around as a musical; similar in its Americana, homespun/folsky spirit to Rodgers & Hammerstein's "OKLAHOMA!" With Judy Garland in, Clark Gable was OUT as her love interest. Because Judy had sung the ballad "You Made Me Love You" to Gable's photo in "BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938" as an adolescent, it was thought that audiences would not accept an onscreen romance between Garland and Gable; never mind that she was now a beautiful, grown woman. Never mind, really, because John Hodiak fills the bill nicely as resident hunk Ned Trent.
The plot premise is slight and a bit weird, but Judy Garland, regardless of how silly the plots of her films at MGM often were, was always best playing women who wanted to get a lot of adventure out of life. Her character of Susan Bradley says here in this film, "The Constitution guarantees the pursuit of happiness, but it's up to me to do the pursuing!" Susan has traveled all the way to Sandrock ("the bare and blistered end of creation") to answer a marriage ad. When the ad turns out to be a joke of Ned Trent's, she decides to stay and work as a Harvey Girl waitress. All the girls have come to town "On The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe"-- which won Johnny Mercer and Harry Warren an Academy Award for "Best Song Of 1946." Several girls are quickly and easily frightened out of town by cheap and obvious scare tactics. Judy, Cyd Charisse, and Virginia O'Brien are the only original three ladies tough enough to tackle the Wild West, and Majorie Main is always good for laughs.
The Harvey House Restaurant is right across the street from Ned's saloon/brothel, where a very young and beautiful Angela Lansbury is Em, the hooker with a heart of gold. Judy and Angela are rivals for Hodiak's affeections. (Angela is the Bad Girl, Judy is the Good Girl). A cat-fight/brawl between the "Good Harvey Girls" and the "Bad Saloon Girls" is thrown in for good measure.
Angela Lansbury's singing voice is dubbed in here; especially ironic since Angela later went on to win a record four Tony Awards for her roles in the Broadway musicals "MAME," "DEAR WORLD", "GYPSY", and
"SWEENEY TODD."
Virginia O'Brien has one fun song titled, "It's Too Darn Mild In The Wild, Wild West." O'Brien is seen in the first half of the film, and is absent entirely from the second half. This is because, as the late director George Sidney points out in his cheery, amiable, but meandering walk down memory lane of a DVD audio commentary, she went off to have a baby. There is even a mini "THE WIZARD OF OZ" reunion here. Ray Bolger is also in the cast as meek blacksmith Chris Maul. He appears in production numbers and dances with Judy. Ray and Judy worked together again on Judy's 1964 TV Variety Show.
A look at the deleted but huge production number "March Of The Doagies" strongly suggests that the best musical sequence in the film was left on the cutting-room floor!! Bursting with the vibrant Technicolor hues from a sadly vanished age of Cinema, "THE HARVEY GIRLS" is too slight and lightweight on plot to succeed or be considered as a great Musical or Western, but it does entertain, nevertheless, in its own merry way. October 8, 2007

Oldies but goodies!!

Absolutely loved it !! I love any movie with Judy Garland in it! February 24, 2007

The Harvey Girls

A must see for any Judy Garland fan. Home of The Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe - a classic!! January 22, 2007

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