It's been raining cats and dogs since about 7pm. I got back from Pearl's at 6, and immediately went for a CSUN walk to get some mileage in before the deluge, so that was good. We had a nice Christmas lunch and then drove up to Granada Hills to see the lights, retracing the route I took with Grimsley two nights ago. When I got home from my walk I watched my all-time favorite Christmas Classic : "Meet Me In St. Louis", which of course stars Judy Garland and features Margaret O'Brien as the scene-stealing "Tootie", the youngest of the four Smith sisters. You know this movie, right? It takes place in 1903 in St. Louis, the year before the opening of the World's Fair.
The elder two Smith girls, Rose (Lucille Bremer) and Esther (Garland), are hoping for romance. Rose awaits a call from her boyfriend in New York, expecting a marriage proposal. Esther is infatuated with the handsome boy next door (Tom Drake), though at first he seems nervous around her and would rather shake hands than kiss her good night. The younger daughters are pre-adolescent, one being the five year old Tootie and the other her twelve year old sister Agnes (Joan Carroll). Agnes is a tomboy and Tootie is a holy terror. As played by O'Brien, one of the greatest child actresses, she is a classic character in American film. Tootie is, by turns, independent, morbid, daring, and too old for her years. When we first see her, five minutes after the film begins, she is "at work", riding along on an Ice Cart driven by Chill Wills. Tootie goes her own way and her parents allow it, as long as she is home in time for dinner.
The focus is on family life and love. A lot of time is spent on Garland's pursuit of John Truitt the neighbor boy, which gives Judy several opportunities to break into song. She looks different than you remember from "The Wizard of Oz" five years earlier, thinner and grown up, and her voice is as beautiful as ever. Margaret O'Brien is featured in an extended Halloween sequence that is as classic as any scene from the Golden Era. Tootie wants to participate in the "tricks" the older kids are playing, so she volunteers to knock on the door of the childrens' most feared neighbor, a bearded man with a European name. We all remember our own such house, where perhaps an elderly recluse lived, or someone we thought was weird. In every neighborhood there was always a house all the kids were scared of, and in the movie Tootie agrees to go to the door and "kill" the man living there, which is done by throwing a handful of flour in his face. Kids in 1903 had some pretty bold Halloween pranks! After she accomplishes her mission, Tootie is crowned "Most Horrible" by the other kids. She becomes so emboldened by this that, along with her sister Agnes, she attempts an even more terrible "trick". I won't tell you what it is, but it's played in good fun. Tootie is the polar opposite of the sweet natured moppets of the era. She buries her dolls in a backyard "cemetery" and sings bawdy songs about getting drunk. Really she's the heart of the Smith family, and it's her reaction to film's major plot point that will cause the story to resolve.
As Christmas approaches, Mr. Smith (Leon Ames) comes home with the news that the family is moving to New York. He's been given a promotion and a raise, and expects his wife and kids to be thrilled. When they aren't, the Season is all but ruined. Judy Garland is devastated at having to move away from John Truitt, who's finally gotten the nerve to ask her to the Christmas dance. Ditto Rose, who still hopes to get married. But Mr. Smith is adamant, and feels unappreciated, too. "You should be excited"!, he tells his family. "This is New York, the big city! Think of all the opportunities you'll have". But the girls and their brother Lon don't care. "St. Louis is a city, too, and it's our home", says Agnes. "It may not be as big as New York, but it's gonna have the World's Fair. Then it will be the center of the universe"! Dad won't budge, however. The Smiths are moving to New York and that's final. They shun him after that. "Go ahead, treat me like a criminal", he sulks. "All I do is earn money to keep food on our table".
Is it going to be a Merry Little Christmas at the Smith house, or a sad one? I think you know the answer to that. Even if you haven't seen the movie, you've surely heard the song, and when Judy sings it to Margaret O'Brien, lit by gaslight in glistening soft focus, you'd better have your handkerchief handy. And hold on to it because all hell is about to break loose. Tootie isn't leaving St. Louis without a fight...
Which will lead to a beautiful ending. You certainly weren't expecting different, were you? I thought not. After all, this is MGM and Judy Garland. The great Vincent Minnelli directed, and during the shoot he fell in love with Garland. They were married soon after, a fitting coda for this magical motion picture. I've seen "Meet Me In St. Louis" about a dozen times, and obviously I give it Two Gigantic Thumbs Up and my highest recommendation. It's a nostalgia-inducing look at The Good Old Days, idealised perhaps, but that's what we want in a Christmas Classic. The period sets are gorgeous and colorful and the World's Fair sparkles with light. You can really enjoy this movie at any time of year, however. More than just a holiday favorite, it's a great American film by any measure. /////
That's all for the moment. It is now Thursday afternoon, December 26th. I am back at Pearl's for the start of another work cycle. I'm gonna head out for a short walk, then to the store, and I will see you tonight at the Usual Time.
Tons of love! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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