I love this movie but I've noticed people are divided about they either love it or hate it as opposed to Meet Me in St Louis which seems to be one of the most beloved Judy Garland movies and a highly regarded musical as well.
Any thought about it?
I've had this impression, more or less, for a long time as well, and am glad to read a similar thought from someone else. I've always loved this movie and the only thing I can see clearly which may separate its allure from that of MMISL is the generosity of musical spotlights bestowed upon essentially every member of the cast, including Judy. It plays more like an ensemble musical rather than a starring vehicle for Judy (though she's certainly the lead): there are solos for Kenny Baker ("Wait and See," with Cyd Charisse dancing briefly opposite him); Virginia O'Brien (horse-shoeing in the "Wild, Wild West," with support from Ray Bolger); Bolger himself featured dancing at the Harvey House ball; all the ladies leading both the waltz and "The Train Must Be Fed," the entire company on "Atchison;" three leads on "It's a Great Big World;" Angela Lansbury singing two numbers in the saloon, and on it goes. Considering that it still wraps up under two hours, that's a lot of musical!! Some may think it was too much, as is often the complaint about musical films. I think it was just fine.
shareHarvey Girls is a great movie. I don't get the low IMDb rating (it's currently below 7), and it should deninitely be more famous. I think it should rank as one of the best musicals from the Freed unit.
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I totally agree. This movie is wonderful. At the time, and for good reason, Judy was the Queen of MGM musicals and every project she did was top notch. It was only because it was a Judy Garland vehicle that the musical receive the care it did, from music by Warren and Mercer to art direction by Cedric Gibbons, Produced by Arthur Freed and Roger Edens, and performed by such talents as Virginia O'Brien, Ray Bolger, Cyd Charisse, Margorie Main and of course the immortal Judy Garland.
It's amazing the amount of sheer talent in this movie.
I would pay today's full ticket price just to see the jaw dropping opening number "On the Atcheson, Topeka and the Sante Fe".
It rather bothers me that in the 1940's, just about every movie Judy made was considered an instant classic, and for perhaps another 40 years after.. but nowadays she gets recognition for The Wizard of Oz and Meet Me in St. Louis from this era and that's about it. Her body of work will never be equalled for quality and musicality. Nor will she.
Love Judy, but this is an arduous film. Too much going on, much of it not very amusing. And to think, there was even MORE of it! (We got to see a very long deleted number in one of the "That's Entertainment" movies.)
Garland, and the movie itself, seems strained. "In the Good Old Summertime" is so much better. "Summer Stock," for all its clichés is better! "The Pirate" is supposed to be her "arty" failure, but for my money, it is a far more entertaining offering than "The Harvey Girls." Audiences of the time did not agree w my opinion; it was a big hit. Go figure.
Angela Lansbury is great.
I love The Harvey Girls!
I saw it for the first time last year and I've been wanting to see it again ever since! TCM seems to be showing it rather frequently lately and I watched it again a few months ago.
And I love it just as much as the first time!
I kept it on the DVR and a few weeks ago, I watched some of the numbers again - "Atchison, Topeka and the Sante Fe" and "It's a Great Big World" (Judy, Virginia and Cyd Are SO CUTE!) and I watched "Wild Wild West" twice! It is HILARIOUS!
I love Meet Me in St. Louis and Wizard of Oz ... but I think after I see The Harvey Girls a few more times, I will love it as much as her other classics.
Janet! Donkeys!
I wouldn't call this a great film, but it does have some terrufic songs... and I actually prefer it to "MMISL"!
I may be the only one who does, but I never liked that movie very much. It's so... domestic.