The Harvey Girls (1946)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Samuel Hopkins Adams (novel) and
Eleanore Griffin (story) ...

Release Date:

18 January 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Western

Tagline:

It's Blazing, Blistering Romance . . . in the wide open spaces !

Plot:

On a train trip West to become a mail order bride Susan Bradley meets a cheery crew of young women traveling...

Plot Keywords:

Mail Order Bride | Restaurant | Train | Saloon | Saloon Girl

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Susan Bradley
John Hodiak	...	Ned Trent
Ray Bolger	...	Chris Maule
Angela Lansbury	...	Em
Preston Foster	...	Judge Sam Purvis
Virginia O'Brien	...	Alma from Ohio
Kenny Baker	...	Terry O'Halloran
Marjorie Main	...	Sonora Cassidy
Chill Wills	...	H.H. Hartsey
Selena Royle	...	Miss Bliss
Cyd Charisse	...	Deborah Andrews
Ruth Brady	...	Ethel
Jack Lambert	...	Marty Peters
Edward Earle	...	Jed Adams
Morris Ankrum	...	Rev. Claggett

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #10927)

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In the big production number "on the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe", from Judy Garland's entrance until the tempo change is one take. Rumor has it they only shot it twice and she was dead on both times.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the fire at the Harvey House while fighting the bad guys, Ned Trent has a tablecloth wrapped around his neck. Seconds later it's draped over his left shoulder.

Quotes:

Alma: [talking to Susan Bradley] I sent my picture into one of those Lonely Hearts Clubs and they sent it back, saying "We're NOT that lonely!"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Biography: Andy Williams" (2003)

Soundtrack:

It's a Great Big World

No Vincente Minelli -- and it shows

The first person you see is Judy Garland singing an infinitely forgettable song.

For the most part it goes up from there.

This is a film that Vincente Minelly did not direct and even though it shows Judy at her demure best he had a knack for bringing out the best in her performances.

Surprisingly enough, this is not an entirely inaccurate history of the women that opened up the West -- just as much as the men did.

For those that do not know -- Fred Harvey was a railroad tycoon and visionary that realized that the United States could only expand Westward -- and he was there to help fulfill that dream.

His chain of "Railroad Hotels" (some of which still exist) and the women that staffed them, helped to civilize parts of the United States that were raw and uncultured.

This is one of those incredible films that has every face you have ever seen in a movie -- even if you do not always know their names: Ray Bolger, Preston Foster, Virginia O'Brien, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Marjorie Main, Chill Wills and even Cyd Charisse.

This is cameo paradise and there is a character and face there for everyone.

The songs, the costumes, the sets and everything BUT the dialogue and story are top notch. But who needs a good script when you have a cast of STARS! (Especially Judy Garland.)

Take the good parts from this movie and try to pretend the rest never happened.