Summer Stock (1950)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Sy Gomberg (story)
George Wells (writer) ...

Release Date:

22 January 1951 (Sweden)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Plot:

A small-town farmer, down on her luck, finds her homestead invaded by a theatrical troupe invited to stay by her ne'er-do-well sister.

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Farm | Barn | Actor | Barn Dance

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Jane Falbury
Gene Kelly	...	Joe D. Ross
Eddie Bracken	...	Orville Wingait
Gloria DeHaven	...	Abigail Falbury (as Gloria De Haven)
Marjorie Main	...	Esme
Phil Silvers	...	Herb Blake
Ray Collins	...	Jasper G. Wingait
Nita Bieber	...	Sarah Higgins
Carleton Carpenter	...	Artie
Hans Conried	...	Harrison I. Keath

Also Known As:

If You Feel Like Singing (UK)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #14515) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

One one particular day of fiming, Judy Garland was said to be "not in a fit state to work" so Gene Kelly feigned a fall so that she would be able to take the day off.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Jane drives her new tractor home, the sun is on her left for most of the drive until she comes to a village then the sun is on her right. The sun returns to her left after she leaves the village, having put water in the tractor's radiator.

Quotes:

Joe D. Ross: When the show's over and it's the success I hope it is, we've got alot of talking to do.
Jane Falbury: What about?
Joe D. Ross: Oh, all kinds of things. First I want to hear the story of your life. Everything that's ever happened to you since you were so high. And then I want to know what you eat for breakfast, what's your favorite color, what comic strips you read. Then we'll talk about shoes, and ships, and sealing wax, and shows. Farms. Families. Oh it may take hours. Weeks. Years. I want to know everything.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in New York, New York (1977)

Soundtrack:

If You Feel Like Singing, Sing

A Friendly Star in Judy Garland.

Some moments of this otherwise B-level film are quite astonishing, like Gene Kelly's solo dance with the newspaper or the conversation between Gloria De Haven and Eddie Bracken which gently reveals their affection for each other. But the film, more or less, belongs to Judy Garland- she of the frequently strained health and nerves, who nevertheless made it all look very easy. That said, this is a good one, albeit a corny one. The hillbilly number done with Kelly, Phil Silvers, and the chorus is a bit much, but the film does show off Garland's talent for low-key, witty comedy. And "Get Happy" aside, the 'Portland Fancy' square dance which seamlessly turns into a swing duet with Garland and Kelly is probably the most enjoyable moment of the whole film. (Considering Garland's strength was singing, her dancing was quite impressive.) And my favorite Garland solo is the moonlit ballad "Friendly Star," done almost all in closeup, with the star's beautiful dark eyes on the brink of tears through the whole number. It's a pleasant swan song for her MGM era, but thankfully, her greatest musical (A Star Is Born) was still yet to come.