Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) | |
| Director(s) | Vincente Minnelli |
| Producer(s) | Arthur Freed, Roger Edens (associate uncredited) |
| Top Genres | Family, Musical, Romance |
| Top Topics | Book-Based, Christmas, Holiday, Romance (Musical), Sisters, Turn of the Century |
Featured Cast:
Meet Me in St. Louis Overview:
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) was a Family - Musical Film directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by Arthur Freed and Roger Edens.
The film was based on the short stories 5135 Kensington written by Sally Benson published in The New Yorker and as a Novel (June 14, 1941 - May 23, 1942 (magazine) and 1942 (novel)).
SYNOPSIS
On nearly every list of the best Hollywood musicals of all time, Minnelli's slice of Americana set during the 1904 World's Fair was unusual for its failure to employ a "backstage" plot device to set up the songs More important, it served to reestablish Garland's career and established Minnelli (Garland's future husband) as a major American filmmaker. The story of the well-to-do Alonzo Smith (Ames) and his family is a nostalgic portrait an idealized happy American household, where the biggest worries concern the romantic futures of daughters Garland and Bremer and a possible move to New York. With songs like "The Boy Next Door," "Have Yourself a Merry Christmas," and the famous "Trolley Song," this soon became MGM's second most successful film, bested only by Gone With the Wind.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
.Meet Me in St. Louis was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1994.
Academy Awards 1944 --- Ceremony Number 17 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Cinematography | George Folsey | Nominated |
| Best Music - Scoring | Georgie Stoll | Nominated |
| Best Music - Song | Music and Lyrics by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin | Nominated |
| Best Writing | Irving Brecher, Fred F. Finklehoffe | Nominated |
BlogHub Articles:
Win Tickets to see ?TCM Big Screen Classics: Meet Me in St. Louis? (Giveaway runs now through Nov 24)
By Annmarie Gatti on Nov 18, 2019 From Classic Movie Hub BlogWin tickets to see ?TCM Big Screen Classics: Meet Me in St. Louis (75th Anniversary)? on the Big Screen!In Select Cinemas Nationwide Sun Dec 8 and Wed Dec 11 ?But the main thing is, Tootie, that we’re all going to be together, just like we’ve always been. That’s what really coun... Read full article
The Saint: Mary Astor in "Meet Me In St. Louis"
By Vanessa Buttino on May 2, 2013 From StardustThe Saint: Mary Astor in "Meet Me In St. Louis" The Smith House at 5135 Kensington Ave, St. Louis When I was around the age of 13 or so, I desperately wanted to live in the Smith household. Full of jolly family members, a crotchety old maid, and lovely Victorian decor, the Smith house conj... Read full article
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and Margaret O'Brien at the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival
By Raquel Stecher on Nov 30, -0001 From Out of the Past - A Classic Film BlogI had the pleasure of attending a very special screening of Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). It took place in the TCL Chinese Theatre (Grauman's Chinese) and actress Margaret O'Brien was in attendance. Seeing O'Brien at the TCM Classic Film Festival was an experience I'll never forget. In fact, I saw he... Read full article
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Quotes from
Katie the Maid: A lie's a lie. Dressin' it in white don't help it. And just why was I lying this time? Why must we have dinner an hour early?
Esther Smith: Because Rose is expecting...
Katie the Maid: Now don't go blaming your sister.
Esther Smith: Blaming her? Why, we're doing this for her. You know Rose's problem. Warren Sheffield has been writing to her for six months without one word that even smells like a proposal.
Katie the Maid: What's that got to do with having dinner an hour early?
Esther Smith: Warren is telephoning Rose long-distance from New York at half-past six.
Katie the Maid: Long-distance?
Esther Smith: Yes, and if the whole family is sitting here drinking in every word, she may be loathe to say the things a girl's compelled to say to get a proposal out of a man. If that man, unfortunately, is Warren Sheffield.
Katie the Maid: Personally, I wouldn't marry a man who proposed to me over an invention.
Esther Smith: Well, we can't be too particular. While we love Rose, the brutal fact is that, well, she isn't getting any younger.
Katie the Maid: There's the poor old maid now!
Mrs. Anna Smith: Rose, Esther, the water's hot. We're eating early tonight, so if you're going to wash your hair, you better do it now.
Rose Smith: All right, Mama. Es, why are we eating early?
Esther Smith: Well, you certainly don't want the whole family sitting there drinking in every word while a man proposes to you long-distance.
Rose Smith: Proposes? I don't see why you think Warren's going to propose to me.
Esther Smith: Well, why else would he be calling you long-distance? Do you know what it costs?
Rose Smith: I'm not even sure I'll be in. My dear, when you get to be my age, you'll find there are more important things in life than boys!
Agnes Smith: I can't get hungry till it gets dark.
Katie the Maid: Dinner's at five-thirty. You can eat blind-folded!
Mrs. Anna Smith: We have to be out of the dining room by six-thirty. Warren Sheffield is telephoning Rose from New York. And Rose, if I were you, I wouldn't committ myself one way or another. After all...
Rose Smith: Mama, for goodness sakes!
Mrs. Anna Smith: After all, we know very little about him. Why, we haven't even met his folks.
Rose Smith: It seems to me that one little phone call is causing an awful lot of excitement in this family!
Mrs. Anna Smith: Besides, you're entirely too young and I don't think your father will allow it.
Katie the Maid: Mrs. Smith, if I'm going to keep lying to your daughters, I'll have to ask for more money.
Mrs. Anna Smith: Now, remember, not a word of this to your papa. You know how he plagues the girls about their beaus.
Agnes Smith: Everybody knows but Papa?
Grandpa: Your papa's not supposed to know. It's enough we're letting him work hard every day to support the whole flock of us. He can't have everything.
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Facts about
The book on which the film is based originally ran as a weekly feature in the New Yorker Magazine in 1942. For the film many of the actions attributed to Tootie were actually done in real life by Sally Benson's sister Agnes. Also in reality, Benson's father moved the family to NYC and they never did come back for the World's Fair.
Van Johnson was originally cast as John Truett, but Tom Drake took over.
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