June 10 Judy Garland

Happy Birthday Judy Garland, June Haver, Robert Cummings and Sussue Hayakawa.

TCM celebrated Judy Garland’s birthday. I watched Everybody Sing. Allen Jones received first credit, but to me this is Judy’s film with Fanny Brice not too far off. I have never seen Fanny Brice in a film, so it is nice to see her in her element. She has a great number Delicate.

Judy plays a teenager who is expelled from school due to corrupting the school by singing jazz instead of the staid classical style music. She goes home and her theatrical parents are getting ready for a new show, but their backer pulls out and they don’t have any money. Judy deciding to help her family sings at a café. When the family finds out the father decides to scrape up money to send her on a trip to Europe with a family friend. On the boat Judy gives her friend letters to mail and gets off the boat. She auditions in blackface (with a believable southern accent) for a show, but Allen Jones, her family’s former cook recognizes her. He is going to take her home, but she convinces him to let her sing in the show to help her family. Fanny Brice the family housekeeper delivers a note to Allen and sees Judy. She tries to take her home, but Judy cons her into performing. In the musical Judy performs as a boy in a Baby Snooks skit. She gets to sing in a big number where it is just like at the school. The number starts very soft and melodic and she goes into jazz. The family realize that she is on stage and go after her. At the end of the play Billie Burke, who plays the mother is on stage and takes a bow. She has to be dragged behind the curtain by her husband. It is a fun 1930’s innocent musical. I think you can really see the great timing, song and comedic style that Judy has at a very young age. She has such a strong voice.