St. Louis 1903. The well-off Smith family has four beautiful daughters, including Esther and little Tootie. Seventeen-year old Esther has fallen in love with John, the boy next door who has just moved in. He, however, barely notices her at first. The family is shocked when Mr. Smith reveals that he has been transferred to a nice position in New York, which means that the family has to leave St. Louis just before the start of the St. Louis 1904 World’s Fair. Garland debuted “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and because of that, along with a theme of family togetherness, the film has become a perennial favorite at Christmas. Set in the Edwardian era.
“Meet Me in St. Louis” is a classic MGM romantic musical comedy that focuses on four sisters (one of whom is the nonpareil Judy Garland) on the cusp of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The film spotlights the sisters’ education in the ways of the world, which includes, but isn’t limited to, learning about life and love, courtesy of the prototypical boy next door. In the end, love — accompanied by song, dance and period costumes, all in glorious Technicolor — conquers all.
In a cast that includes Mary Astor as Smith’s wife, Lucille Bremer as another Smith daughter, and Marjorie Main as the housekeeper, the most fascinating character is played by 6-year-old Margaret O’Brien, who won a special Oscar for her remarkable performance. Its songs are a heady combination of period tunes and newly minted numbers by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin, the best of which are The Boy Next Door, The Trolley Song, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. The movie’s pleasures are in the period detail, the glorious songs and the loving and nostalgic look at a time of innocence and optimism, where a long-distance call was almost as thrilling as having the World’s Fair come to your very own city. We see the family over the course of a year, celebrating Halloween and Christmas, riding the ice truck in the summer and building snowmen in the winter. They face the prospect of having to leave St. Louis so that Mr. Smith can accept a promotion. They wonder whether the older girl’s two boyfriends will propose. They treat each other with great loyalty and affectionate tolerance. And then they live happily ever after. – Common Sense Media
One of the most loving of all movie families. – Common Sense Media
The joys of the film linger with the music and encourage you to savor the true moments of family togetherness. – Hollywood Reporter
Starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake.
Note: The family-friendly movie was adapted by Irving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe from a series of short stories by Sally Benson, originally published in The New Yorker magazine under the title “5135 Kensington”, and later in novel form as Meet Me in St. Louis.