In the Good Old Summertime (1949)

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:

Miklós László (play)
Samson Raphaelson (earlier screenplay)

Release Date:

29 July 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

It's turn of the century America when Andrew and Veronica first meet - by crashing into each other....

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Shop | Penfriend | Stradivarius | Clerk

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Veronica Fisher
Van Johnson	...	Andrew Delby Larkin
S.Z. Sakall	...	Otto Oberkugen (as S.Z. 'Cuddles' Sakall)
Spring Byington	...	Nellie Burke
Clinton Sundberg	...	Rudy Hansen
Buster Keaton	...	Hickey
Marcia Van Dyke	...	Louise Parkson
Lillian Bronson	...	Aunt Addie

Also Known As:

I Don't Care (USA) (working title)
The Girl from Chicago (USA) (original script title)
The Good Old Summertime (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In the scene where Judy and Van meet in the restaurant, the woman sitting directly behind Judy is wearing the exact same green and plaid outfit that Cyd Charisse wore in "The Harvey Girls" three years earlier.

Goofs:

Continuity: When singing "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland", Veronica lifts the harp several times. Sometimes the bottom of the harp is plain wood, but sometimes it is covered with green felt.

Quotes:

Andrew Delby Larkin: [of his sister's children] One of them's named for me.
Veronica Fisher: Which one?
Andrew Delby Larkin: [slightly confused] Andrew.

Movie Connections:

Featured in So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 5, 1st Movement

Conventional, But Beautifully Done

This story of two co-workers who loathe each other--and then perversely fall in love when they correspond anonymously through a lonelyhearts club--has been filmed three times, first in the 1930s as THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER with stars James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan and most recently in the 1990s as YOU'VE GOT MAIL with stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. This 1940s musical version, which sets the story in an early 1900s Chicago music shop, stars Judy Garland and Van Johnson.

Although the score is not in the least memorable, Garland is in fine voice, and although they lack any real chemistry she and Van Johnson play well together. More appealing is a romantic subplot concerning shop owner S.Z. Sakall and his long time ladyfriend Spring Byington, who are extremely charming in their roles and quite a bit of fun to watch. Fans of Buster Keaton will also enjoy seeing him in a small cameo role, and film buffs will be delighted to see Garland's daughter Liza Minnelli make her film debut in the movie's closing moments.

Although there is a great deal to enjoy here, the material is highly conventional, and the project would have benefited from a more gifted directorial vision. A quality product with remarkable stars--don't expect too much and you'll enjoy it quite a bit.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer