"American Masters"
Judy Garland: By Myself (2004)

Director:

Susan Lacy

Writers:

Susan Lacy (writer)
Stephen Stept (writer)

TV Series:

"American Masters" (1983)

Original Air Date:

25 February 2004

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Retrospective | Concert Footage | Reflection | 1960s

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations

Cast

June Allyson	...	Herself (voice)
Leon Ames	...	Mr. Alonzo Smith (archive footage)
Del Armstrong	...	Himself (voice)
Desi Arnaz	...	Himself (archive footage)
Mary Astor	...	Mrs. Anna Smith (archive footage)
Lauren Bacall	...	Herself (archive footage)
Lucille Ball	...	Herself (archive footage)
Count Basie	...	Himself (archive footage)
Charles Becker	...	Mayor of Munchkin City (archive footage)
Tony Bennett	...	Himself (archive footage)
Clara Blandick	...	Auntie Em (archive footage)
Lucille Bremer	...	Rose Smith (archive footage)
Jackie Cooper	...	Himself (voice)
George Cukor	...	Himself (archive footage)
Mike Dann	...	Himself (voice)
Tom Drake	...	John Truett (archive footage)
Deanna Durbin	...	Herself (archive footage)
Buddy Ebsen	...	Himself (archive footage)
Roger Edens	...	Himself (archive footage)
George Fisher	...	Himself (archive footage)
Arthur Freed	...	Himself (archive footage)
Clark Gable	...	Himself (archive footage)
Judy Garland	...	Herself (archive footage)
Leonard Gershe	...	Himself (voice)
Mary Jane Gumm	...	Herself (archive footage)
Virginia Gumm	...	Herself (archive footage)
Jack Haley	...	The Tin Man (archive footage)
Margaret Hall	...	Lillian Burns Sidney (voice)
Margaret Hamilton	...	The Wicked Witch of the West (archive footage)
Jean Harlow	...	Herself (archive footage)
Bob Hope	...	Himself (archive footage)
Lena Horne	...	Herself (archive footage)
Rock Hudson	...	Himself (archive footage)
Norman Jewison	...	Himself (voice)
Isabel Keating	...	Judy Garland (voice)
Gene Kelly	...	Harry Palmer (archive footage)
Alan King	...	Himself (voice)
Jack Klugman	...	George (archive footage)
Bert Lahr	...	The Cowardly Lion (archive footage)
Hedy Lamarr	...	Sandra Kolter (archive footage)
Peter Lawford	...	Himself (archive footage)
Steve Lawrence	...	Himself (archive footage)
Peggy Lee	...	Herself (archive footage)
Mort Lindsey	...	Himself (voice)
Joey Luft	...	Himself (archive footage)
Lorna Luft	...	Herself (archive footage)
Sidney Luft	...	Himself (archive footage)
David Margulies	...	Joseph L. Mankiewicz (voice)
Dean Martin	...	Himself (archive footage)
Hugh Martin	...	Himself (voice)
James Mason	...	Norman Maine (archive footage)
Louis B. Mayer	...	Himself (archive footage)
Ethel Merman	...	Herself (archive footage)
Ann Miller	...	Herself (voice)
Liza Minnelli	...	Herself (archive footage)
Vincente Minnelli	...	Himself (archive footage)
George Morfogen	...	George Cukor (voice)
Frank Morgan	...	Professor Marvel / The Gatekeeper / The Wizard of Oz (archive footage)
George Murphy	...	Jimmy K. Metcalf (archive footage)
Cyrus Newitt	...	Bill Colleran (voice)
Louis Nye	...	Himself (archive footage)
Margaret O'Brien	...	'Tootie' Smith (archive footage)
Donald O'Connor	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jack Paar	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jane Powell	...	Herself (archive footage)
Chita Rivera	...	Herself (archive footage)
Mickey Rooney	...	Himself (archive footage)
David Rose	...	Himself (archive footage)
Robert Sella	...	Vincente Minnelli (voice)
Artie Shaw	...	Himself (voice)
Norma Shearer	...	Herself (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself (archive footage)
Barbra Streisand	...	Herself (archive footage)
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Herself (archive footage)
Shirley Temple	...	Herself (archive footage)
Terry-Thomas	...	Himself (archive footage)
Lana Turner	...	Sheila (archive footage)
Jerry Van Dyke	...	Himself (archive footage)
Robert Walker	...	Corporal Joe Allen (archive footage)
Margaret Whiting	...	Herself (voice)
Michael Wilding	...	Himself (archive footage)
Kay Williams	...	Herself (archive footage)
Harris Yulin	...	Narrator

Runtime:

USA:114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Company:

Educational Broadcasting Corporation

A Film Biography of Judy Garland

Done with great care, Judy Garland: By Myself (2004) underscores the fact that her legacy is on film. Some really wonderful musical moments are included in this film. The narrations were well done. As I watched performance after performance, I realized no one could tell Judy's story like Judy -- her songs tell it all! This film also touched on one of Judy Garland's greatest joys: motherhood. Some of my favorite moments in this film was the scenes with her children, they were so touching. Also, the unsuccessful string of marital relationships were alluded to, but, not elaborated on (perhaps that was a touch of discretion on the part of the film makers).

I saw the Wizard of Oz (1939) on TV when I was a kid. I continued to watch her movies on TV down through the years, growing to appreciate her performances more and more. I loved it when Judy Garland paired up with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Watching these show biz heavy weights on film together, it was magic! And, viewing her later performances, one could see the fire still in her eyes, she was such a fighter! This film gives an apt representation of Judy Garland's career; her ups and her downs, her victories and defeats. It even touches on how the industry ravished Judy Garland's genius to their own selfish ends. Despite being at the mercy of the entertainment system and a stage mom who allowed the abuse to go on (over work, drug abuse & etc), Judy Garland was able to give timeless performance after performance.

I do not think that you can do justice to her life's work in two hours, but, this film does her life's work some justice.