Summer Stock (1950)

A small-town farmer, down on her luck, finds her homestead invaded by a theatrical troupe invited to stay by her ne'er-do-well sister.

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

George Wells (screenplay), Sy Gomberg (screenplay)

Stars:

Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Judy Garland	...	Jane Falbury
Gene Kelly	...	Joe D. Ross
Eddie Bracken	...	Orville Wingait
Gloria DeHaven	...	Abigail Falbury (as Gloria De Haven)
Marjorie Main	...	Esme
Phil Silvers	...	Herb Blake
Ray Collins	...	Jasper G. Wingait
Nita Bieber	...	Sarah Higgins
Carleton Carpenter	...	Artie
Hans Conried	...	Harrison I. Keath

Storyline

As a favor to her actress sister Abigail, New England farmer Jane Falbury allows a group of actors use her barn as a theater for their play. In return, the cast and crew have to help her with the farm chores. During rehearsals, Jane finds herself falling for the show's director, Joe Ross, who also happens to be engaged to the show's leading lady-- Abigail.

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Plot Keywords:

farm | barn | actress | actor | female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

MGM Brings on the Show with Music - Dancing - TECHNICOLOR

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Genres:

Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 January 1951 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Casa, Comida e Carinho

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Judy Garland is said to have been at the height of her drug addiction throughout filming, resulting in her weight changes, mood-swings, and unexplained illnesses. It was due to this behavior that MGM fired her after filming completed.

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Goofs

At the beginning of "Wonderful You" you can see the shadow of the camera move across Garland and Kelly.

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Quotes

Orville Wingait: That actor! She's in love with that actor!

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Connections

Featured in MGM: When the Lion Roars: The Lion in Winter (1992)

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Soundtracks

Heavenly Music
(uncredited)
Written by Saul Chaplin
Performed by Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers and dogs

User Reviews

Kelly's best and worst number in one and the same film

Summer Stock is a lightweight yet enjoyable romp, full of songs and dance numbers, though the best new song (Fall In Love, which can be heard as an audio outtake on the DVD) was cut from the picture (perhaps because it features Phil Silvers and Gloria DeHaven instead of Kelly and Garland?).

Kelly and Garland work very well together, as usual, and the barnyard dance is probably her best ever dance performance. But she's equally good in the lovely You, Wonderful You-number, which presages You Were Meant For Me on a much smaller scale.

Kelly is in great shape in the barnyard dance, Dig for your dinner (reminiscent of Tomorrow from Cover Girl and The Hat My Dear Old Father Wore Upon St Patrick's Day in Take Me Out To The Ball Game). But the best number is without a doubt his solo to You, Wonderful You with the newspaper and squeaky board. To me it's Kelly's most Astaire-like performance (especially conceptually - the steps and style are all Kelly).

Unfortunately, the big show is fairly weak (excepting Get Happy, small wonder they added it), and Kelly and Silver's redneck number Heavenly Music is a disgrace. Unfunny, bad song and bad choreography/concept. I can't recall Kelly having done anything more disappointing.

So skip that one every time you pop in the DVD and enjoy the rest of Judy Garland's swan song for MGM, and Kelly's last 'normal' musical (before all his pictures became events).