Meet Me in St. Louis

Live TV is the most difficult medium for an actor.

In film, if you make a mistake, there's always another take. In theater, if you make a mistake, maybe 500 people see it and there always the next show. On live TV, viewers millions of viewers immediately see any mistake and once it's out there you can't take it back.

The actors in the 1959 version of Meet Me In St Louis had 4 weeks to prepare before going on live TV. The product they turned out was more than satisfactory for family entertainment on a Sunday night. Jane Powell had a strong voice and was excellent in the lead role. With an all star supporting cast including Tab Hunter, Myrna Loy and Walter Pidgeon it must have been a ratings bonanza.

I would recommend this film to any family seeking wholesome entertainment.

This 1959 production of "Meet Me in St. Louis" was an MGM film made for a special TV showing on CBS. I have seen the 1944 MGM color original a couple times, but didn't remember having seen or even knowing about this TV film until recently. Because of the cast, I got a DVD. I was interested especially to see Jane Powell, Jeanne Crain, Myrna Loy and Walter Pidgeon in their roles. Even though most of this cast were past their peak years, this film had more star power than the 1944 film had in its day.

Well, this film was just about as good as the original. In some ways it is better, because it's a more realistic picture and feel of family life. The 1944 film was intended to be an extravaganza, so it's more lush in the sets, scenery, musical productions, etc. I like both films, so these remarks will just be to make some more comparisons. Modern audiences are more apt always to go with color, and the splash of the 1944 original is entertaining. The 1959 TV film is somewhat more subdued and seemingly down to earth, and therefore able to be identified with more closely.

This TV film was made with Tab Hunter in the male lead - a popular rising star among the young set. But I don't think his singing is anything special, and his acting isn't any better than Tom Drake's in the original. Judy Garland was 22 for the 1944 film, and at her best and steady singing voice. Jane Powell, on the other hand, was 30 and had matured and changed her looks quite a bit since the string of very good musicals she had made as a teen and younger adult since 1944 through the early 1950s. This story doesn't have an operatic number for Powell to sing, so her singing is in popular style. And, the mature edge in her voice change makes it a bit older for a teenage girl. Judy Garland's voice nails that superbly. Powell also is a little more serious - connoting maturity, in her role, but she also is less childlike.

Mary Astor played many supporting and second lead roles in her long career, and she was quite good as the mother, Mrs. Anna Smith. But I think Myrna Loy has a clear edge on her, and it was a delight to see this actress who had entertained so much with comedies and dramas over the years, now in a combined role of a believable and wise mother and wife. I also liked Walter Pidgeon as the father and husband, Alonzo Smith, and think he may have put a little more spark of conflict in the character than did Leon Ames - who nevertheless, was very good. But Pidgeon's older age, which is more apparent than for many actors, makes him appear many years older than his wife, and a father of a child as young as Tootie.

Two of the cast in the original are unbeatable for the types of characters they play. Harry Davenport as a feisty grandpa was always a delight in any movie he was in. And Marjorie Main, in whatever housekeeper role she had, was always perky and very good with lines to suit her persona. Ed Wynn as grandpa, and Reta Shaw as the maid, Katey, are good in their respective roles in the 1959 TV film - but somewhat less than the originators of the roles.

Esther's sisters were about equal except for the roles of Rose and Tootie Smith. Jeanne Crain's Rose is better in the TV film than was Lucille Bremmer in 1944. And, although the original film had one of the most popular child actors in Hollywood history, seven-year-old Margaret O'Brien in the role of Tootie Smith, I think she was thoroughly topped by Patty Duke in the 1959 film. Duke was 12 at the time, and with her small frame was able to play down to a young girl of 8 or 9 superbly. It may have been as much a flavor of the times too, where Margaret O'Brien plays a somewhat sweeter, more gentle role. But Duke's Tootie is more feisty and probably identifiable to more audiences. Two scenes of hers are especially notable. The first is when she is crying as Esther holds her, and the next is after she has cut her lip and told a fib about how she was hurt.

This remake of the story for a TV special was filmed and broadcast in black and white. Color might have boosted it some, especially by 1959. And the close cropping when people move off the center, especially outside, gives it the somewhat stagy feeling. It does appear to be as it is, a staged play. However good it is, that does impede one's enjoyment of seeing a picture that he or she can imagine being a part of.

Overall, the original film with its color and vibrant musical production has a one-notch advantage over this TV remake. But movie buffs who like many of the stars of the past will also enjoy this later film, and seeing Myrna Loy, Walter Pidgeon, Ed Wynn and Jane Powell in their more matured years.

Here are some fun lines from this film.

Esther Smith, "Grandpa, you know what's so nice about being a part of this family? You!"

Esther, "John, I'm sorry if I hurt you." John Truett, "It's perfectly all right. It's no worse than football practice. Except it's better with a girl."

Esther, "It's very grown of you to accept my apology." John, "Well, if you're not busy tomorrow night could you come over and beat me up again?"

Mrs. Anna Smith, "Come away from the mirror, dear. Nothing's changed since this morning."

Esther, "Grandpa, you're the first human being I've danced with all evening."

Have you ever seen a movie...only to think to yourself "why did they EVER make this?!"....well, this is exactly how I felt when I watched this made for TV version of "Meet Me in St. Louis"....why did they bother making this?!?! There are three huge problems with the production. First, the original 1944 film is one of the most perfect musicals ever made....perfect in every way. So why make a remake? And, how can it possibly come close to the original?! Second, if you are going to make a remake of a perfect film, you don't make it practically a word-for-word copy! All throughout the film I knew EXACTLY what everyone was going to say because I'd seen the original several times. And, third, the movie is not better in any way. It's in black & white instead of glorious color, the acting is decent but not an improvement on the original and Jane Powell had a lovely voice but her operatic style is not even close to the wonderful singing of the original lead, Judy Garland. Overall, there is no reason to see this one...just find the 1944 picture instead. And, if you've already seen the 1944 version...well, just see it again and skip this one!!! Ill-conceived and pointless...but if you INSIST on seeing this one, it's on YouTube.

Parts of the television remake of Meet Me in St. Louis are quite charming, but with Technicolor, better set productions, and Judy Garland, it's tough to compete with the original. I always appreciate seeing movie stars in live shows, since they don't have the luxury of filming another take. This is definitely a live production. Myrna Loy flubs a line, and Jane Powell covers the fact that she can't hit the high note of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by pretending to be overcome with emotion. But, they're trying their hardest, and if you're not going into it wanting to cut them slack, you're not in the right mind frame.

At the head of the Americana family is Walter Pidgeon, and I always feel sorry for the father's character. He works hard to provide for his family and doesn't get treated very well by anyone. Still, he and Myrna take the backseat as parents. Jane and her older sister Jeanne Crain are the leads, with their turn-of-the-century slow-burning romances. Jane and Jeanne are a bit miscast, for they are both too old for their characters. It feels a little stage-y for them to pretend to be young and insecure - 30 and 35 at the time! And Tab Hunter's interpretation of being shy seems like there is almost something wrong with him. But, when you hear Jane Powell singing "The Boy Next Door" it sounds like a completely different song - it actually sounds like a pretty song! Judy Garland can sell a song and make you cry, but Jane Powell can make it sound the way it was originally written.

With Ed Wynn as the grandfather, a very young Patty Duke as Tootie, and Rita Shaw as Katie the cook, you'll see lots of effort in this production. It's not as good as the original, but if you like live productions, you can give it a shot. If you prefer flawless shows, skip it and stick with the 1944 version.

I recently saw this kinescope at the Museum of TV and Radio in NYC. This was a live TV remake of the 1944 MGM movie. It was charming and lively and you would never know it was not a movie, the actors were all perfect with their lines and singing and dancing. Myrna Loy and Walter Pidgeon were the parents, they could practically have been in the original as they were both MGM stars at the time, so it is nice they got to be in this one. THey even sing in one number, You and I. Also there is Jeanne Crain in one of her few live TV performances, very pretty still in her early thirties playing a teenager. But perhaps best of all were Jane Powell in Judy Garland's old role, singing well (Have yourself a merry little Christmas, the Trolley song, the Boy next door, danced and sang well in Skip to my loo), good acting. A special treat is also Patty Duke in the Margaret O'Brian role; she was possibly the best of an excellent bunch, very bratty and cute. All in all a great show, a two hour special from the golden age of television. Too bad it is not available on videotape! Update in 2016. The other reviewer on this TV special indicated that I was incorrect in my review and stated that it was not live and it was videotaped. In reality it was live, it was not videotaped. If you look at Jeanne Crain's TV shows at the time promoting this, on I've Got a Secret and What's My Line, she says that it will be a live special and they were rehearsing it for a month and how much she loves live television. Also in Tab Hunter and Patty Duke's autobiographies they discuss this special and that it was live. In Myrna Loy's autobiography she spends about 2 pages discussing the rehearsals for it, where she ate lunch with Ed Wynn on their lunch breaks, and how upset producer David Susskind was that it would be one of the last live TV specials. She then discusses the production itself and how it was live, how the Christmas tree almost fell on Jeanne Crain while it was live, all the cables and how complicated it was, and how great she felt after it was done, how she felt the feeling should be bottled and sold as it was the best of theatre in that it was live but that since it was on TV at the same time they also had the camera there. So yes, it was live!