Despite how that review summary might sound, 'Presenting Lily Mars' is not an awful, or even a bad film. There's actually still a good deal to like about it, but at the same time it does have some big flaws and just falls short of Judy Garland's best films.
There is nothing to complain about Judy Garland herself. In fact she is the best thing about 'Presenting Lily Mars' and her terrific performance is the reason to see it in the first place. She proves herself to be not just a sincerely touching presence but also quite the adept comedienne, handling the comedic and dramatic elements with aplomb. She looks wonderful, looking healthy and happy, and as always her voice is of the kind that one can listen to for hours and not get tired of it.
Garland's not the only reason to see 'Presenting Lily Mars' this said. The film is very nicely photographed and the costumes and sets not one hundred percent opulence but still very elegant. The music and songs are above serviceable and often very good, if with few timeless standards. Faring best are "Every Little Movement" and "When I Think of You". The numbers are staged with enough grace and energy though with nothing standing out as enough to make one go wow.
'Presenting Lily Mars' supporting cast fare well too. Connie Gilchrist and Richard Carlson are particularly delightful, and both Spring Byington and Fay Bainter make much of roles that don't give them much. Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra are always great value and come off very well here.
Martha Eggerth didn't seem to fit, for operatic fans they may be able to tolerate her but if not she is going to be a form annoyance, am actually a huge fan of opera/operetta, but do feel Eggerth's singing and performing of the little seen of her has not gelled on film. There are far more appealing voices in the same or similar style than hers and the very broad way she plays the role grates. Also didn't really care for Van Heflin, his role to me ideally should have had a lighter and more sophisticated touch and Heflin seemed too boorishly heavy, stiff and charmless.
His unconvincing chemistry with Garland is one of 'Presenting Lily Mars' biggest problems, there isn't much of any but it's more of the fault of how the romance is written in the film itself. The romance is just too forced and too rushed, and because the hostility is so strong in the early scenes and the transition from hostility to love happens suddenly rather than gradual or a more complex love/hate one never really believes it when they fall in love.
One will argue that the story and script rarely is a strong suit in musicals, and that musicals aren't seen for them. In a way that is true, but it is all dependent on how well everything else is done and while people do judge films for what they are they also judge them for being a film full-stop. Even for the early 40s the story is non-existently lightweight and stale, and the distastefully corny and excessively cutesy writing makes the worst of the writing for the Garland/Mickey Rooney back-yard musicals (mostly enjoyable films but the writing was a weak link in at least two of those) more bearable. Then there is the finale that, even with the dynamic presence of Garland and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, is an overblown tacky afterthought and is just at odds with the rest of the film.
In summary, Judy herself personifies glamour but 'Presenting Lily Mars' as an overall film only has it in spurts. 5/10 Bethany Cox
