Review of In the Good Old Summertime (1949) by Bonnie V — 01 Jun 2007

"In The Good Old Summertime" is one of the most charming films of Judy Garland's wonderful MGM career, and my personal favourite. A remake of 1940's "The Shop Around the Corner", the setting has been changed from a perfume shop to a music shop in order to provide Judy Garland with a plausible reason to break into song - and lucky us, because every time she opens her mouth it's pure magic. This movie can't really be called a musical in the traditional sense of the word: for one thing, none of the other characters ever sing (aside from Van Johnson stridently belting out one verse of "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey" before Judy comes to his rescue and does it in her own inimitable way). The songs are mostly 'performance pieces' that don't further the story in any way; however, Judy performs them alternately with great gusto ("I Don't Care"), tender longing ("Meet me Tonight in Dreamland"), and melancholy contemplation ("Merry Christmas"). There is honestly no song and no genre that this woman could not handle with ease.

The story, remade later yet again as "You've Got Mail" (though without the music this time!) is a well-known one: Boy has girl penpal, boy falls in love with girl penpal, boy meets new girl at work, boy and girl at work hate each other. Cue witty banter and smart comebacks, until boy realises loveable penpal and annoying co-worker are, in fact, the same person. Wonderful stuff, and Judy Garland, ably supported by Van Johnson as the love interest, S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall as the temperamental shopkeeper, and Buster Keaton as a clumsy co-worker, is wonderful in it.