Review of Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) by Ronya H — 06 Dec 2009

A sweet movie that has stood the test of time, I'm convinced, because of Tootie. She steals the show. That child is wonderfully disturbed in such a modern way. Killing off her dolls, preparing to dig up their bodies before the family moves to New York, and even beheading her snow-people in a fit of grief. She tries to derail the trolley as a Halloween prank and the family laughs about her antics avoiding the police.

And, this extraordinary child was dropped in the most ordinary, musical-worthy family you can imagine. It's brilliant. Without her--even with the memorable songs--the movie would have have been plain.