Ziegfeld Girl
MGM, 1941 (BW, 133 minutes, Production No. 1165)
It's the opening night of a new Ziegfeld review and all New York is singing its praises, but behind the scenes there is tragedy. Months before, three pretty girls were hired for the chorus. One was the star-bent daughter of a vaudevillian, the second a shop girl, and the third the lovely wife of an out-of-work musician. All three had special reasons for wanting a role and all three have different destinies - one as a star, one as the wife of a great concert violinist, and one to die in poverty and sickness. Just as Florenz Ziegfeld's shows epitomized American showbusiness, so his performers were a true cross-section of the American human comedy.
[MGM press sheet]
Credits
Produced by:
Directed by:
Screenplay by: and
(original story by William Anthony McGuire)
Musical numbers directed by:
Music and lyrics:
"You Stepped Out of a Dream" by and
"Minnie from Trinidad" by
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" by and
"Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shean" by and
Filmed: September 1940 - March 1941
Released: April 1941
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Cast
... Gilbert Young
... Susan Gallagher
... Sandra Kolter
... Sheila Regan
... Frank Merron
... Jerry Regan
... Geoffrey Collis
... "Pop" Gallagher
... Noble Sage
... Franz Kolter
... John Slayton
... Patsy Dixon
... Jimmy Walters
... Al
... Mrs. Regan
... Mischa
... Mrs. Merron
... Nick Capalini
... Mr. Regan
... Jenny
... Annie
... Perkins
... Native Dancer
... vocals
Rosario and Antonio ... Specialty Dancers
Fred Santley ... Floorwalker
Claire James ... Hopeful
Sergio Orta ... Native Dancer
Reed Hadley ... Geoffrey's Friend
Armand Kaliz ... Pierre
Joan Barclay ... Actress in Slayton's Office
Donald Kirke ... Playboy
Ray Teal ... Pawnbroker
Al Hill ... Truck Driver
Roscoe Ates ... Theater Worker
George Lloyd ... Bartender
Ginger Pearson ... Salesgirl
Elliott Sullivan,
James Flavin ... Truckers
Joyce Compton ... Miss Sawyer
Ruth Tobey ... Beth Regan
Bess Flowers ... Casino Patron
Jean Wallace,
Myrna Dell,
Georgia Carroll,
Louise La Planche,
Virginia Cruzon,
Alaine Brandeis,
Patricia Dana,
Irma Wilson,
Leslie Brooks,
Madeleine Martin,
Vivian Mason,
Harriet Bennett,
Nina Bissell,
Frances Gladwin,
Anya Taranda ... Ziegfeld Girls
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Musical Program
(sung and danced by Judy Garland and Charles Winninger)
(sung by Tony Martin)
(sung by Judy Garland)
(sung by Tony Martin)
(sung and danced by Judy Garland and Ensemble)
(performed by Charles Winninger, Al Shean)
(sung by Judy Garland and Chorus)
(sung by Judy Garland, Tony Martin, Six Hits and a Miss and the MGM Studio Chorus)
(sung by Judy Garland and Chorus)
(sung by Judy Garland and Chorus)
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Notes
After completing her work on , Judy went directly into rehearsals for Ziegfeld Girl, which had originally been announced as a 1938 vehicle for Eleanor Powell, Joan Crawford, Margaret Sullavan and Virginia Bruce. Now the leading women's roles were assigned instead to Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr and Eve Arden. James Stewart played opposite Lana Turner. This is a rare opportunity to see Judy in a film with other major stars - this film was not a Judy Garland vehicle as most of her films were.
Judy's principal ballad is a heartfelt "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows", but the film is highlighted by three lavish production numbers. Tony Martin sings "You Stepped Out of a Dream" to accompany the girls' debut; a lengthy montage of West Indian music and motifs leads to Judy's first specialty, "Minnie from Trinidad;" and a colossal seven-minute finale, "We Must Have Music," features Judy and Tony Martin and includes brief reprises of "You Stepped out of a Dream" and "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows".
"We Must Have Music" was dropped from the finished film and hastily replaced in March 1941 by an entirely different finale; footage and songs from the 1936 Great Ziegfeld were intercut with a new Garland/Edens number, "Ziegfeld Girl." Footage from the number can be seen in the MGM short by the same name.
Judy again made the top-ten list of biggest box office stars for 1941.
A clip of Judy's number in the short subject "We Must Have Music", cut from original finale of Ziegfeld Girl, is included on the laserdisk set: "Judy Garland/The Golden Years at M-G-M" ().
The closest thing there is to a soundtrack on CD is Chansons Cinema Volume 2 (). Some of Judy's numbers are also included on the wonderful Collector's Gems CD ().
Released on VHS videotape by MGM/UA Home Video, (1989).
Released on laser disc by MGM/UA Home Video ().
See Judy Garland Movies on Video for purchasing information.
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Critical Response
"Although their tribulations are never worth the length that producer Pandro Berman devotes to them, Miss Garland warbles a torrid tropical tune, "Minnie from Trinidad", with true professional gusto."- Time, May 5, 1941
"Judy Garland, as the show wise youngster, carries the sympathetic end most capably and delivers her vocal assignments in great style"- Variety, April 16, 1941
"Of the three aspirants to stardom ... only [Judy] made it, which gave the film a conviction it lacked elsewhere."- film historian David Shipman
"Judy Garland is especially good as a youngster who becomes a star under a strict code of showmanship."- Howard Barnes, The New York Herald Tribune
"... Judy Garland sings and dances her way enthusiastically from tank-town vaudeville to the New Amsterdam Theatre and Charles Winninger, as her father, turns out to be the Gallagher of the famous Gallagher and Shean team, while Shean is played with nostalgic gusto by Al Shean himself..."- Newsweek
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Memorable Lines
Pop: "You're no ordinary girl. Do you know why?"
Susan: "Yes, Pop, I do. It's cuz you're no ordinary father."
Gallagher: "Oh, Mr. Shean. Oh, Mr. Shean. For de Milo's Venus I'm not very keen."
Shean: "Why not?"
Gallagher: "For the thing that spoils her charms is her pair of broken arms."
Shean: "I didn't see them, Mr. Gallagher."
Gallagher: "Where were you looking, Mr. Shean?"
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