Presenting Lily Mars

almost every review of this movie I'd seen was pretty bad. It's not pretty bad, it's actually pretty good, though not great. The Judy Garland character could have gotten annoying, but she didn't allow it to. Somewhere along the line, i've become a fan of brooding, overbearing, overacting Van Heflin, at least in the early 40's. Judy's singing is great, but the film missed a great chance by not showing more of their relationship. I gave it a 7.

This was one of the Judy films that I've been wanting to see for a long time, as it does not appear to be avalible on video in the UK, So I got it from the USA, and luckily my televideo can play NTSC tapes!

This is one of my fave Joots movies. She plays a stronger character then in any of her early MGM movies. -For once she isn't running after a man she cannot have, and is not feeling unattractive compared to a more glamourous star. (poor Judy who had a low self esteem was often put in these roles) She plays Lily Mars, a strong willed, ambitious and stubbon young lady who is determined to be noticed by a big Broadway producer, and will do it by any means. Judy really shows her comic talents in this movie, and looks lovely.

Too bad that JUDY GARLAND was at her most attractive, photographed with great skill and looking fabulous--while coping with a script that had to be an insult to anyone's intelligence--even way back in 1943!

VAN HEFLIN proves that he had a certain comic flair (although a little exaggerated) and was certainly worthy of a better role than the one he copes with here. Supporting players Spring Byington and Fay Bainter lend solid support--but it's all just too weak in the story department for anyone to overcome the ridiculous script.

Judy manages to get through the material in good shape--showing comic skill in many scenes and emotional maturity in others. The ending is rather predictable and is followed by a show biz finale that seems to be tacked on to give the film a plush fade-out in which Garland has a change to dazzle us with her musical talent. Which she does.

But, all in all, lacks the charm and credibility it should have had to make it truly worth watching. Among the supporting players, Connie Gilchrist and Richard Carlson do some nice work. Carlson is surprisingly gifted at comedy and should have attempted more such roles.

Worth noting: the doorknob business is the only original touch in the whole show!

One of those Garland flicks that never comes up in a list of her good films,which is surprising considering how much fun it is.She plays an ambitious girl determined to make it to Broadway,and chases producer Van Heflin to do it.He's a local guy in her hometown.For a change,Garland is filled out and quite lovely.She's not the emaciated stick she had been in her previous roles.Also,she's not crying because the boy next door won't have her or singing a plaintive love song dealing with rejection! Garland had a fine comedy flair that was seldom exploited in her films.She interplays well with the cast,especially her siblings and Spring Byington as her mom.The music is good but the finale is just a bit out of place.Supposedly,the big brass thought she needed a big finish to show Lily was a big star after all. Wonder what ever happened to the original number, "Paging Mr. Greenback?"

Finally caught up with this one on Turner Classic Movies, in a pristine video transfer, doing full justice to Joseph Ruttenberg's glowing black-and-white cinematography.

Opinions on this one among other IMDb-ers seem, not surprisingly, rather mixed, since the clichés that form the basis for this script are not quite sufficiently redeemed by a generally excellent supporting cast, as well as very deluxe art and set decoration, including a stunning nightclub set. (It almost makes one want to exclaim, "Who needs Technicolor?!?")

But Judy, looking really lovely, performs her heart out and more than holds her own amidst the sort of sentimental claptrap that Louis B. Mayer insisted be fashioned around her maturing femininity. It's also said that Mayer dictated that the final overblown production number should be tacked on to conclude the picture, with Charles Walters, later to be one of Garland's most congenial directors (after the bloom was off the rose of Vincente Minnelli's Svengali-like love affair with Judy), dancing up a storm with her, making one wish that he'd done quite a bit more performing in front of the camera .

Any film, by the way, that gives the wonderful Connie Gilchrist a chance to appear for even only a few minutes of its running time is simply not to be missed. What a treasure she was!