Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows

Lorna Luft wrote and produced this epic tale of her mother Judy Garland's often-tragic life in the spotlight.

Frances Gumm starts her life out becoming an actress and singer. She changes her name to Judy Garland and signs a contract with MGM studios who promise her a big break.

That break comes in the form of Dorothy Gale in The Wizard Of Oz. But fame comes at a price. Addictions to drugs and alcohol plus failed marriages and piles of debt leave Judy sprialling out of control.

It's the touching true story of Judy Garland. From her humble beginnings to her dramatic end, this is quite simply, brilliant.

Tammy Blanchard, who plays the younger Judy Garland is so much like her, it's not even funny - and her acting is fantastic, also. 9/1O

There have been a lot of show business biographies put on film, but for the most part, they are sketchy and fictionalized. Judy Garland was a show business legend, who even though much has been written about her, a definitive film biography has alluded us. An NBC TV movie was made in the 80's called RAINBOW, but it only covered Garland's childhood to the time she was cast in THE WIZARD OF OZ. At long last, we finally were gifted with a surprisingly factual and lavishly produced TV movie called LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME AND MY SHADOWS, a two-part mini-series which chronicles Garland's life from her first audition for MGM to her tragic death in 1969. Most show biz biopics tend to fictionalize material for dramatic effect or lack of knowledge of the facts, but I trust the facts presented here because there are several events recreated here that I have actually heard Garland herself talk about in interviews. Some things are omitted and/ or glossed over (Her first marriage to David Rose is barely mentioned), but when you only have 2 hours and 45 minutes to tell the story, some fact-trimming is necessary. The filmmakers wisely chose two actresses to play the teenage and adult Garland. Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis both won Emmys for their work as young Frances Gumm and the adult Judy Garland. Davis, in particular, is astonishing in a powerhouse performance that just gets richer and more complex upon repeat viewings. Another wise decision to dub original Garland recordings for Davis' singing voice further enhances the power of the piece. I read that prior to shooting, Davis watched every movie Garland made and as much concert footage as she could get her hands on and her homework pays off in spades here. Her recreations of "The Trolley Song" from MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and "The Man that Got Away" from A STAR IS BORN are positively spooky. Victor Garber gives the performance of his career as Judy's volatile third husband, Sid Luft. Hugh Laurie is a little too masculine as Judy's 2nd hubby, Vincente Minnelli, whose rumored bisexuality prior to meeting Judy is part of Hollywood folklore. There is also solid work from Sonja Smits and John Benjamin Hickey as Judy's good friends, Kay Thompson and Roger Edens and by Dwayne Addams as a young Mickey Rooney. There is also a memorable turn from Marhsa Mason as Ethel Gumm, Judy's hard-nosed mother. A hauntingly accurate look at the tragic life of, arguably, Hollywood's greatest creation, whose very human troubles never allowed her to live up to the creation.

As TV biopics go, this is the best I've ever seen. Most of the credit, if not all, must go to the extraordinary Judy Davis. She claims she wasn't all that familiar with Judy Garland, well she could've fool me and she did. I was allowed in without making me feel like a voyeur. There is a sense of fairness about the tragic - yes, tragic - tale of the biggest entertainment performer the world has ever known. What makes Judy Garland so compelling is her unmistakable humanity and her moments of self awareness that come to attack her rather than reassure her. An artist treated like a commodity from day one and that shouldn't come as a big surprise but it does because we see it reflected in Judy's eyes (Garland or Davis, it doesn't matter) I believed it, and what's most remarkable of all, I understood it.

No one can capture the true Garland essence, but Tammy Blanchard and Judy Davis come as close as humanly possible, and I'll settle for that. While I'm still conflicted over daughter Lorna's motives for writing the book upon which this film is based (and would Judy have approved??), and knowing there are gaps in the story, I was nonetheless astonished at the total virtuosity of this film. Wisdom prevailed when electing Blanchard and Davis to lip-sync to Judy herself, although this undoubtedly created more of a challenge for the actors portraying her. Both rose to the occasion. Ms. Blanchard's performance is little short of incredible--she captures the young Judy with a brilliance that is exceeded only by the subject herself (the "Oz" sequence is almost spooky). Judy Davis performing "The Trolley Song" is a bit jarring (perhaps Ms. Blanchard exited the film a bit too soon), but as the film moves ahead, the perfection of her casting is obvious. She vocally and physically mimics the great Garland in another "tour-de-force" performance. The supporting cast also shines, in particular John Benjamin Hickey as Roger Edens, Judy's vocal coach, mentor, and dear friend. Mr. Hickey's quiet strength matches that of Mr. Edens, a lovely, warm glow in the background. Even Legends have their anchors--Roger was Judy's for many years, and Mr. Hickey's silent presence in this regard is perfect. Garland fan or not, this is captivating show(man-and-woman)ship of the first order. I repeat . . . "virtuosity". In keeping with the great and wonderful Judy Garland.

I must say that Judy Garland has never been a favorite icon of mine, although many of my friends adore her. My impressions of Judy Garland have always been the classic star who seemingly had it all but lost it due to drugs and addiction. But what struck me most about "Me and My Shadows" was how the film was able to portray Judy Garland as a human being, not just a typical star immersed in tragedy, which unfortunately is too common among Hollywood legends.

Lorna Luft should be truly proud of this film which will I predict sweep the Emmy Awards this year. Judy Davis was mesmerizing!!!! Watching her performance literally sent chills down my spine. I haven't seen an actress completely transform herself into another actress so brilliantly and believably. Faye Dunaway, who was literally Joan Crawford in "Mommie Dearest", was not even as good as Davis. She has always, in my opinion, been seriously underrated as a dramatic actress. This performance is undoubtedly the best of her career, and she deserves all of the praise she has been garnering. Tammy Blanchard was also remarkable, and Victor Garber was good as well. The acting performances of all were truly breathtaking and just goes to show that true talent doesn't always lie at the feet of the "Hollywood star machine." The pace of the movie was just right, and it seemed to truly encompass the scope of Judy Garland's life, leaving out minor details such as her first marriage and subsequent abortion.

If there was a complaint, it would probably be that Liza Minnelli was not mentioned a great deal here, but the movie itself was not about Liza. This was a truly well-crafted cinematic effort that doesn't particularly cast Garland as a victim, but not as a saint as well. That balance is needed to truly avoid this movie from becoming a sad, soppy melodrama. Overall, this will stand the test of time and really allow the public to see first and foremost the dark side of Hollywood back in the days of the studio system.

I highly recommend seeing this movie. Even if you're not particularly familiar with Garland, the acting and storyline will keep you glued to the television set.

My rating is 9 out of ten.