Amour poste restante

Original title: In the Good Old Summertime

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

Judy Garland and Van Johnson in Amour poste restante (1949)

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Holiday Romance Romantic Comedy Comedy Musical Romance

In turn-of-the century Chicago, Andrew and Veronica are co-workers in a music shop who dislike one another during business hours but unwittingly carry on an anonymous romance through the mai... Read allIn turn-of-the century Chicago, Andrew and Veronica are co-workers in a music shop who dislike one another during business hours but unwittingly carry on an anonymous romance through the mail.In turn-of-the century Chicago, Andrew and Veronica are co-workers in a music shop who dislike one another during business hours but unwittingly carry on an anonymous romance through the mail.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total

Otto Oberkugen
(as S.Z. 'Cuddles' Sakall)

Spring Byington

Nellie Burke

Clinton Sundberg

Rudy Hansen

Buster Keaton

Hickey

Marcia Van Dyke

Louise Parkson

Lillian Bronson

Aunt Addie

John Alban

Audience Member
(uncredited)

Bette Arlen

Pretty Girl
(uncredited)

William Bailey

Supper Club Patron
(uncredited)

Mary Bayless

Supper Club Patron
(uncredited)

Edward Biby

Judge
(uncredited)

George Boyce

Male Quartette Member
(uncredited)

Chester Clute

Sheet Music Customer
(uncredited)

Jack Deery

Supper Club Patron
(uncredited)

Carli Elinor

Band Leader
(uncredited)

Antonio Filauri

Italian Proprietor
(uncredited)

User reviews68

7.14.5K

Featured reviews

Snow Leopard

A Pleasant Version of the Story Idea

This pleasant version of the romance-by-correspondence story is worth seeing for the good cast and for the musical additions. This kind of light story depends heavily on the leads, and they do well here. "The Shop Around the Corner" is still the best version, due in large part to Jimmy Stewart and the rest of a fine cast. The 1990's remake was watchable because of the two sympathetic lead performers, but otherwise its script and direction weighed it down with too much extraneous material. Setting aside comparisons, "In the Good Old Summertime" in itself is enjoyable and is generally well-crafted.

This adaptation makes good use of Judy Garland's talents, and she in turn delivers a fine performance. Van Johnson is agreeable, if sometimes a bit bland, as the leading man. The rest of the cast is good as well, and although Buster Keaton does not get a lot to do, it's still great to see him in the cast. The story in itself is fairly thin, but it has a light, good-natured atmosphere and some lively material. The settings are believable, and they go along well with the story. There's easily enough to make "In the Good Old Summertime" worth seeing.

7Boba_Fett1138

Charming.

What a charming, little, easy to watch movie this was.

Nothing great, nothing heavy or new but simply just great easy entertainment with great performances from Judy Garland, Van Johnson and Buster Keaton in a small but fun role and apparently also Liza Minnelli in an even smaller, and her first role.

The story is simple but charming and effective. It's an early version (but not the earliest) of "You've Got Mail". It's not really a musical, just merely a movie that just happen to have some songs in it. The songs are nothing spectacular like you would expect when you hear the word 'musical'. So, if you don't like musical movies this movie might still be very well worth your time as well.

Don't let the year it was made in scare you of. This is a movie that doesn't ever get outdated, mainly thanks to its fun and easy to watch, kind of atmosphere.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

7funkyfry

A real treat for Garland fans

Pleasant atmosphere and songs fill out this cozy situational period piece. Garland seems at ease and Johnson pulls it off -- they play co-workers who despise each other at work, but are secretly in love as correspondents through the mail. Similar to "Meet Me in St. Louis", without its excellence in story and character, but with much of the same studio-concocted charm. Keaton does a few falls, making the best of his last MGM film.

7jjnxn-1

See it for Judy but the original is superior

Quaint would really be the best way to describe this. Mild but colorful reworking of The Shop Around the Corner trades that films exquisite pathos for a sunny tone and loses something in translation but is miles ahead of the travesty that is You've Got Mail. The musical score is full of charming songs from the period socked across by the great Judy although she seems terribly jittery here. Of all her films this is the one where her resemblance to Liza Minnelli is the strongest so it seems fitting that Liza plays her daughter in a bit at the end. As for the rest of the cast, Spring Byington and Cuddles Sakall are cute and well matched in a much more gentle version of the shop keeper and his wife than the original film, but Buster Keaton is almost totally wasted in a small part.

8tavm

In the Good Old Summertime is one of the most pleasant of Judy Garland movies

Having previously seen this movie twice before, I was very glad to show this film to Mom right now, as she had never watched this. Judy Garland is in fine form, as always, when both singing, dancing, and acting especially when doing comedy. Van Johnson is also fine as the leading man and matching her in getting laughs as well. Some of that may be because of Buster Keaton who besides being one of the supporting cast, also helped devise the hilarious scene when Ms. Garland and Johnson first meet, which isn't a pleasant experience for either of them, that's for sure! S. Z. Sakall is also funny in his own way as their boss and Spring Byington is also a fine match for him. Oh, and there's a nice surprise at the end if one is familiar with what a certain future star looked like when a toddler! So on that note, me and Mom recommend In the Good Old Summertime. P.S. Since I like to cite when anyone associated with my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, is involved in something else, here, it's the writers Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett who also wrote IAWL.

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Storyline

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Trivia
Buster Keaton was working as a gag writer at MGM when this movie was made. The filmmakers approached him to devise a way for a violin to get broken that would be both comic and plausible. Keaton came up with an appropriate fall, and the filmmakers then realized he was the only one who would be able to execute it properly, so they cast him in the film. Keaton also devised the sequence in which Van Johnson inadvertently wrecks Judy Garland's hat, and coached Johnson intensively in how to perform the scene. This was the first MGM film Keaton appeared in since being fired from the studio in 1933.

Goofs
When Andy and Veronica collide on the post office steps, her hat is completely knocked off her head and hanging just below her chin, but in the immediate closeup, it is on top of her head.

Quotes
Veronica Fisher: I wish you could read his letters, then you could find out that he has such a lofty point of view.
Andrew Delby Larkin: [sitting close and speaking in a low voice] Lofty?
Veronica Fisher: [starts to scoot away] And now to find out he's so materialistic.
Andrew Delby Larkin: [putting his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close again] Materialistic too? I'm sorry. I hate to think I've spoiled your Christmas.
Veronica Fisher: Well, you haven't spoiled it. I suppose I should be thanking you.
Andrew Delby Larkin: [whispering] Oh, no, you don't have to do that, but do you know what I wish you would do? I wish you'd send this Newspickle about his business and concentrate on me instead.
Veronica Fisher: [turing her back to him] Well, I can't; you already have someone.
Andrew Delby Larkin: [kissing her neck] Oh, no, not yet; no.
Veronica Fisher: [stammering] Now wait a minute; this is all wrong.
Andrew Delby Larkin: After all, it is Christmas.
Veronica Fisher: I know, but Mr. Larkin...
Andrew Delby Larkin: [pulling her close] Oh, Veronica, I love you so! Please open box 2-37 and take me out of my envelope.
Veronica Fisher: [turns to face] Box tuh... box 2-3-7!
[turns to look into Andrew's face]
Andrew Delby Larkin: Dear friend.
Veronica Fisher: You?
Andrew Delby Larkin: Yes.
[nodding head; Veronica audibly exhales]
Andrew Delby Larkin: Are you disappointed?
[last lines]
Veronica Fisher: Psychologically, I'm very confused, but personally I feel just wonderful.
[they kiss]

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD (Extra Movie with "EASTER PARADE"), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Featured in Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership (1949)

Soundtracks
In the Good Old Summertime
Music by George Evans
Lyrics by Ren Shields
Played during the opening credits and often throughout the picture
Sung by Spring Byington, Van Johnson (uncredited), S.Z. Sakall (uncredited) and Buster Keaton (uncredited)