Fun fact: the original name of the movie was “The Lonely Stage” but was changed so audiences knew Judy Garland would be singing to draw in a bigger crowd. Nobody cared if she was in anything and didn’t sing. In her final film, Judy Garland gave the world every last ounce of her spirit. She may have looked terrible in her final years, but she somehow corralled her shattered spirits one last time and dazzled. And I think all that makes the movie even more depressing than it is. You can tell watching this movie a lot of the character was tailored to her strengths- the songs, behaviors, speaking tones. It’s a lot of letting her simmer until she needs to sparkle, and then back to simmering. I found parts of the story kind of odd or slightly grim, because the focal point should’ve been Judy performing. But the songs she sings are profoundly lonely as she sells them with gusto. My recommendation is for anyone unfamiliar with Judy movies, that they aren’t your average old Hollywood movie; they’re a little more star centric and not story-based. It’s a swan song worth checking that could make you say “wow” out loud a couple times.
Fun fact: the original name of the movie was “The Lonely Stage” but was changed so audiences knew Judy Garland would be singing to draw in a bigger crowd. Nobody cared if she was in anything and didn’t sing. In her final film, Judy Garland gave the world every last ounce of her spirit. She may have looked terrible in her final years, but she somehow corralled her shattered spirits one last time and dazzled. And I think all that makes the movie even more depressing than it is. You can tell watching this movie a lot of the character was tailored to her strengths- the songs, behaviors, speaking tones. It’s a lot of letting her simmer until she needs to sparkle, and then back to simmering. I found parts of the story kind of odd or slightly grim, because the focal point should’ve been Judy performing. But the songs she sings are profoundly lonely as she sells them with gusto. My recommendation is for anyone unfamiliar with Judy movies, that they aren’t your average old Hollywood movie; they’re a little more star centric and not story-based. It’s a swan song worth checking that could make you say “wow” out loud a couple times.
