They Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore

Nothing blew up. No one toted around guns (well, except the cowboys). There were no car chases or hot, steamy sex scenes.

The movies of Judy Garland are classics of cinema by a great actress who, like so many others in Hollywood, left us all too soon. A troubled soul, she is the light of beauty and happiness on screen with one of the most beautiful voices to ever grace the screen. Many times this weekend as I screened such MGM musicals as The Harvey Girls, Meet Me in St. Louis, Easter Parade, For Me and My Gal, Ziegfeld Girl and the drama Judgement at Nuremburg, I said to myself on several occasions:

"Oh Ms. Garland-you had one heck of a voice...it's a shame your life wasn't as nice as one of your movies."

I couldn't pick a favorite from the ones I screened if I wanted to. They were all so wonderful because you didn't have to do much during them but sit back and enjoy the songs and dances. I loved watching Judy dance with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and loved listening to her voice as she crooned various numbers. It may be cliche, but I think one of my favorite numbers was "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in Meet Me in St. Louis.

Something I have yet to experience is the joy of seeing Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland perforing together, but this is going to be quickly rectified as TCM is showing Judy movies all day on Wednesday, the 8th of July.

The saddest part of this weekend was watching her sing and dance and seeing her so full of life and spirit, but knowing that isn't how her life really was. She was a marvelous actress who led two lives...and eventually it got to her, which is a shame. It's also a shame no one could help her help herself before it was too late. But at least she left us an impressive filmography to remember her by.

And now, after this long weekend of classic MGM musicals, I am watching Scooby-Doo-the live action one with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. Talk about extremes!!!