Classic Movies - Famous Child Star: Margaret O'Brien - Meet Me In St. Louis

Judy Garland and

Margaret O'Brien - 1944

Today we will continue to talk Classic Movie Child Star - Margaret O'Brien. The movie we would like to feature in today's post is probably one of our favorite movies, at least one of our favorite musicals - Meet Me In St. Louis (1944). In her most memorable performance and the one for which she earned her special juvenile Oscar, Margaret O'Brien played Judy Garland's youngest sister "Tootie" in Vincente Minnelli's turn-of-the-century mid-western musical.

Meet Me In St. Louis is a 1944 romantic musical film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which tells the story of four sisters living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair in 1904. It stars Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart, and Joan Carroll, and was released by MGM. The movie was adapted by Irving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe from a series of short stories by Sally Benson, originally published in The New Yorker magazine, and later in the novel 5135 Kensington.

The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli, who met his future wife, Judy Garland, on the set. In the film, Garland debuted the standards "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", which both became hits after the film was released. Another wonderful song, The Boy Next Door, is Judy Garland at her best.

Meet Me in St. Louis is a heart-warming story about the Smith family, who lead a comfortable middle-class life in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Alonzo Smith (Ames) and Mrs. Anna Smith (Astor) have four daughters: Rose (Bremer), Esther (Garland), Agnes (Carroll), and Tootie (O'Brien); and a son, Lon Jr. (Henry H. Daniels Jr.) The film highlights a year in the life of the Smith family, beginning in the summer of 1903. Esther, the second eldest daughter, is in love with the boy next door, John Truett (Drake), although he does not notice her at first. Rose is expecting a phone call in which she hopes to be proposed to by Warren Sheffield (Robert Sully). Agnes has been keeping cool at the swimming hole. Tootie is delightful on the ice wagon helping Mr. Neely (Chill Wills) deliver ice to his customers. The Smith household are anticipating the upcoming World's Fair in St. Louis, echoing the song throughout the opening scenes, Meet Me in St. Louis.

Fall arrives and Esther finally gets to meet John properly when he is a guest at the Smith's house party, although her chances of romancing him don't go to plan. Agnes and Tootie are up to mischief on Halloween, which is one of our favorite scenes of the movie. Tootie is declared "The Most Horrible" from all the neighborhood kids because of her bravery. After all the chaos from the young Smith girl's prank, the family enjoys each other's company while having cake made by their maid, Katie (Main). Then Mr. Smith announces to the family that he is to be sent to New York on business and eventually they will all move. The family is devastated and upset at the news of the move, especially Rose and Esther whose romances, friendships, and educational plans are threatened. Esther is also aghast because they will miss the World's Fair. But father insists that they will move shortly after Christmas. Everyone in the Smith household deems Mr. Smith as a villian and leaves him alone to eat the cake, but Anna consoles him. As Alonzo and Anna sing a duet, one by one the family decides to join them.

Meet Me in St. Louis forwards to the next season, Christmas. The family has been packing and preparing for their move. An elegant ball takes place on Christmas Eve. Esther is devastated when John cannot take her as his date, due to his leaving his tuxedo at the tailor's and being unable to get it back. But she is relieved when her grandfather (Harry Davenport) offers to take her instead. While dancing with Grandpa, she is overwhelmed when John unexpectedly turns up after somehow managing to obtain a tuxedo, and the pair dance together for the rest of the evening. Esther returns home to an upset Tootie. She sings her "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Tootie, however, does become more upset at the prospect of the family's move and runs downstairs, out into the cold to destroy the snowman they have made. Mr. Smith sees his daughter's upsetting outburst.

Mr. Smith later announces that the family will not leave St. Louis after all when he realizes how much the move will affect his family. He also discovers that St. Louis is a wonderful city, with the 1904 World's Fair just around the corner. John declares his love for Esther and Warren declares his love for Rose and together they state that they will marry at the first possible opportunity. And all of the family finally are able to attend the World's Fair in the spring season.

We highly recommend Meet Me in St. Louis. It is a wonderfully, inspiring movie. The music is great - mixed with romance, laughter and emotions, Meet Me in St. Louis is one of the finest musicals ever made. This film holds a special place in our hearts because we live only 40 miles away from St. Louis! Read "Let's Talk Classic Movies" every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for more classic movie presentations and trivia.

**Trivia Question for Today: Who was originally cast as John Truett in Meet Me in St. Louis?

Bonus Trivia: The house at 5135 Kensington Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri was the actual home of Sally Benson, author of the short stories that Meet Me in St. Louis was based on. There was another well-known movie of the 1940s that used this same house for a family based on a true story. What was the name of the film?

Trivia Answer for Previous Post: The 1942 movie Journey for Margaret inspired her to change her name from Angela to Margaret, because she so identified with the character she played in this film.