A Delight Judy Garland was just twenty years old when this movie was shot. Just twenty. I enjoyed it immensely because I feel that she was the greatest performer in the history of American show business.Sure, there have been great singers. Yes there have been great dancers and yes there have been great actors but no one besides Judy had all three talents so tightly rolled up into one. I found the storyline quite interesting even though Gene Kelly was the heel of heels but when you see and hear him and Judy in duets...man...that's what makes the world go 'round. How odd. Here we have a picture shot in 1942, 70 years ago and it's better than anything on the screen today. No, it's not a masterpiece but rather terrific wholesome family enjoyment and I highly recommend it to anyone who's disgusted with the stuff now being shown. It's simply top flight entertainment. Incidentally, the musical selections in this film are REAL MUSIC instead of the rock schlock now being heard. I borrowed a bit from Wikipedia to give you the details of that film's songs. * "Oh, You Beautiful Doll", music by Nat D. Ayer, lyrics by A. Seymour Brown, additional lyrics by Roger Edens performed by George Murphy, Judy Garland and others.
* "For Me and My Gal", music and lyrics by George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz, performed by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland
* "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose", music by Percy Wenrich, lyrics by Jack Mahoney, performed by Kelly and Garland
* "After You've Gone", music by Turner Layton, lyrics by Henry Creamer, sung by Judy Garland.
* "Ballin' the Jack", music by Chris Smith, lyrics by Jim Burris, sung and danced by Kelly and Garland.
* The film also contains portions of a number of songs popular during World War I, including "By the Beautiful Sea", "There's a Long, Long Trail", "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)", "Where Do We Go from Here, Boys", "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", "Goodbye Broadway, Hello France", "(There are) Smiles (That Make Us Happy)", "Oh Frenchy", "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" and "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile".
* Two additional songs were intended to be included: "Spell of the Waltz", which was to be performed by Marta Eggerth and a male chorus and "Three Cheers for the Yanks", written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin. THAT'S CLASS, people. REAL HONEST-TO-GOODNESS CLASS.