CHARLES WALTERS

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBBBB. 

USA, 1948.  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.  Story by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Screenplay by Sidney Sheldon, Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett.  Cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr..  Produced by Arthur Freed.  Music by Conrad Salinger.  Production Design by Cedric Gibbons, Jack Martin Smith.  Costume Design by Irene, Valles.  Film Editing by Albert Akst.  

Judy Garland plays a no-name singer who is brought in at the last minute to dance with Fred Astaire after his temperamental partner (Ann Miller) decides to go solo. All the songs are provided by Irving Berlin’s repertoire, and here Metro’s musical directors have pulled out the best among them, including ‘I Wish I Were In Michigan’, ‘I Love A Piano’, ‘A Fella With An Umbrella’ and the title song. Lovely, beautifully colourful, and Garland is in top form (even though at the time in her personal life she was about to hit an all-time low).

Academy Award:  Best Scoring of a Musical Picture