Product Description

Presenting Judy Garland! Whether swinging a hot number with Bob Crosby's orchestra or emoting a hilariously hammy version of Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene, Judy is a delight as a stage-struck Hoosier in this charming film based on Booth Tarkington's novel. Lily just knows she has the talent to light up the Great White Way, so when a big Broadway producer (Van Heflin) visits her hometown, she expends all the candlepower of her charisma to impress him. He's not impressed. He heads back to New York and Lily follows, thumbing her way east on what she's sure is a one-way trip to instant stardom. At a mere 20 years old, Judy had already reached stardom. Presenting Lily Mars proves why, showcasing her once-in-a-generation voice, gift for comedy and enduring movie magnetism. Break a leg, Lily!

DVD Features:
Other
Theatrical Trailer

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14061 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2006-12-19
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 104 minutes

Amazon.com
Judy Garland is at the peak of her charm and appeal as the title character of Presenting Lily Mars. The 19-year-old aspiring actress has great hopes for the future but can't seem to catch a break even when a Broadway producer (Van Heflin) returns to her small Indiana town for a family visit. Undeterred, she follows him to New York and earns a small part and a romance is sparked, but when the leading role unexpectedly opens up, will the talented youngster be ready? Presenting Lily Mars was released in 1943, the same year Garland would do her last collaboration with Mickey Rooney (Girl Crazy) and between her first significant adult roles, For Me and My Gal (1942) and Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). What the movie doesn't have is a lot of great music. Many of the songs are performed by other people, and while the few numbers Garland sings are gold, the songs themselves can't match the Gershwin and Arlen standards in many of her other films. The most notable is Brown & Freed's "Broadway Rhythm," which everyone should recognize from Singin' in the Rain--it's a rousing closer by Garland backed by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. With Marta Eggerth as Garland's operatic rival, and future jazz singer Annie Ross as Garland's singing and piano-playing younger sister. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Presenting JUDY GARLAND as Lily Mars !
The quintessential 1940s showbiz musical! Great costuming, production values, and music offset the slight plot. Garland looks lovely and shines in the role of Lily Mars, ably supported by Van Heflin as the harried producer who falls in love with Lily and makes her a star. Based on the 1933 Booth Tarkington novel. Marta Eggerth is wooden and lacks any kind of charisma, but Connie Gilchrist is wonderful in her supporting role. This type of film, with Judy at her youthful peak, is tailor-made for Technicolor, but, alas, it was filmed in black-and-white. One of Garland's best early films.

at long last on DVD ... everyone's holiday gift
[Rating is difficult without seeing the DVD product ..my rating is based on previous viewings of the film.]

Some reviewers have noted that this film is only for Garland fans . I beg to differ, but as a Garland fan, my opinion on this issue would be legitimately questioned. Who cares? Musical gems abound in this film. "Every Little Movement" with Lily and a scrub woman on the bare stage illuminated only by a ghost light, singing of their passion for the theatre; Judy's final medley "Where There's Music" (and just about every tune from the Freed/MGM music storage vault, including "Gotta Dance" and "Broadway Rhythym").. they continue. Worth more othan 90 minutes of modern special effects in my book .. this is real talent kids. Watch and learn and be moved.

Judy at her most luminous. Congratulations to all involved for re-issuing this marvelous piece of movie history. Enjoy.

Judy looks wonderful in this picture!
This is classic classic Judy, I mean it's certainly no 'Wizard' or 'Star' but it's sweeta nd Funny and Judy looks simply marvelous. I definatly recomend to anyone. I forced my mum to watch it the other day and she did unwillingly and she loved it, she say's its one of her favorite Judy films. songs are great, acting is 100% and the comedy is all there

very good .