Product Description

An entrepreneur tries to turn a New England farm into a theatre.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9630 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2006-04-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 109 minutes

Features

• An entrepreneur tries to turn a New England farm into a theatre.Running Time: 109 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: MUSICALS Rating: NR Age: 012569678583 UPC: 012569678583 Manufacturer No: 67858

Amazon.com essential video
Judy Garland managed to subdue her ongoing medical problems long enough to make Summer Stock in 1950, her last film with MGM and longtime collaborator Gene Kelly. In a throwback to Garland's "let's put on a show" films with Mickey Rooney, Kelly plays a theater director who sets up in Garland's barn to prepare his musical, but Garland has other ideas. Romantic entanglements ensue, of course, and Eddie Bracken, Phil Silvers, and Marjorie Main are on hand to lend comedic support. Following his mostly forgettable score in 1949's The Barkleys of Broadway, Harry Warren contributes another mostly forgettable score, though it's complemented with a few ringers from other songwriters. There are many enjoyable moments, however, including a lot of tap from Kelly. He and Garland share a tap duel at a square dance turned lindy hop, and Garland performs her classic "Get Happy" routine in a black jacket and fedora. Kelly also performs a solo number to "You Wonderful You" with no gimmicks--just a darkened stage, a squeaky floorboard, and a sheet of newspaper. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

You just can't go wrong!
This is a wonderful film! Especially for people who live on farms (Like me). This wonderful film was directed by Charles Walters who two years before directed Easter Parade with Judy and Fred (Also a great film).

28 year old Judy Garland stars as the hard working, determined, Jane Falbury. Who really just wants to run her farm. Or does she...
Chaos ensues when Jane comes home one morning to find 24 (Though it looks more like 50 on screen) people loading props, lights, and costumes into her much loved barn. Angry, overwhelmed, and upset, Jane is dumbfounded when she finds out her beautiful, ambitious, sister (Gloria DeHaven), has invited her boyfriend's show, (Gene Kelly), to put on his show: 'Fall in Love,' in which her sister is to play the leading part. Jane angrily tells them to leave. But when Jane's sister, Abigail, tells Jane she is selfish, Jane changes her mind and says that the actors may stay - on one condition: they must help her with the farm chores!!!

This movie contiues as Jane falls head over heels with Joe Ross (Gene Kelly), and show business.
Other cast includes: Marjorie Main, Carleton Carpenter, Phil Silvers and Ray Collins.

Other songs include: If you fell like singing sing, Howdy Neighbor, Memory Island, You Wonderful You, Get Happy, Dig, There's a star, and the HILARIOUS, routine with Gene Kelly and Phil Silvers: It's Heavenly Music To ME!!

Overall, Summer Stock is a Wonderful movie the whole family can Love and Enjoy!!!!!

Man, how they put on a show!
This movie was a treat to watch and I am so excited about this movie I am starting to write this review even as the VCR is rewinding the tape! GRIN Garland, Kelly, Silvers, DeHaven and fantastic other cast members give a strong, convincing performance in the movie Summer Stock. The script is well written; yes, though the plot is not the deepest, and to an extent predictable, the lines are thoughtfully written. The musical numbers are fantastic and include superb scenes where Kelly dances as well as Judy's infamous "Get Happy" number. (One exception is the number at the end with Silvers and Kelly dancing and singing as farmhands--not too special a musical number in my opinion.) It seems that Judy's character owns and runs a farm--in debt--and Kelly playing Joe brings his acting troupe to try out a new show and stake a claim in show business. Of course, after some complications--and romantic partner swapping--the show goes on and is a tremendous success. Happy Ending! Judy's great performance in her final completed film at MGM is truly remarkable in light of her poor health at the time. (However I must say that although it could just be my imagination, Judy looks a bit skinnier in some scenes in the film than she does in other scenes. Could this reflect her possibly losing or gaining weight during the time this movie was filmed?) In short, this film is a very fine addition to any serious movie buff's collection, especially if part of the collection includes musicals. Get this film--Amazon lists it as out of stock for a GOOD reason! Tons of people bought this movie and you'll GET HAPPY when you see this!

JUDY AND GENE; LUCKY TO HAVE EACH OTHER
Other reviewers have mentioned how lucky Judy was to have Gene for a friend. I agree. Looking at the two of them you could see the trust and friendship in their eyes. Gene holding her gently with caring hands. Judy warbling beautifully with a hint of sadness, an almost knowing in her eyes. I feel they were lucky to have each other. It was Judy Garland who lobbied hard 10 years earlier for Gene to co-star in " For Me And My Gal".

"Summer Stock" is that usual bit-o-MGM musical fluff. The same bit-o-fluff that Judy had spun into gold so many times before as in "Girl Crazy", "Easter Parade", and the like. It's every bit as good and wholesome family entertainment as Judy and MGM made before, but knowing it was to be her MGM swan song, and the cause of her ultimate rebirth, makes it that much more special and important.

Previous readers mentioned how Kelly would move on to more prestigious endeavors. I would like to mention, so too, Judy. She would only make a handful more precious pictures, but in them were some gems. She would recieve her only adult Oscar nominations for a supporting actress role in "Judgement at Nuremburg," and of course for her ultimate star turn as Esther Blodgett in "A Star Is Born." Isn't it funny how she could get such roles and recieve such recognition only away from MGM.

Post MGM Judy would continue to perform on radio including "The Bob Hope Show," and "The Bing Crosby Show." She would go on to record and sell millions of albums. Her guest starring on, and her own television specials were highly rated, and ultimately preluded her much revered and highly acclaimed "The Judy Garland Show." For you hipsters out there, she was an original member of the Holmby Hills "Rat Pack." But to me, it was her rebirth as a concert diva,artist/singer that showed she had the courage, talent and strength to leave her MGM years behind and forge new ground. She made over a thousand stage appearances. Here are some of her highlights:

*1951 A 4 week engagement at the London Palladium followed by a 6 week extended tour of the British Isles.
*1951 Her legendary record breaking 19 week 2-a-day engagement at New Yorks' famed Palace Theater.
*1952 4 week engagement at the Philharmonic Auditorium in Los Angeles.
*1961 Legendary Carnegie Hall performance remembered as the greatest single night in show business.(This concert was taped and later released as a double album. It was the first double album to sell a million copies. It stayed on the charts 94 weeks, 13 weeks at #1 and won 5 Grammy awards including best female vocalist and Album of the Year!)
*1967 Boston Common Concert performed before an estimated audience of 100,000 people.

In 1949, after being fired from "Annie Get Your Gun," top MGM management was ready to toss her to the wolves. Judy was broke, and LB Mayer took it upon himself to see Judy got proper medical treatment that ultimately MGM payed for. Hospitalized, Judy had to relearn how to eat and sleep properly without the use if pills and as a result she got well, but gained weight. Many viewers have harped on her appearance. I agree with a previous reviewer that @ a mere 105 pounds, on Judy, it looks healthy.

Judy, emotionally and physically well again wanted to work, and after the success of "In the Good Old Summertime," MGM was only too eager to oblige. The studio ordered her to lose weight thus restarting that vicious cycle of crash dieting, pill-popping, and all those insecurities and professional problems of the past started to creep back in again.

The MGM brass wasn't pleased with the final picture. Judy, vacationing in Carmel, was called back to bring in a show stopper. Judy agreed as long as it could be "Get Happy." It's obvious that the result was show business magic and that the "Get Happy" number a fitting swan song for Judy. Everyone thought that the "Get Happy" number was most likely filmed earlier on in her career. Wrong-o. On vacation, free from harassment from the studio and the press, the pounds had simply melted away on their own. Although Judy was actually terminated from MGM while filming "Royal Wedding," this was officially her last MGM picture. Goodbye MGM. Hello Mrs. Norman Maine?


FOR ALL GARLAND FANS:

The US Post Office has released the 12th stamp in their Legends of Hollywood series. The Judy Garland stamp is now on sale at your local Post Office. I think its beautifully done and that Judy Garland herself would be pleased. The stamps feature her head shot from an original "A Star Is Born" lobby card with her signature underneath. On the side is a large drawing of her from "The Wizard Of Oz." Its done in yellow and gold tones and will make lovely gifts for my nieces matted in a nice frame.