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Summer Stock

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For the theatre genre, see Summer stock theatre.
Summer Stock
theatrical release poster
Directed byCharles Walters
Screenplay byGeorge Wells
Sy Gomberg
Story bySy Gomberg
Produced byJoe Pasternak
StarringJudy Garland
Gene Kelly
CinematographyRobert H. Planck
Edited byAlbert Akst
Music byConrad Salinger
Skip Martin
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's, Inc.
Release date
  • August 31, 1950 (1950-08-31)
Running time
109 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2,025,000[1]
Box office$3,357,000[1]

Summer Stock is a 1950 American Technicolor musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Charles Walters, stars Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, and features Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, and Phil Silvers. Musical numbers were staged by Nick Castle and Kelly.

Garland struggled with many personal problems during filming. Summer Stock was her final film for MGM, as well as her last onscreen pairing with Kelly. By mutual agreement, MGM terminated Garland's contract in September 1950, a decision studio head Louis B. Mayer said he later regretted.[2]

Plot

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Jane Falbury, owner of a family farm, is told by her only two farm hands that they must leave because she hasn't paid them in a long time. The farm is in financial straits, so she decides to obtain a tractor to help with the labor since the farm hands are gone. She goes to her fiancé Orville Wingait, who runs a local store about buying a tractor on credit. Orville's father Jasper agrees,

When Jane returns to her farm, she discovers her sister, Abigail, has arrived with her musical troupe. Abigail explains after she had dropped out of art school, she met Joe Ross and joined musical theatre, becoming an actress. She then decided to use the family farm to rehearse their summer stock theater production for Broadway producers. Jane confronts Joe demanding they leave, but allows them to stay for the night. During dinnertime, Jane agrees to let the troupe use their barn on the condition they perform chores around the farm.

The next morning, Jane learns that Abigail is engaged to Joe. Orville arrives, telling Jane her neighbors have been complaining about the troupe. Jane goes to Jasper Wingait, stating the summer stock musical will not interfere with her work around the farm. While the troupe is rehearsing, Herb Blake, one of the stage hands, uses the tractor to remove a tree stump. However, he loses control and crashes the tractor. Joe does not tell Jane and tries to have the tractor repaired.

At a barn dance later that night, Jane performs a square dance duet with Joe. Afterwards, Mr. Wingait confronts Jane over the theater people disrupting the dance. They argue, and Jane decides to return the tractor to him. Joe then shows Jane the damaged tractor. She is furious and demands that they leave the farm. The following morning she discovers the troupe have purchased a new tractor, having pooled all of their money. Jane rescinds her demand and allows the troupe to finish their musical. With the musical premiere just days away, Joe encourages Jane's interest in the theater, where the two begin to realize their mutual attraction for each other.

Jane returns to the farmhouse, where she decides to marry Orville. Despite having fallen in love with Joe, she contemplates her engagement. The next morning, during rehearsals, Abigail complains about Joe's stage directions, as she feels overworked and treated abusively. Joe then complains Abigail's timing and musical rhythm is off. Abigail is then consoled by Harrison I. Keath, the musical's leading man, and the two leave the farm for New York.

After learning about Abigail's abrupt departure, Joe replaces her with Jane. Orville learns about Jane's casting, and tries to shut down the musical. Before the musical begins, Joe proposes marriage to Jane, to which she accepts. In the musical's penultimate number, Jane performs the song "Get Happy" in a tuxedo jacket, black fedora, and black nylons. Orville arrives demanding the show be stopped. Abigail also returns, wanting her role reinstated. Jane refuses to relinquish the part, and knocks out Orville. Abigail then comforts Orville. The troupe performs a reprise of "Happy Harvest."

Cast

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Songs

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All songs were written by Harry Warren (music) and Mack Gordon (lyrics) except where noted. Orchestration chores were divided between Conrad Salinger and Skip Martin.

  1. "If You Feel Like Singing, Sing" – Garland
  2. "(Howdy Neighbor) Happy Harvest" - Garland and company stock members
  3. "Dig-Dig-Dig Dig For Your Dinner" – Kelly, Silvers and company stock members
  4. "Mem'ry Island" – Gloria DeHaven and Hans Conried (dubbed by Pete Roberts)
  5. "Portland Fancy" – (traditional New England contra dance tune) stock company members, Kelly and Garland
  6. "You Wonderful You" (Jack Brooks and Saul Chaplin, lyrics and Warren, music) – Kelly and Garland
  7. "Friendly Star" – Garland
  8. "You Wonderful You" – Kelly
  9. "All for You" (Chaplin) – Kelly and Garland
  10. "You Wonderful You" (Reprise) – Kelly and Garland
  11. "Heavenly Music" (Chaplin) – Kelly, Silvers and dogs
  12. "Get Happy" (Harold Arlen (music) and Ted Koehler (lyrics)) – Garland and chorus
  13. "(Howdy Neighbor) Happy Harvest" (finale) – Kelly, Garland, Silvers, and company stock members

Production

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Development

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Summer Stock was in the mold of the "unknown saves show" musical genre.[3] In 1948, MGM announced Garland and Kelly had been cast in the leading roles. However, in February 1949, the studio announced that Garland would be replaced by June Allyson. Garland was suspended in May 1949, and during the filming of Annie Get Your Gun (1950), she spent three months in a clinic for her drug addiction. Betty Hutton replaced her on that film, but Garland was reinstated in Summer Stock, which was her first one after her suspension.[4]

Kelly was not the first choice for the role. Joe Pasternak originally wanted Mickey Rooney, but decided to cast Kelly because Rooney was no longer the box office draw he had once been. Busby Berkeley was originally slated to direct the film, but was replaced by Charles Walters before filming began. He and Kelly worked on it as a favor to Garland, whose career needed a boost at the time, and Walters later complimented Kelly for the help he gave to Garland. However, Kelly believed that he was miscast because he was far too old for the role, and felt the script was "a piece of crap."[3]

Filming

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Judy Garland with daughter Liza Minnelli on the set

Principal photography began in November 1949. Garland had gained weight, and costume designer Walter Plunkett tried "to make her look as thin as possible, but we weren't miracle workers and we did not succeed."[3] The filming was sometimes a struggle for Garland, who was facing many pressures in her personal life, aside from her heavy reliance on prescription medication,[5][6] and she required frequent reassurance from Walters about her appearance and the quality of her performance. He later recalled that "flattery was food for her."[3] She was frequently late during production of the film, and her behavior was erratic. After filming began, Pasternak asked Mayer if he should abandon the film because of Garland's behavior, but studio head Louis B. Mayer insisted that she be given another chance.[4] Mayer said: "Judy Garland has made this studio a fortune in the good days, and the least we can do is to give her one more chance. If you stop production now, it'll finish her."[6]

The production was also beset by tension between Kelly and dance director Nick Castle, who almost came to blows at one time. The difficulties on the set caused Walters to later call the film "absolute torture" for him.[3]

Castle did not choreograph "You Wonderful You," "All for You", and "Portland Fancy" – these were done by Kelly – but did do "Dig-Dig-Dig Dig For Your Dinner" and other numbers. He also did not shoot "Get Happy," which was shot by Chuck Walters. Garland's work on the film ended in early February 1950, and it became evident to Walters that no "Garland payoff" appeared in the film. Garland agreed to appear for another week of filming, asked to sing "Get Happy," and wore the costume she wore in the "Mr. Monotony" number cut from Easter Parade.[3] Garland had been treated by a hypnotist for weight loss and took off 15–20 pounds; she appears considerably thinner in the number.[7][4][5][6]

In his biography of Walters, Get Happy, author Brent Phillips points out that production records belie subsequent claims that the "Get Happy" number was produced three months after production ended. The number was produced in March 1950, and production on other musical numbers continued through April.[3]

After filming, Garland embarked on a long-promised vacation. Soon, however, she was called back to star with Fred Astaire and Peter Lawford in the film Royal Wedding, replacing June Allyson, who was pregnant. Once again, she struggled to perform in the face of exhaustion and overwork. She was fired from Royal Wedding, and her contract with MGM was terminated through mutual agreement.[4][8][9]

Reception

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Box office

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According to MGM's records, Summer Stock earned $2,498,000 in distributor rentals in the United States and Canada and $859,000 overseas, resulting in a loss of $80,000.[1] The film played to record audiences at the Capitol Theater in New York. Future playwright Edward Albee was at the theater at one performance, and later recalled that after the "Get Happy" number, "the audience watching the film was breathless for a moment and then, to a person, burst into sustained applause" as if it were a live performance.[3]

Critical reaction

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Bosley Crowther of The New York Times overall felt the film had "a rather standard plot which Director Charles Walters has been patient and sometimes tedious in distributing on the screen." Nevertheless, he felt Judy Garland "has her big chance to shine," particularly highlighting the "Get Happy" number with Garland "looking and performing her best."[10] Harrison's Reports called the film "[a]n excellent Technicolor musical comedy-drama". Garland was praised as being "exceptionally good in this picture, the best she has been in a long time", while "Gene Kelly's dance routines are nothing short of superb."[11]

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Stage musical adaptation

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Main article: Summer Stock (musical)

A stage adaptation of the story by George Wells and Sy Gomberg premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in 2023. The book of the musical was written by Cheri Steinkellner while the score retains many of the songs from the film with new ones added from the American songbook. The musical changed the characters name of Abigail to Gloria and cut the character of Esme, while introducing a new subplot involving Orville's mother Margaret Wingate and her trying to purchase the Falbury farm and turn it into a commercial farming business. The world premiere included Corbin Bleu as Joe Ross and Danielle Wade as Jane Falbury.[14][15]

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The film, specifically the iconic "Get Happy" sequence, has been referenced in many pop culture contexts. Michael Jackson performed "Dangerous" in a way that paid tribute to the film, most notably at the 1993 American Music Awards and the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards. He and his dancers wore suits, and a dancer stood in front of him until the beginning of the song, just like in the film, in which Garland is covered by a dancer at first. Some excerpts from the song can be heard in his performance.

British singer Duffy's "Rain on Your Parade" music video was also inspired by that sequence, and she can be seen wearing an outfit similar to Garland's, and dancing against a white background along with some male dancers dressed in suits.

Actress Katie Holmes paid homage to Garland, performing "Get Happy" on the television show So You Think You Can Dance. She wore a similar outfit and danced alongside male dancers in suits in front of a match-painted background.

Drag queen and recording artist Alaska Thunderfuck's music video "Anus" pays homage to the "Get Happy" sequence. A scene in the video shows her in a blazer and tilted fedora, backed by two male dancers, dancing in a similar fashion to the original number. This is a tribute to Garland and the song's importance in the LGBT community.

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c Mannix, Eddie (1962). The Eddie Mannix Ledger. Margaret Herrick Library. OCLC 801258228.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)[page needed]
  2. ^ Frank, p. 285
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h McCullough-Phillips, Brent (2014). Charles Walters: The Director Who Made Hollywood Dance. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 119–127. ISBN 978-0-8131-4723-9.
  4. ^ a b c d "Summer Stock: Production Notes". Turner Classic Movies.
  5. ^ a b Green, p. 161
  6. ^ a b c Soares, Emily. Summer Stock (article) TCM.com, accessed July 23, 2009
  7. ^ Wayne, p. 211
  8. ^ Green, p. 162
  9. ^ Frank, p. 280
  10. ^ Crowther, Bosley (September 1, 1950). "The Screen in Review: Metro Musical". The New York Times. p. 17.
  11. ^ "'Summer Stock' with Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken and Gloria De Haven". Harrison's Reports. August 5, 1950. p. 122. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  12. ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" (PDF). American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  13. ^ "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  14. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2023-07-28). "Review: This 'Summer Stock' Cast Is Having a Blast". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  15. ^ "Summer Stock".

General and cited references

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