When legendary MGM producer Arthur Freed bought the film rights to Sally Smith Benson's literary musings about her childhood, he embarked upon a path that would lead to the creation of one of MGM's most successful and beloved musicals: Meet Me in St. Louis. Focusing on an idealized America, Smith Benson's nostalgia perfectly meshed with Freed's wish to make a film that furthered the "there's no place like home" message of one of his previous projects, The Wizard of Oz. The idyllic world of Meet Me in St. Louis centers on the home of the Smith family in 1903, as they eagerly await the opening of the World's Fair while daughter Esther (Judy Garland) pines away for the seemingly oblivious boy next door. The gently paced narrative is laced with memorable songs, particularly the bittersweet “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, now a holiday standard. The film is rounded out by a cast of popular talent from the Golden Age of Hollywood, including Mary Astor, Leon Ames, Harry Davenport, Marjorie Main and Margaret O'Brien.

 

Cleverly crafted around a calendar motif by director Vincente Minnelli, Meet Me in St. Louis is often cited as a reference point in terms of film color. To capture Minnelli's visual plan, cinematographer George J. Folsey, ASC (Ziegfeld Follies, Adam's Rib, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) filmed the project using the Technicolor process. Folsey's lush work was nominated for an Academy Award, and in terms of both multi-shadowed lighting and camera movement, the picture remains a cinematographic high point of MGM musicals.

 

Warner Home Video recently released Meet Me in St. Louis on DVD as a two-disc special edition presentation. Long-hidden texture has been restored to the image with a transfer that expertly captures the luster of Folsey's Technicolor palette. Vibrant primary colors abound, and most importantly, the evocative use of shadows and darkness that give the famous Halloween, Christmas and "turning out the lights after the party" sequences great depth of field are finally presented correctly for home-video audiences. The original monaural audio track has also been given a digital upgrade that enhances its depth considerably.

 

In addition to the feature presentation, disc one offers a gallery of theatrical trailers of key Minnelli films; a fond introduction of the film by Minnelli and Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli; and an excellent feature-length commentary shared by Garland biographer John Fricke, former child star Margaret O'Brien, screenwriter Irving Brecher and others.

 

The highlights of disc two are two documentaries. Meet Me in St. Louis: The Making of an American Classic, a 31-minute segment originally produced for the 1994 laserdisc edition, includes interviews with several surviving cast members and presents information about the film's production and enduring appeal. The second, Hollywood:The Dream Factory, is a 50-minute, strangely melancholy segment from 1972 that focuses on the heyday of MGM but includes footage of much of the studio's property being auctioned.

 

Also included is the vintage "Vitaphone Varieties" musical short Bubbles, which boasts an early screen appearance by Garland; a Lux Radio broadcast version of the film; a production-stills gallery; a vintage "Soundie" with the song "Skip To My Lou;" a TCM segment on Garland; an audio recording of a deleted song; and a bizarre 1966 TV pilot of Meet Me in St. Louis that features a saccharine Shelley Fabares attempting to fill Garland's shoes.

 

Meet Me in St. Louis catapulted the career of young director Minnelli and introduced him to Garland, his future wife (who, legend has it, initially didn't want the role of Esther). In addition to being one of MGM's most popular musicals, the picture has influenced many filmmakers - even cult favorite John Carpenter. When asked what film had the strongest influence on him when he was designing his shocker Halloween, Carpenter has repeatedly pointed to the lyrical Halloween sequence of Meet Me in St. Louis! Folsey, who shot more than 150 films and was honored with the 1987 ASC Lifetime Achievement Award, created a landmark with his work on Meet Me in St. Louis, and this outstanding DVD is a tribute to his luminous achievement.