Long before Ziegfeld Follies was finished in 1945, a film which took two whole years to come to fruition, Ziegfeld Follies appeared to be more than any other, the establishment for the new musical for the movie-going audience. Meet Me In St Louis, helmed by Vincent Minnelli was the template of Americana cinematic nostalgia, it was a light story of a year in the life of an ordinary mid-Western family - the year leading up to the St. Louis International Exposition of 1904. It had a rare quality; it possessed a genuine charm and it starred the only and one Judy Garland who was soon to become Minelli's missus. In it, Garland sings what would become in the future, a calling card 'The Trolley Song;' and demonstrates an unexpected maturity as an actress.
In the following five years the Freed unit turned out a steady stream of classic musicals, Judy Garland was one hot commodity and busier than rush hour at Grand Central starring in the vehicles ; The Harvey Girls (1946), The Easter Parade and The Pirate (respectively 1948). Gene Kelly in The Pirate was the quintessential match against Garland and had some of his most intricate and stylish routines and all set to Cole Porter's flawless score. These were among Garland's finest hours in her colossal canon.
 |
| Hip -hooray and bally-hoo, the lullaby of Ballgame |
In Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), Gene Kelly was allowed in collaboration with Stanley Donen and supervision by Busby Berkeley to try his own hand at writing and directing his own vehicle..