ZIEGFELD GIRL (1941) B/W 132m dir: Robert Z. Leonard

w/James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner, Tony Martin, Jackie Cooper, Ian Hunter, Charles Winninger, Edward Everett Horton, Philip Dorn, Paul Kelly, Eve Arden, Dan Dailey, Al Shean, Fay Holden, Felix Bressart, Rose Hobart, Bernard Nedell, Ed McNamara, Mae Busch, Renie Riano, Josephine Whittell, Sergio Orta, Troy Brown Sr.

From The Movie Guide: "This MGM extravaganza details the fortunes of Ziegfeld girls Susan Gallagher (Judy Garland), Sandra Kolter (Hedy Lamarr), and Sheila Regan (Lana Turner). Show business trouper Susan quits the vaudeville act run by her father (Charles Winninger) to further her Follies career, and soon falls in love with the brother (Jackie Cooper) of former elevator operator Sheila, another new Ziegfeld girl. Meanwhile, Sheila's head is turned by the glamor of it all, and she begins to hobnob with high society, especially Park Avenue socialite Geoffrey Collis (Ian Hunter). Left behind is truck driver Gilbert Young (James Stewart), who, in the hopes of winning back his wayward love, tries to make extra money as a bootlegger and winds up in prison. Sandra, the third Ziegfeld girl, finds life on the stage more eventful than life with her penniless violinist husband (Philip Dorn) --- until she finally comes to her senses and realizes love means more to her than show business. ... For all the melodramatic goings on among the principals, the true stars of this entertaining film are, quite fittingly, the lavish, spectacular dance numbers, employing hundreds of Ziegfeld girls in glittering costumes in the best style of Florenz Ziegfeld and Busby Berkeley [who choreographed the film]."

From the website The Judy Room (www.thejudyroom.com), this article about the film:

"Ziegfeld Girl is a rarity in the film catalogue of Judy Garland. It's one of the few post-Oz films that isn't a vehicle for either her alone, or for her and a co-star (Mickey Rooney, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire), and one in which she plays a more supporting role. Ziegfeld Girl is more a vehicle for Lana Turner and MGM's build-up to make her a star.

"Originally scheduled in 1938 for Joan Crawford, Eleanor Powell (MGM's 'Queen of Taps'), Margaret Sullavan, and Virginia Bruce, Ziegfeld Girl ended up starring Lana Turner, Hedy Lamarr, Judy Garland, and Eve Arden in the main female leads. By the time pre-production actually started, Joan Crawford and Eleanor Powell's careers were already declining. Lana, Hedy, and of course Judy, were the 'new' stars at MGM. Judy had already proven herself in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Babes in Arms (1939), and she had just finished Little Nellie Kelly (1940). Lana was the studio's obvious new 'sexpot' and Hedy had recently made a big splash proving she could act and not just be a gorgeous 'Bird of Paradise.' Thanks to Ziegfeld Girl and her other 1941 output, Lana ended up staying at MGM for almost 20 years as one of the studio's most enduring and versatile stars.

"The plot of Ziegfeld Girl is slight. It's the standard '3 girls trying to make it' backstage story. One achieves stardom (Judy), one achieves happiness via marriage (Hedy), and one falls for the glitz and glamour and ends up dead from alcoholism (Lana). Pure melodrama! But, packaged by MGM's professionalism, with musical numbers directed by Busby Berkeley, Ziegfeld Girl would become an extravaganza of glitz and corn and music and melodrama on a colossal scale. This is a movie that proves 'they don't make 'em like they used to.' To film the opulent musical numbers today, with the chorus girls, chorus boys, costumes, music, and all the trimmings, would cost a fortune. But MGM had the resources to make Ziegfeld Girl one of the most opulent films of its time, or any time.

"James Stewart, Tony Martin, and Jackie Cooper play the main lead male roles. Stewart was fresh off the double success of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and his Oscar-winning role in The Philadelphia Story (1941). But the focus is on the women, with the men merely acting as plot devices to add a dash of drama.

"This is the only film in which Judy starred with James Stewart and even though they both get top billing, they never share a scene together! James Stewart would talk about the magical days during the late 1930s when he and several other stars and contract players would take their breaks and sit outside the music building and listen to Judy rehearse with Roger Edens.

"Judy's part is basically a supporting role, but she gets several great numbers and is the only one of the girls who becomes the big Ziegfeld star. Her first number reaches back to her Vaudeville roots with Charles Winninger performing the breezy 'Laugh, I Thought I'd Split My Sides.'

"'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows' is the ballad standout for Judy. She takes the standard and makes it her own. It's a classic Garland film moment. When watching her, one can see why Lana Turner said to Judy (during the making of this film) 'You know, I'd give all of my beauty for just half of your talent, the look on your face when you sing.' That's praise indeed. ...

"'Minnie From Trinidad' is the big Busby Berkeley extravaganza showcasing Judy's character's ascent to stardom. It's completely over the top in a good way. Judy's voice is well suited to this type of number. She's able to take the tongue-in-cheek lyrics and make them fun. At the end of the number, she's lifted up and down on what are supposed to be large bamboo-type sticks. I used to wonder how MGM got away with putting Judy on something like that, something that could possibly seriously injure one of MGM's biggest stars. In reality, it's not Judy; MGM wouldn't chance an accident with their biggest musical star.

"Judy briefly appears in the early big musical number 'You Stepped Out of a Dream.' Judy's character is not yet a star, so that after each glamour girl's segment, poor Judy/Susan is stuck behind Tony Martin, Lana Turner and Hedy Lamarr for the final shot of the number. This probably didn't do much for Judy's insecurity about her looks.

"'Dream' is a dream alright. Eye-popping costumes and huge sets add to Tony Martin's wonderful rendition of this new standard. The song is really just an excuse to show the 'typical' Ziegfeld number of beautiful girls wearing outlandish costumes descending down a long flight of stairs. Lana and Hedy both get their turn coming down the stairs. Lana proves that she can navigate stairs better than anyone. What a beautiful walk she had! Judy doesn't just walk down the stairs, she dances down as the head of a line of sequined-clad chorus girls. Very effective!

"Ziegfeld Girl also features one of Dan Dailey's earliest roles as 'The Champ' Jimmy Walters who is first spurned then used by the Sheila Hale (Lana Turner) character. After appearing in several MGM films, Dailey would go over to 20th Century Fox and star in several musicals with Betty Grable.

"Ziegfeld Girl is long, opulent, melodramatic, and undeniable fun. So sit back, relax, and lose yourself in a fantasy world that never really existed in the first place. They don't make 'em like that anymore!"