Dowlin's "Judy Garland was too Pure for this world" and Broadway Melody of 1938

I was taken by some of Joan E Dowlin’s thoughts and comments in her blog entitled “Judy Garland was too pure for this world” on the Huffigton Post.  I’d always felt that many of Judy’s problems came about because she trusted people too much.  She was too sweet, loving and sensitive to survive in this harsh world. But no matter what slings and arrows she encountered her natural pureness never waived.  She picked herself up from the batterings she received from MGM, “Annie,” “Star,” and TV series, Group V and embraced life with joy and spirit.

Dowlin’s use of the phrase “essence of Garland” reminded me of my talks with Lorna Smith (Lorna, knew Judy very well over many years and particularly during the last 6 months of her life) and commented to me “They don’t understand the essence of Judy” (we may have been talking about the dreadful new play in London and now NY about Judy).   The essence of Judy was pure and loving; there were times the frustration of the latest bruising would overcome her and she would rail against the world but moments later her good nature would return. 

Dowlin also talks of how Judy threw her whole self into every film, tour, television special she did to the detriment to her heath.   This is true; Judy had a great need to share her music and art with her audiences.    

At the time I read this blog I happened to view an early Judy movie, Broadway Melody of 1938- and this may have been the first time I had seen the whole movie, apart from the many Judy excerpts--it was surprisingly good!  George Murphy was a good old standby “song and dance man”, without the grace or flare of Astaire or Kelly.  I read he was downhearted because he didn’t get the lead in “For Me and My Gal”, but I digress...  I always enjoyed the grace and talent of Eleanor Powell and imagined how Judy would have been on the set of the filming of the big musical numbers.  And, of course, she met Sid Luft for the first time as he was around, escorting Powell.  I thought how he must have enjoyed the horse racing scenes!   Again I am digressing…

The first thoughts upon seeing Judy in the first scene was her freshness and vitality and then I noticed the lollipop she was sucking.  Now Judy was fifteen then--was MGM trying to make out she was twelve years old?  I doubt many twelve year olds go into an audition with a lollipop!  I noticed she wore ankle socks in all scenes.   Judy overcame these obstacles, of course, had some magnificent songs which have gone down in history.  As I watched Sophie Tucker sing her classic “Some of these days” I realized how perfectly Judy had recreated this in her Broadway tribute, down to the exact phasing and pauses.  As she often said, “I have seen the best.”

Lorna Smith and me at Victoria Station, I believe