'Meet Me In St. Louis'

I have a friend, Rajesh, who visited St. Louis recently with his wife, Cate.

It was a rather short little vacation to a sleepy midwest city that they didn't really know a lot about, but it was within driving distance and was relatively cheap.

One of the biggest (if not, secretly, the only) reason why they chose St. Louis was the musical, Meet Me In St. Louis.

It stars a 21-year-old Judy Garland playing a coming-of-age woman at the turn of the century in St. Louis just prior to the World's Fair. She and her sister fight for the hands of their beaus as they also deal with possibly leaving the city -- and house -- they grew up in and love.

Cate, in fact, loves this film. According to Rajesh, it's one of her favorites all time. Allegedly, the pair drove around "for hours" trying to find the home of Sally Benson, the writer that wrote the short stories from which the film's script was culled . Or former home. Like in the film (which is semi-autobiographical), she was moved due to her father's business to New York.

According to Rajesh, the couple drove through "demilitarized" streets of St. Louis trying to find this house only to learn that the old structure was, at some point, demolished. So, two of the whitest people I know were in middle of a St. Louis ghetto taking photos of an empty lot.

Therefore, I had to assume this movie was kickass. I was disappointed. I like my musicals, but I need at least some depth. Good songs. Maybe some good dancing.

I get none in Meet Me In St. Louis. Although I do love "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which was written for the film. Although the film isn't overly Christmasy, so it kinda sticks out like a sore thumb.

Other fun facts:
1. Kid actor Margaret O'Brien plays Tootie. According to the Internet, O'Brien's mother was being a total bitch so the directors attempted to kick her out for one of the crew member's daughter. They eventually opted for O'Brien. The same crew member apparently dropped a light almost hitting (and probably killing) young O'Brien. The crew member was escorted from the studio and was put in an insane asylum.

2. Judy Garland would eventually marry the director, Vincente Minelli. They would have a daughter, Liza.

3. Benson may have been best known for her screen writing. She was nominated for an Oscar for her script for Anna and the King of Siam. She also wrote Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt.