THE JUDY! CENTURY
June 10 marks the 100th birthday of Minnesota’s greatest actress, Judy Garland. Born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids in 1922, the daughter of a loving father and an ambitious mother who pushed their three daughters into Vaudeville in the late 20s and early 30's. Frances became Judy thanks to a popular Hoagy Carmichael song, and Garland because George Jessel said she was "as pretty as a Garland of Roses". In 1935, she signed with MGM, starred in a number of films with Mickey Rooney and eventually became one of the studios top boxoffice stars. But tragedy was close behind—her father died of meningitis, and MGM's constant fixation on her non glamour girl looks fueled a life long insecurity about herself. Garland channeled her complex emotions into every performance, and her work in “The Wizard of Oz” alone—at once funny, angry and compassionate—would have cemented her legend on its own. The Heights is proud to celebrate Judy Garland’s 100th birthday with seven classic films that capture the full range of her brilliance.
MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
June 2, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
DIGITAL CINEMA PRESENTATION.
Minnelli's lush masterpiece is not only a feast for the eyes, but also one of the most emotionally charged films ever made. The large, boisterous and loving Smith family enjoy their rich life in St. Louis, but when father needs to move the family to New York, the news hits them hard. This episodic film is mesmerizing in its examination of community and family, and the ways in which we endure day-by-day. Judy Garland was never more poignant and charming, and her rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" will bring you to tears.
DCP courtesy Warner Bros.
THE HARVEY GIRLS
June 6, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
DIGITAL CINEMA PRESENTATION
Poor Susan Bradley (Garland): she's left her home to travel to remote Sandrock, AZ to meet a man whose beautiful letters convinced her to marry the stranger. Turns out he's a grouchy old coot, and the letters were written as a joke by Ned Trent (John Hodiak), owner of a local saloon. Stranded, Susan joins the Harvey Girls, the famed waitresses of the Harvey chain of restaurants, which infuriates Trent, whose saloon is in direct competition with the restaurant. Boasting a ton of wonderful songs and rousing musical numbers, The Harvey Girls is a little-seen treat. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
THE CLOCK in 35MM
June 9, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
35MM PRESENTATION
Joe Allen (Robert Walker) is a soldier with a two-day pass, wasting time in New York's Penn Station. Alice Mayberry (Garland) trips over his foot and breaks the heel off of her shoe. This random event not only throws the couple together, where they fall deeply in love, but brings them into contact with a host of lovely people eager to see the pair to the altar before Joe heads off to fight in World War II. Director Vincente Minnelli refused to sugar coat The Clock and infused this delightful romance with the stirring melancholy of an America in the throes of war. Both Garland and Walker were fighting numerous demons in their personal lives, and both summoned up all the joy and pain of their young lives to craft meticulous performances that will not soon be forgotten.
SUMMER STOCK
June 16, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
DIGITAL CINEMA PRESENTATION
Jane Falbury (Garland) is a farmer in Connecticut whose ne'er-do-well actress sister, Abigail (Gloria DeHaven) arrives with a theater troupe in tow, desperate for a space to rehearse. Jane reluctantly agrees, and in comes the actors, including handsome Joe Ross (Gene Kelly), Abigail's fiancee who is starting to fall in love with Jane. This was Garland's last film for MGM, and she couldn't have left with a better number than the famous Get Happy, featuring Judy in a tuxedo jacket, black fedora, and silk stockings.
A CHILD IS WAITING
June 20, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
DIGITAL CINEMA PRESENTATION
Jean Hansen (Garland) is new to the staff of the Crawthorne State Mental Hospital for children. A Julliard graduate, Hansen has unconventional methods for reaching the children in her care, which goes against everything the director, Dr. Matthew Clark (Burt Lancaster), believes. From producer Stanley Kramer and writer Abby Mann (director and writer, respectively, of Judgment at Nuremberg) and an early effort from director John Cassavetes (A Woman Under the Influence), A Child is Waiting is a little seen, and poignant display of Garland's powerfully emotional style.
A STAR IS BORN
June 23, 2022, 7 p.m.
DIGITAL CINEMA PRESENTATION
Forget Gaga, forget Streisand, the greatest Star is Born is all Judy. This story of unknown singer Esther Blodgett being turned into superstar Vicki Lester (Garland) by former star (and current alcoholic) Norman Maine (James Mason) is a rollercoaster melodrama that leaves its four other adaptations in the dust. Garland's intense acting lights up the screen, illuminating all who surround her. "One of the grandest heartbreak dramas that has drenched the screen in years." - New York Times
