This episode is a personal favourite of The Judy Garland Project. Coyne Steven Sanders remarks in his book that this show has a ‘threadbare’ look due its lack of sets and its use of recycled costumes but this had never struck me before (Sanders, 1992: 305). Who needs sets anyway when one’s attention is fixed upon the rays of talent thrown by Garland, Merman, Berman and Gennaro?! This is a show of very fine performances all round and warrants repeated viewing. Shelley Berman’s comic routines are integrated very nicely into the show – firstly in his extended sketch near the beginning of the programme and later in a song and dance routine. (Another sketch he filmed with Judy did not make it to the final edit). Ethel Merman makes a welcome return after her cameo on the Streisand show, and it is good to see the show’s choreographer Gennaro appearing in front of the camera for a change.
For the opening song ‘Ev’rybody’s Doin’ It/Let’s Do It’ Judy is joined by the entire cast, including the chorus dancers. All dressed like traditional vaudevillians swinging bamboo canes, this is a jolly start and sets a suitable tone for the evening’s entertainment.
Shelley Berman’s comedy sketch comes next. This does have a set, by the way… rows of office desks. Once Berman’s colleagues have left at 5pm, the comedian is trapped there by a series of increasingly frustrating phone calls. It is a hilariously acted scene.
Next comes many minutes of uninterrupted musical entertainment. Firstly Ethel Merman sings ‘Gee But Its Good to Be Here’ and ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’ with all of her bravura. The show’s producers who had once requested that Judy don’t sing the word “hell” in Show 3 don’t appear to have any qualms about Miss Merman turning her nose up at cocaine! The screens that were behind her pull away to clear a space for Peter Gennaro to swing his hips and cartwheel to ‘I Love a Parade’. The chorus dancers join him for a dazzling finish.
Everything calms down for the reappearance of Judy standing outside a ramshackle cabin to sing ‘Oh Shenandoah’. The camerawork and direction is beautifully simple. As Judy sings, the camera very gently zooms in and then gradually out again, filming her in profile.
One of my favourite scenes of the entire series follows the commercial break. Garland and Gennaro dance an extremely energetic ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ which inspires Shelley Berman to become a similarly cute artiste. Judy and Gennaro transform him by tearing off pieces of his tailcoat and stamping on his top hat to make him like one of Garland and Astaire’s ‘swells’. This only makes him marginally cute until he starts singing and dancing. Then the transformation is complete. Judy gives some very powerful high kicks in this dance routine. ‘Crazylegs Garland’ is on top form.
A sustained “ahhhhhhhhhhhh…” heralds Merman and Garland’s next scene. Ethel informs Judy that she enjoys singing duets in her stage shows even though the audience can’t hear anyone else but her. She reckons that people will be able to hear Judy though, being as she is one of the “last of the big belters!” ‘Friendship’, ‘Let’s Be Buddies’, ‘You’re the Top’, ‘You’re Just in Love’, and ‘It’s De-lovely’ make up their medley.
The finale of the show is soon upon us. Judy stands behind her trunk and determines to sing ‘A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow’ out of obscurity! ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ ups the tempo, but in some respects seems superfluous when compared with what is about to overshadow it. Show 16 is the episode in which Judy sings ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’. She introduces the song gently by saying that it isn’t sung very often on television. All Garland fans however, know that the true sentiments behind the choice of this song were to pay a tribute to JFK.
There is a standing ovation at the end and although ‘Maybe I Will Come Back’ plays out the credits, Judy wisely does not detract from the last song by singing it this week.
A memorable, landmark episode in a series of many treasures.
Garland’s Gowns (by Ray Aghayan, and assistant Bob Mackie):
For the opener Judy wears a blazer and skirt. The blazer is the one she wore for the vaudeville routine on the Donald O’Connor episode. During ‘Oh Shenandoah’ she wears a simple blouse and skirt – possibly what she was dressed in under her wool coat earlier in the show when she introduced her guests.
Judy (and Peter Gennaro) are dressed in identical comedy ‘tramp’ costumes for ‘Making Whoopee’. Judy discards her hat midway through the dance.
For the Merman duet and Trunk scene Judy is dressed in an elegant but dramatic full length dress embroidered with strips of sequins. It has a looping neckline at the back, which was one of Aghayan’s trademark features for Judy’s garments over the series. All the costumes here bring out various aspects of Judy’s stage personas from the clown to glamorous star.
Further reading:
Sanders, Coyne Steven, 1992, Rainbow’s End, New York: Zebra Books
The Judy Garland Project 