Rating: 
Summary: No bad scenes - good family video
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" featuring Van Johnson and Judy Garland is a good video for the entire family viewing. There are no immoral scenes and no improper language. For families that have members that love musicals and members that hate musicals, this story will satisfy everyone. There is some singing in it, but not enough to drive you crazy. This is not a musical where everyone in the cast breaks into spontaneous singing--any music performed is germaine to the story.Contrary to its title, "In the Good Old Summertime" can be considered a Christmas film and I recommend it for holiday viewing. For those who like modern story lines, some people say it is similar (in a vague was) like "You've Got Mail." Buy, view, and enjoy a delightful film. P.S. Buster Keaton (who played the Scarecrow in "Wizard of Oz")does a magnificent job in this movie. 5 starts for Buster, too. This is a cute film and you really must pay attention to the secondary characters as well. Especially Buster Keaton.
Rating: 
Summary: IMPRESSIVE LOOKING TRANSFER OF AN AVERAGE GARLAND FILM!
Review: "In The Good Old Summertime" is a musical remake of "The Shop Around The Corner" (also available from Warner and the preferred version of this movie). In place of the obviously poignant and tender chemistry that James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan brought to the original we are given shrill ineptitude, a la the usually brilliant Judy Garland and mean spirited inclinations via the embittered Van Johnson. Really, I can't see how anyone would believe Garland and Johnson could be in love, much less have a child, by the final fade out. (Film trivia: the child in the last shot of this film is Liza Minnelli.) The remake, while short on the sprite gaiety of the original, nevertheless has its moments. Garland - although wrong for the part, is nevertheless in good voice and her songs sparkle with a vintage and professionalism that only a great artist like she could make of them in an otherwise uninspired production. In the supporting cast we have one of the cinema's great joys to watch - S.Z. Sakall, as the portly, easily flustered Mr. Oberkugen - proprietor of the music shop where both Johnson and Garland work and spar. Buster Keaton is wasted in his role.
THE TRANSFER: Warner gives us a very clean looking DVD. Colors are somewhat dated and in spots faded, but overall the Technicolor is rich and vibrant. Age related artifacts are present throughout but do not distract. Black levels are solid. Contrast levels tend to be just a bit too low for a picture that doesn't quite deliver as much visual punch as it should. There are no digital anomalies. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
BOTTOM LINE: This is another film that die hard Garland fans will snatch up quickly. But one wonders why Warner chose "In The Good Old Summertime" over say, "Summer Stock" or any of the Mickey Rooney/Garland vehicles.
Rating: 
Summary: No Justice for Judy
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" is one of Judy Garland's finest films, made all the better for her depiction of a somewhat shrew-ish woman getting a job in a music store. Johyn Fricke (or at least Madame Tussaud's version of him) does a good introduction, and the film plays well in newly restored format.
But back in the 1990's, a deleted song, "Last Night When We Were Young," was found and included in a laser disc set of Garland films. Why was it not included here, on the DVD? Judy recorded this song for Capitol records in 1956, and no less an authority than Tony Bennett said it was the greatest recording of all time. Judy's 1949 version of the song is, albeit not as impactful as the 1956 studio version, an excellent piece of work. But yet, it is not available on this DVD.
So, boys and girls, what you are getting on this DVD is nothing more than what you would get on the VHS videotape version (unless you feel that a trailer for the movie "You've Got Mail" somehow, even obsequiously, fits in to this DVD).
Go find a nice VHS copy of this film. That's your best bet.
Rating:
Summary: Comments on the movie and its soundtrack album
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" was the second to last feature film Judy Garland made during her 15 years at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Summer Stock was her last). I will agreen that it is not her best film, but its definately not bad. In accordance with most other MGM films of the period it is a bit sentimental and quite predictable. But its great entertainment just the same. It's no Wizard of Oz or Meet Me In St. Louis, but I loved it. Judy's singing is better than great, as usual, even though this movie has no showstopping musical numbers such as "The Trolley Song" or "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe." Loved Judy, loved the supporting cast, loved the music, and loved the movie. Highly recommended! NOTES ON THE SOUNDTRACK ALBUM:
As Amazon.com does not carry the Summer Stock/In the Good Old Summertime original soundtrack album (2 movie soundtracks on one disc), I'll comment on it here. It was released in 2001 but is not widely available. It is only available directly from its publisher, Rhino Handmade, which is a division of the Rhino label that carries many of the great MGM soundtracks. It is only available as an individually numbered, limited edition. Mine was #413 out of 6000 copies made. The soundtrack album is one of my favorite soundtracks. Sound quality on this disc is by far better than that on the VHS of the movie, although there is a very slight hiss in some spots. It includes all of the songs from the movie, and the outtake, "When We Were Young Last Night," one of the most moving numbers ever sung by Judy Garland, and also includes the sole surviving recording of ITGOST's original unused ending sequence. Plus the album has the soundtrack from Summer Stock as well. This album is also recommended if you can track it down.
Rating:
Summary: No bad scenes - good family video
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" featuring Van Johnson and Judy Garland is a good video for the entire family viewing. There are no immoral scenes and no improper language. For families that have members that love musicals and members that hate musicals, this story will satisfy everyone. There is some singing in it, but not enough to drive you crazy. This is not a musical where everyone in the cast breaks into spontaneous singing--any music performed is germaine to the story. Contrary to its title, "In the Good Old Summertime" can be considered a Christmas film and I recommend it for holiday viewing. For those who like modern story lines, some people say it is similar (in a vague was) like "You've Got Mail." Buy, view, and enjoy a delightful film. P.S. Buster Keaton (who played the Scarecrow in "Wizard of Oz")does a magnificent job in this movie. 5 starts for Buster, too. This is a cute film and you really must pay attention to the secondary characters as well. Especially Buster Keaton.
Rating:
Summary: No Justice for Judy
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" is one of Judy Garland's finest films, made all the better for her depiction of a somewhat shrew-ish woman getting a job in a music store. John Fricke (or at least Madame Tussaud's version of him) does a good introduction, and the film plays well in newly restored format.
But back in the 1990's, a deleted song, "Last Night When We Were Young," was found and included in a laser disc set of Garland films. Why was it not included here, on the DVD? Judy recorded this song for Capitol records in 1956, and no less an authority than Tony Bennett said it was the greatest recording of all time. Judy's 1949 version of the song is, albeit not as impactful as the 1956 studio version, an excellent piece of work. But yet, it is not available on this DVD.
So, boys and girls, what you are getting on this DVD is nothing more than what you would get on the VHS videotape version (unless you feel that a trailer for the movie "You've Got Mail" somehow, even obsequiously, fits in to this DVD).
Go find a nice VHS copy of this film. That's your best bet.
Rating:
Summary: No Justice for Judy
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" is one of Judy Garland's finest films, made all the better for her depiction of a somewhat shrew-ish woman getting a job in a music store. John Fricke (or at least Madame Tussaud's version of him) does a good introduction, and the film plays well in newly restored format.
But back in the 1990's, a deleted song, "Last Night When We Were Young," was found and included in a laser disc set of Garland films. Why was it not included here, on the DVD? Judy recorded this song for Capitol records in 1956, and no less an authority than Tony Bennett said it was the greatest recording of all time. Judy's 1949 version of the song is, albeit not as impactful as the 1956 studio version, an excellent piece of work. But yet, it is not available on this DVD.
So, boys and girls, what you are getting on this DVD is nothing more than what you would get on the VHS videotape version (unless you feel that a trailer for the movie "You've Got Mail" somehow, even obsequiously, fits in to this DVD).
Go find a nice VHS copy of this film. That's your best bet.
Rating:
Summary: No Justice for Judy
Review: "In the Good Old Summertime" is one of Judy Garland's finest films, made all the better for her depiction of a somewhat shrew-ish woman getting a job in a music store. Johyn Fricke (or at least Madame Tussaud's version of him) does a good introduction, and the film plays well in newly restored format.
But back in the 1990's, a deleted song, "Last Night When We Were Young," was found and included in a laser disc set of Garland films. Why was it not included here, on the DVD? Judy recorded this song for Capitol records in 1956, and no less an authority than Tony Bennett said it was the greatest recording of all time. Judy's 1949 version of the song is, albeit not as impactful as the 1956 studio version, an excellent piece of work. But yet, it is not available on this DVD.
So, boys and girls, what you are getting on this DVD is nothing more than what you would get on the VHS videotape version (unless you feel that a trailer for the movie "You've Got Mail" somehow, even obsequiously, fits in to this DVD).
Go find a nice VHS copy of this film. That's your best bet.
Rating:
Summary: Once again Judy's done it!
Review: As always a spectacular performance by Judy.I loved the acting, the singing was not a great as Judy's others like "Meet Me in St.Louis" or "Easter Parade" but I'm proud to be a fan of Judy.A lot like "You've Got Mail," for people who loved that movie. Even at 13 y.o. I can recognize a true star,can't you!
Rating: 
Summary: A poor imitation.
Review: As much as I admire Judy Garland, I'm afraid that this film can't hold a candle to the superb romantic comedy THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, from which it borrows its plot. The main defect is that Garland and Johnson are so overpowering in their detestation of each other that it is completely unbelievable for them to then suddenly realize that they are in love. There is no transition, no preparation for the abrupt reversal. Nobody can outdo Judy when she turns on the scorn and vituperation, and she just overdoes it to an irrevocable degree.Also the music doesn't amount to much. Now if you want to see an excellent musical version of the SHOP AROUND THE CORNER plot, find a stage performance of SHE LOVES ME, one of the most delightful musicals ever created.
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