The big Idea – Satisfy Me personally into the St. Louis

“I will help John Truett kiss me tonight.” “Esther Smith!” “Better, in the event the we are going to get married, I might also initiate it.” “Sweet women don’t let people hug her or him up until just after these include interested. Guys do not want brand new flower applied off.” “Personally, I believe I’ve a lot of bloom. Possibly that is the problem with me personally.” –Esther (Judy Garland) and you may Flower (Lucille Bremer)

“Money! I detest, loathe, despise, and you can abominate money!” ” you purchase it.” –Flower (Lucille Bremer) and her dad Alonzo Smith (Leon Ames)

“If the there ever before is actually a time we however called for all the ounce off impress, it is this evening. In the event the we’re going to destroy Lucille Ballard’s evening, there is just got to end up being a sensation.” — Flower (Lucille Bremer) to help you Esther (Judy Garland)

Trivia – Fulfill Myself during the St. Louis – Trivia & Fun Details about See Me For the ST. LOUIS

Fulfill Me within the St. Louis first started once the a number of quick tales published by Sally Benson one to first appeared in the new Yorker Mag. Underneath the identity “5135 Kensington,” Benson’s stories was in fact blogged regarding The new Yorker out of Summer fourteen, 1941 compliment of Get 23, 1942. Centered on Benson’s young people memories, the fresh stories were lovely vignettes in regards to the really-to-carry out Smith family members in addition to their adventures through the turn-of-the-millennium St. Louis. Yet not, when they proved to be extremely popular which have subscribers, she put them all together within the a text titled Fulfill Me personally for the St. Louis published inside 1942 you to definitely incorporated four even more the newest tales, while making all in all, 12 – for every single section symbolizing 30 days out from the season.

Benson composed seven tales full in the mag

MGM manufacturer Arthur Freed fulfilled Benson’s tales and found her or him delightful; he believed they would make the finest topic to possess an effective film audio. The guy envisioned the project because the a great “emotional aura portion,” a film that would evoke the heat and you may nostalgia off a bygone point in time – something audience was in fact eager getting in the conflict-torn years of early 1940s.

To start with, Freed questioned George Cukor so you’re able to lead Meet Myself inside St. Louis . Cukor was curious, however xmeeting, is actually soon named to suffice for the The second world war and you will is actually struggling to try the movie. 2nd, Freed reached Vincente Minnelli, who had been seemingly a new comer to MGM. He’d directed Cabin on Sky and that i Dood They (each other 1943) however, had not yet , solidified his profile with the most powerful facility in the Hollywood.

Vincente Minnelli take a look at publication Meet Me personally inside St. Louis and found it “impacting, amusing, and you may loving,” according to their 1974 autobiography From the It well . Brand new book’s Halloween party series to the youngsters is actually new clincher to own your. “The consuming off base and you may slashing out-of throats it expected, nearly a wistful hoping for horror was not the fresh new sweet and you will treacly strategy thus characteristic away from Hollywood,” told you Minnelli. “This is the sort of dream one actual pupils, increased because the grimmest regarding Grimm’s fairy reports, will have. Sure, We informed Arthur [Freed] I would personally joyfully head the image.”

Freed and you can Minnelli hired several publishers to show Benson’s guide to the an excellent screenplay. To their chagrin, however, the fresh publishers don’t believe you will find an adequate amount of a plot having a motion picture so they really additional a good subplot to fulfill Me personally into the St. Louis between your blackmailing out of Judy Garland’s character, Esther Smith. “This will be scarcely the latest stuff where lyrical evocations out of a keen era are created,” said Minnelli, “therefore i advised we become some other variation.”

Arthur Freed next hired Fred Finklehoffe to test their give at the a separate draft of your screenplay. Finklehoffe blogged all of the the newest script having Irving Brecher, “tightening” it along the way just in case Minnelli believed it absolutely was necessary. This time, the brand new writers located the interest. “It grabbed ab muscles person viewpoints of your Benson functions – the simple god of the time,” told you Minnelli, “the fresh new earnestness and you will purity of its somebody, the fresh comfortable humor in addition to jokes of recognition on its universality and you can built a narrative away from an event in the publication. It revolved around the imminent transfer of husband so you’re able to New York while the impact the target move is wearing his family. “