C'mon, Get Happy

In their third and final screen teaming, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly starred together in the MGM musical Summer Stock. Despite its riveting production history, charismatic lead actors, and classic musical moments, the movie has not received the same attention as other musicals from MGMs storied dream factory. In Cmon, Get Happy: The Making of "Summer Stock," authors David Fantle and Tom Johnson present a comprehensive study of this 1950 motion picture, from start to finish and after its release. The production coincided at a critical point in the careers of Kelly and an emotionally spent Garland. Kelly, who starred in An American in Paris just one year later, was at the peak of his abilities. On the other hand, Summer Stock was Garlands final film at MGM, and she gamely completed it despite her own personal struggles. Summer Stock includes Kellys favorite solo dance routine and Garlands signature number "Get Happy." The authors discuss in rich detail the contributions of the cast (which included Gloria DeHaven, Eddie Bracken, Phil Silvers, and Marjorie Main); the director (Charles Walters); the producer (Joe Pasternak); the script writers (George Wells and Sy Gomberg); the songwriters (which included Harry Warren and Mack Gordon); and top MGM executives (Louis B. Mayer and Dore Schary). The volume features extensive interviews, conducted by the authors, with Kelly, Walters, Warren, and others, who shared their recollections of making the movie. Deeply researched, Cmon, Get Happy reveals the studio system at work during Hollywoods Golden Era. Additionally, the authors have written a special section called "Taking Stock" that buttonholes numerous contemporary dancers, singers, choreographers, musicians, and even Garland impersonators for their take on Summer Stock, its stars, and any enduring legacy they think the film might have. Artists from Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ben Vereen, and Tommy Tune to Garlands and Kellys daughters, Lorna Luft and Kerry Kelly Novick, respectively, offer their unique perspective on the film and its stars.