Musical Mondays Week 49 Meet Me in St. Louis

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

Apparently Tootie's morbidness comes from the original book.  I can't copy the PDF but here's a link.  It's related to the author's childhood.

[grudlian. 4725]

12 minutes ago, PollyDarton said:

Hahaha... Women in a lot of places are not allowed to go to stripclubs unless they are accompanied by a man.

I guess I don't actually know anything about strip clubs. I've only been once.

I assume the reasoning is lone women don't spend money? Or a holdover from old timey ideas that "oh dear if a woman sees this she'll be possessed by the devil's sexual trickery!"

[PollyDarton 1807]

So guys - Rabbiting this last night with some of you was so much fun. I have seen this movie countless times since I was a kid since it was one of my mom's favorites. It still is and we still find time to watch it every Christmas.

As strange as this is going to sound, it never occurred to me just how peculiar Tootie is until I was seeing it through your eyes. I always thought it was one of the reasons this movie aged well because it had a little goth kid in it that felt kind of current... know what I mean? Tootie is Wednesday Addams, Lydia Deets, or even Louise Belcher? I don't think I realized that pretty much everything that comes out of her mouth is about death and shit... but I just cracked-up everytime she was on screen because I knew what she was going to say next but wasn't sure how you guys would react. You all did not disappoint!

Which leads me to a suggestion - if we ever get sick of "Musical Mondays" just having "Favorite Movie Mondays" might be a great substitution. The person who's turn it is picks a favorite movie that they don't think the group has seen and leads everyone through it. Experiencing one of my favs through you was endlessly enjoyable for me. Thank you guys - SO MUCH!

[grudlian. 4725]

4 minutes ago, PollyDarton said:

So guys - Rabbiting this last night with some of you was so much fun. I have seen this movie countless times since I was a kid since it was one of my mom's favorites. It still is and we still find time to watch it every Christmas.

As strange as this is going to sound, it never occurred to me just how peculiar Tootie is until I was seeing it through your eyes. I always thought it was one of the reasons this movie aged well because it had a little goth kid in it that felt kind of current... know what I mean? Tootie is Wednesday Addams, Lydia Deets, or even Louise Belcher? I don't think I realized that pretty much everything that comes out of her mouth is about death and shit... but I just cracked-up everytime she was on screen because I knew what she was going to say next but wasn't sure how you guys would react. You all did not disappoint!

I definitely was thinking of Louise Belcher and Tootie as well.

[PollyDarton 1807]

1 hour ago, Cinco DeNio said:

Was there a scene I missed where we see why John was so taken with Esther?  I never understood his motivations during either viewing.

He's into pain - clearly.

[Cameron H. 23786]

53 minutes ago, PollyDarton said:

So guys - Rabbiting this last night with some of you was so much fun. I have seen this movie countless times since I was a kid since it was one of my mom's favorites. It still is and we still find time to watch it every Christmas.

As strange as this is going to sound, it never occurred to me just how peculiar Tootie is until I was seeing it through your eyes. I always thought it was one of the reasons this movie aged well because it had a little goth kid in it that felt kind of current... know what I mean? Tootie is Wednesday Addams, Lydia Deets, or even Louise Belcher? I don't think I realized that pretty much everything that comes out of her mouth is about death and shit... but I just cracked-up everytime she was on screen because I knew what she was going to say next but wasn't sure how you guys would react. You all did not disappoint!

Which leads me to a suggestion - if we ever get sick of "Musical Mondays" just having "Favorite Movie Mondays" might be a great substitution. The person who's turn it is picks a favorite movie that they don't think the group has seen and leads everyone through it. Experiencing one of my favs through you was endlessly enjoyable for me. Thank you guys - SO MUCH!

Oh, I’m upset I couldn’t make it last night

[Cameron H. 23786]

I just wanted to say, my two favorite line reads were Lon’s “What?” when it’s suggested that he go to the dance with Rose, and Warren’s “I love you!” at the end. 

[Cameron H. 23786]

I also liked how when everyone is mad at Daddy Pricklepants they won’t eat any  cake. Then, when he starts singing, they all cut themselves a ten-pound slice of apology cake.

[SaraK 1980]

12 minutes ago, Cameron H. said:

I also liked how when everyone is mad at Daddy Pricklepants they won’t eat any  cake. Then, when he starts singing, they all cut themselves a ten-pound slice of apology cake.

What time of night was that at? I was constantly astonished that this family repeatedly hung out at what I assume to be 11pm. 

[grudlian. 4725]

1 hour ago, Cameron H. said:

Oh, I’m upset I couldn’t make it last night

Honestly, everyone made the movie better. This is generally not my type of movie. So, I would have tuned out or gotten on my phone pretty early if it weren't for the group on rabbit. So, I never would have paid any attention to crazy Tootie.

7 minutes ago, SaraK said:

What time of night was that at? I was constantly astonished that this family repeatedly hung out at what I assume to be 11pm. 

This was during the Halloween segment right? The segment started after it was full dark. Let's say it starts at 6:30-7:00pm at the earliest for the central time zone. Then we go through everyone's stories for Halloween. So, a couple hours? So, the dad gives the news and they bring out cake at 8:30 at the earliest and probably later.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Is it ever explained how John got his hands on a tux or are we to assume that he had Tootie "take care of it?"

[WatchOutForSnakes 807]

5 hours ago, PollyDarton said:

Hahaha... Women in a lot of places are not allowed to go to stripclubs unless they are accompanied by a man.

What?! What is that about? Is that so the men in the crowd won't be distracted from the dancers? 

[AlmostAGhost 2718]

the movie, keeping with its artistic feel of a postcard, does make for some sweet gifs

[WatchOutForSnakes 807]

Tootie was hands down the best thing about Meet Me in St. Louis. The songs and Judy Garland were great, but Tootie was such an unexpected joy. 

Also, I was surprised that, with all the talk about and anticipation of the World Fair, we never really got to see it. 

[grudlian. 4725]

Turns out the author, Sally Benson, based Meet Me In St. Louis on her own life. Tootie was based on herself and Sally was called Tootie as a child.

[PollyDarton 1807]

3 hours ago, WatchOutForSnakes said:

What?! What is that about? Is that so the men in the crowd won't be distracted from the dancers? 

Yeah - something like that. If you notice a strip club is called a "gentleman's club" that's what that means... they don't want regular ladies to distract from the ladies making money.

I had a friend who was a stripper and generally disliked women customers because - as she described it - they were usually there with their man as some act of foreplay and never really spent any money. Go figure.

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

 

9 hours ago, grudlian. said:

Yeah. I thought it was a vague comment on how expensive New York is. I would practically be homeless in NYC with my current salary but he's presumably going for a promotion since he's sticking with the same company. You can expect some lifestyle changes but a practical mansion to tenement house seems weird. Why take this job at all?

Deleted scene/alternate ending:

Alonzo (entering work the next day): Hey boss, I've decided that I'm not going to move to New York.

Boss: WHAT?! You were supposed to leave this morning! Why the hell not?

Alonzo: Well, my wife and several daughters weren't too keen on the idea, and one of my girls had a tantrum and decapitated a bunch of snowmen, so I thought ...

Boss: Your wife and daughters?! This is 1903 America ... we don't care what women think!

Alonzo: Sir, if we moved to New York, there's no telling how much passive-aggressive corned beef shaving I'll have to endure in whatever awful 6-bedroom tenement we wind up in.

Boss: You're fired.

[PollyDarton 1807]

3 hours ago, AlmostAGhost said:

the movie, keeping with its artistic feel of a postcard, does make for some sweet gifs

YAAAS - I hope many of you agree, but this movie is so freaking beautiful to look at.

[PollyDarton 1807]

Just now, The_Triple_Lindy said:

 

Deleted scene/alternate ending:

Alonzo (entering work the next day): Hey boss, I've decided that I'm not going to move to New York.

Boss: WHAT?! You were supposed to leave this morning! Why the hell not?

Alonzo: Well, my wife and several daughters weren't too keen on the idea, and one of my girls had a tantrum and decapitated a bunch of snowmen, so I thought ...

Boss: Your wife and daughters?! This is 1903 America ... we don't care what women think!

Alonzo: Sir, if we moved to New York, there's no telling how much passive-aggressive corned beef shaving I'll have to endure in whatever awful 6-bedroom tenement we wind up in.

Boss: You're fired.

YAAAAAASSS - MOAR MMISL FAN FICTION!

[PollyDarton 1807]

Not sure if anyone will find this interesting but me... but one of my favorite things about period movies is that we as creators and viewers are unable to accurately see our current fashion properly. Because of this, period movies often are way more influenced by current fashion than the period in which they are trying to portray. Meet Me in St. Louis is no exception. A lot of the fashion in the movie does make a great effort to be accurate... the mom is the best example, but costume designer Irene Shariff was seemingly not going to put her star in the dowdy, matronly fashions of the time. The early 1900s is best known for women trying to achieve a "pigeon chest" that pulls their bosom way down almost to their waist. I put a little picture together here that shows what the more ideal look for the period would be, next to stills from the film, and then images of 1944.

[Cam Bert 8145]

The one thing that struck me about the Christmas ending is how late at night it was to be celebrating Christmas. Now we know from Halloween and earlier scenes that the Smith family keeps oddly late hours, but this must have been like midnight about right? After Tootie explodes on the snowmen and the father reconsiders the move they all cheer and realize "Oh hey it's Christmas now!"  and proceed to start opening their presents. Isn't this like the middle of the night? Why is nobody like "can't we wait until the morning?" It is just decided "we are all up and the clock now says it is Christmas day so let's get going." Also Tootie was up waiting for Santa and then she goes and opens her Santa present. Just when you think dad redeems himself he goes and ruins Santa for Tootie.

[WatchOutForSnakes 807]

11 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

" Also Tootie was up waiting for Santa and then she goes and opens her Santa present. Just when you think dad redeems himself he goes and ruins Santa for Tootie.

Santa clearly came when Tootie was busy demolishing the snowpeople. Her tantrum, single-handedly saving her family from the tenements of NYC, I suppose Santa had her on the "nice" list. 

[WatchOutForSnakes 807]

12 hours ago, PollyDarton said:

Not sure if anyone will find this interesting but me... but one of my favorite things about period movies is that we as creators and viewers are unable to accurately see our current fashion properly. Because of this, period movies often are way more influenced by current fashion than the period in which they are trying to portray. Meet Me in St. Louis is no exception. A lot of the fashion in the movie does make a great effort to be accurate... the mom is the best example, but costume designer Irene Shariff was seemingly not going to put her star in the dowdy, matronly fashions of the time. The early 1900s is best known for women trying to achieve a "pigeon chest" that pulls their bosom way down almost to their waist. I put a little picture together here that shows what the more ideal look for the period would be, next to stills from the film, and then images of 1944.

I really did have an issue with those bangs!

[Cinco DeNio 5290]

36 minutes ago, WatchOutForSnakes said:

Santa clearly came when Tootie was busy demolishing the snowpeople. Her tantrum, single-handedly saving her family from the tenements of NYC, I suppose Santa had her on the "nice" list. 

Those elves worked awfully quickly to make new toys instead of the bag of coal she was going to get.  Also, how did they afford so many dolls that she could keep burying ones?

[EvRobert 1684]

Okay I didn't care for this movie at all. The music was good, directed with a deft hand, it was beautiful to look at but it was just so...empty. Maybe it's because I've just started production on a stage version of Little Women (which I have similar problems to as this movie) but there really is no story here, no teeth, no...nothing. Tootie was cool though.