Harvey Girls The (1946)

Won an Oscar for Best Original Song (“On the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe”) its Score was also nominated. Otherwise this troubled George Sidney Musical Comedy with a story co-written by Eleanore Griffin (Boys Town (1938)) features an uninspired (O.K. forced) performance Judy Garland as one of the many titled restaurant women who helped “tame” the West. FYI there’s a ‘museum’ display at the Bright Angel Lodge on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona which details the history of the Harvey Hotels.

There’s a love triangle angle with Garland’s character and a sensitive saloon owner rival (John Hodiak) to “Harvey” who’s misunderstood by his joint’s main attraction (Angela Lansbury whose singing voice is OBVIOUSLY dubbed by Virginia Rees) and even an acrobatic performance by Ray Bolger. But the film is neither a great musical nor a particularly funny comedy and the rest of its story fails to strike a balance anywhere in between that satisfies. Marjorie Main Chill Wills and Cyd Charisse (who dances of course) among others also lend their support in this losing effort.

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