
Discussion Date
May 4, 2023
Discussion Time
8:00 am
Location
Virtual Event
on the event date, use the button below to join the discussion
movie details
starring
Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury
run time
1h 42m
Film Introductions
by Bill Rudman
In the wake of the huge success of Oklahoma! in 1943, Broadway and Hollywood gave us a rash of what I call the “Americana musicals,” and this is one of the most famous. Like Oklahoma!, it’s set in the West (Sandrock, New Mexico), and it’s inspired by real life: How Fred Harvey established a chain of restaurants across the country that would follow the trail of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
Here’s the conflict in this splashy example of MGM Technicolor: A group of ultra-refined waitresses -- including the straitlaced Garland -- find themselves up against a Sandrock saloon that doubles as what we might label (with understatement) a bawdy house.
What have we got here? The 24-year-old Garland transplanted from Meet Me in St. Louis; John Hodiak as the saloon owner with whom she ironically falls in love (of course, she transforms him!); and Angela Lansbury, given her first assignment in a musical at just 21. They didn’t trust her to do her own singing – although as she told us for years, she was up to the task – but she holds her own with Garland when it comes to acting prowess.
Harvey Girls also boasts a major score by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer including the Oscar-winning “Atchison, Topeka…” The film is MGM A-List all the way, and worth a viewing if, like me, you haven’t seen it in years.

How the Program Works
Join the Mailing list
On the appropriate Thursday, email list subscribers will receive an email with a video introduction from Bill Rudman. This video introduction gives an inside look at what to expect before viewing the film.
Watch the Film at Home
TMTP will provide a list of sites from which that month's film can be rented or purchased.
Join the Live Discussion
The following Thursday, Bill Rudman will host a live discussion via Zoom to discuss the film in real time!