The Smith family are eagerly anticipating the 1904 World's Fair to be held in their hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Rose (Lucille Bremer) and Esther (Judy Garland) are boy-crazy teens scheming to get engaged because it's 1903 and what else are they going to do, work? Younger sisters Agnes (Joan Carroll) and Tootie (Margaret O'Brien) are semi-feral and death-obsessed, but you know, in a cute way. The only brother, Alonzo Jr. (Henry H. Daniels, Jr.), is mostly away at college and missing the day-to-day shenanigans as Esther sets her cap for the boy next door (Tom Drake). But when the patriarch (Leon Ames) announces that he's moving the whole family to New York City at the turn of the year, all the girls' plans come into conflict.
I cannot overstate how colorful this movie is. It is vibrant. The costumes, the sets, the food, everything is gloriously Technicolor. This film is most famous for Garland's absolutely mournful "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" but I love the frenetic energy of "The Trolley Song". It spans 3/4 of a year and I personally feel the pacing drags a little towards the middle, but there are so many great moments it balances out.
This is a hard time of year for a lot of people so if you just want a little Christmas, not a whole lot, this might be a good choice. People find it cathartic. It's currently streaming on (sigh) Max.
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