The Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket - Round Five, Day Four
Try and have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Well, folks, as quickly as it was that we entered the Elite Eight of the Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket, we’re just about to leave it and enter the Final Four. But that only comes after today’s vote, which pits two MGM icons against each other. No dilly-dallying.
Let’s vote!
(2) An American in Paris vs. (3) Meet Me in St. Louis: It’s Kelly vs. Garland! Europe vs. America! Donen vs. Minnelli! As much as the era-specific competition is enjoyable, this is also not a tough choice for me. It may be for you, but for me, there is the extended ballet at the end of An American in Paris, and there is…honestly? Nothing in Meet Me in St. Louis comes close.
But that’s me. Just as Judy’s daughter went further with Cabaret than I would have expected, so too is the case here. (If you had asked me which Judy Garland film would make it this far, I’d have guessed The Wizard of Oz.) How do you vote?
An American in Paris
Meet Me in St. Louis
Here's the thing. The obvious choice is An American in Paris simply on the merits of the ballet alone.
But Judy. Singing the best Xmas song ever. Her ennui and melancholy oozing out of that remarkable two-person closeup.
I could maybe argue that the first hour of American/Paris can get a little sleepy?
Ugh. I know what I have to do...
I'm actually surprised by the hand-wringing - I think Meet Me In St. Louis is a much better film than American in Paris, and it's not even close for me.
That said, I do definitely agree that Wizard of Oz should still be in the tournament and it's a shame that it's not.