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{{short description|1946 film by Robert Alton, George Sidney}}
{{short description|1946 film by Robert Alton, George Sidney}}
{{for|the novel|The Harvey Girls (novel)}}
{{for-multi|the novel|The Harvey Girls (novel)|the album|The Harvey Girls (album)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = The Harvey Girls
| name = The Harvey Girls
| image = Harvey Girls poster.jpg
| image = The Harvey Girls.jpg
| caption = theatrical poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[George Sidney]]<br />[[Robert Alton]] ''(musical number)''
| director = [[George Sidney]]<br />[[Robert Alton]] ''(musical number)''
| producer = [[Arthur Freed]]
| producer = [[Arthur Freed]]
Line 15: Line 15:
| music = [[Harry Warren]] ''(music)''<br />[[Johnny Mercer]] ''(lyrics)''<br />[[Lennie Hayton]] ''(score)''
| music = [[Harry Warren]] ''(music)''<br />[[Johnny Mercer]] ''(lyrics)''<br />[[Lennie Hayton]] ''(score)''
| cinematography = [[George Folsey (cinematographer)|George J. Folsey]]
| cinematography = [[George Folsey (cinematographer)|George J. Folsey]]
| editing = Albert Akst
| editing = [[Albert Akst]]
| studio = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
| studio = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
| distributor = [[Loews Cineplex Entertainment|Loew's Inc.]]
| distributor = [[Loews Cineplex Entertainment|Loew's Inc.]]
Line 32: Line 32:


==Plot==
==Plot==
In the 1890s, a group of "Harvey Girls"&nbsp;– new waitresses for [[Fred Harvey (entrepreneur)|Fred Harvey]]'s pioneering chain of [[Fred Harvey Company|Harvey House]] restaurants&nbsp;– travels on the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] to the western town of Sandrock, Arizona. On the trip they meet Susan Bradley, who is travelling to the same town to marry the man whose beautiful letters she received when she answered a [[Personal advertisement|"lonely-hearts" ad]]. Unfortunately, when she arrives, the man turns out to be an "old coot" who does not at all meet her expectations&nbsp;– and he is also as disinclined to get married as much as she is disinclined to marry him, so as they continue to express personal faults not mentioned in their letters they quickly reach a mutual agreement to call it off. When she learns that someone else, the owner of the local saloon, Ned Trent, wrote the letters as a joke, she confronts him and tells him off, in the process endearing herself to him.
In the 1890s, a group of "Harvey Girls"&nbsp;– new waitresses for [[Fred Harvey (entrepreneur)|Fred Harvey]]'s pioneering chain of [[Fred Harvey Company|Harvey House]] restaurants&nbsp;– travels on the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] to the American Southwest town of Sandrock. On the trip they meet Susan Bradley, who is travelling to the same town to marry the man whose beautiful letters she received when she answered a [[Personal advertisement|"lonely-hearts" ad]].


Unfortunately, when she arrives, her husband-to-be turns out to be an "old coot" who does not at all meet her expectations, and vice versa. They start to argue and list their own personal faults, which they claim not to have mentioned in their letters. With their mutual disinclination to continue with the marital union clear, they jointly decide to call off the wedding.
⚫
Then Susan joins the Harvey Girls, and she soon becomes their leader in fighting against the attempts by Trent's business associate, Judge Sam Purvis, to scare them off in order to maintain the thriving business of the large saloon in town – and against the animosity of the perhaps euphemistically called "dance-hall girls" led by Em, who is in love with Trent, and who sees Susan as a rival. Trent visits to see the value of the Harvey House and other trappings of civilization, then he tells Purvis to leave them alone, but Purvis continues with his campaign of intimidation, finally burning down the restaurant. Trent offers his saloon as a replacement, and Em and the dance-hall girls leave town. Susan, thinking that Trent too is leaving, gets on the train, but Em, seeing that Susan loves Trent so much that she is willing to give up everything for him, stops the train and points out Trent, riding toward them on his horse. Ultimately, they are wedded in the desert, surrounded by the Harvey Girls.

With the marriage safely cancelled, he reveals to Susan that his letters were actually ghost-written as a joke by Ned Trent, the local saloon owner. Susan, rightly furious, confronts Ned to tell him off, in the process endearing herself to him.

Susan joins the Harvey Girls and she soon becomes their leader in fighting against the attempts by Trent's business associate, Judge Sam Purvis, to scare them away to maintain his own thriving business running the large saloon in town. The Harvey Girls also face the animosity of the so-called "[[Taxi dance hall|dance-hall girls]]," led by Em, who is in love with Trent and sees Susan as a rival.

⚫
Trent visits the Harvey House, sees its value along with the other trappings of civilization, and then tells Purvis to leave them alone. Purvis continues with his campaign of intimidation, finally burning down the restaurant. Trent offers his saloon as a replacement and Em and the dance-hall girls leave town. Susan, thinking that Trent too is leaving, gets on the train, but Em, seeing that Susan loves Trent so much that she is willing to give up everything for him, stops the train and points out Trent, riding toward them on his horse. Ultimately, they wed in the desert, surrounded by the Harvey Girls.


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 45: Line 51:
* [[Preston Foster]] as Judge Sam Purvis
* [[Preston Foster]] as Judge Sam Purvis
* [[Virginia O'Brien]] as Alma
* [[Virginia O'Brien]] as Alma
* [[Kenny Baker (singer)|Kenny Baker]] as Terry O'Hara
* [[Kenny Baker (singer)|Kenny Baker]] as Terry O'Halloran
* [[Marjorie Main]] as Sonora Cassidy
* [[Marjorie Main]] as Sonora Cassidy
* [[Chill Wills]] as H.H. Hartsey
* [[Chill Wills]] as H.H. Hartsey
* [[Selena Royle]] as Miss Bliss
* [[Selena Royle]] as Miss Bliss
* [[Cyd Charisse]] as Deborah Andrews
* [[Cyd Charisse]] as Deborah
* Ruth Brady as Ethel
* Ruth Brady as Ethel
* [[Jack Lambert (American actor)|Jack Lambert]] as Marty Peters
* [[Jack Lambert (American actor)|Jack Lambert]] as Marty Peters
* [[Edward Earle]] as Jed Adams
* [[Edward Earle]] as Jed Adams
* [[Morris Ankrum]] as Reverend Claggett
* [[Morris Ankrum]] as Rev. Claggett
* Wm. "Bill" Phillips as 1st Cowboy
⚫
* [[Stephen McNally]] as "Goldust" McClean
* [[Ben Carter (actor)|Ben Carter]] as John Henry
* [[Ben Carter (actor)|Ben Carter]] as John Henry
* [[Norman Leavitt]] as 2nd Cowboy
⚫
* Virginia Rees as singing voice for Angela Lansbury
⚫
* [[Stephen McNally|Horace McNally]] as "Goldust" McClean
⚫
* [[Mary Moder]] As Special Performer
* Marion Doenges as singing voice for Cyd Charisse
* Virginia Rees as the singing voice for Angela Lansbury
⚫
* [[Mary Moder]] as a special performer
⚫
* Marion Doenges as the singing voice for Cyd Charisse
*[[Dorothy Tuttle]] as Harvey Girl
}}
}}


'''Cast notes:'''
'''Cast notes:'''
* Byron Harvey Jr., the grandson of Fred Harvey of the [[Fred Harvey Company]], has an uncredited role as a train conductor.
* Byron Harvey Jr., the grandson of Fred Harvey of the [[Fred Harvey Company]], has an uncredited role as a train conductor.
*''The Harvey Girls'' was the first reunion on film with Ray Bolger and Judy Garland, since ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' (1939).<ref name=outro />
*''The Harvey Girls'' was the first reunion on film with Ray Bolger and Judy Garland since ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' (1939).<ref name="outro">Osborne, Robert. Outro to the [[Turner Classic Movie]] showing of the film on January 29, 2014</ref>


==Production==
==Production==
''The Harvey Girls'' was conceived by MGM as a dramatic vehicle for [[Lana Turner]], but [[Roger Edens]], of the Arthur Freed unit, decided after seeing the musical ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' that the story should be reworked as MGM's western musical with Judy Garland as its star. Unfortunately, Garland wanted to work with [[Fred Astaire]] on ''[[Yolanda and the Thief]]'', which was directed by fiancé [[Vincente Minnelli]]. Edens convinced her that the part in ''Yolanda'' was not large enough for her, and he promised that ''The Harvey Girls'' would be specifically created to showcase her talents.<ref name=tcmarticle>Miller, Frank [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=777&category=Articles "The Harvey Girls" (article)] [[TCM.com]]</ref> [[Ann Sothern]] and [[Lucille Ball]] were slated to have roles in the film, and [[Edward Arnold (actor)|Edward Arnold]] was scheduled to play the role of Judge Purvis.<ref name=tcmnotes>TCM [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=777&category=Notes "Notes"] [[TCM.com]]</ref> Sothern was originally intended for the role of "Em", but because of her personal problems, Lansbury was cast in what became her fourth film role.<ref name=outro>Osborne, Robert. Outro to the [[Turner Classic Movie]] showing of the film on January 29, 2014</ref>
''The Harvey Girls'' was conceived by MGM as a dramatic western vehicle for [[Lana Turner]], but [[Roger Edens]], of the Arthur Freed unit, decided after seeing the musical ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' that the story should be reworked as MGM's western musical with Judy Garland as its star. Garland wanted to work with [[Fred Astaire]] on ''[[Yolanda and the Thief]]'', which was directed by fiancé [[Vincente Minnelli]]. Edens convinced her that the part in ''Yolanda'' was not large enough for her, and he promised that ''The Harvey Girls'' would be specifically created to showcase her talents.<ref name=tcmarticle>Miller, Frank [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/777/the-harvey-girls#articles-reviews "The Harvey Girls" (article)] [[TCM.com]]</ref>


Principal photography on ''The Harvey Girls'' lasted from January 12 through June 4, 1945,<ref>[http://imdb.com/title/tt0038589/business "Business data"] [[IMDb.com]]</ref> a long production period. Studio filming was at MGM's [[Culver City]] studios, and the locations were in [[Victorville, California]]; at the [[Iverson Movie Ranch]] in [[Chatsworth, California|Chatsworth]] (near [[Los Angeles]]); and in [[Monument Valley]].<ref name=tcmnotes /><ref>[http://imdb.com/title/tt0038589/locations "Filming locations"] [[IMDb.com]]</ref>
Principal photography on ''The Harvey Girls'' lasted from January 12 through June 4, 1945,<ref>[http://imdb.com/title/tt0038589/business "Business data"] [[IMDb.com]]</ref> a long production period. Studio filming was at MGM's [[Culver City]] studios, and the locations were in [[Victorville, California]]; at the [[Iverson Movie Ranch]] in [[Chatsworth, California|Chatsworth]] (near [[Los Angeles]]); and in [[Monument Valley]].<ref name="tcmnotes">TCM [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/777/the-harvey-girls#notes "Notes"] [[TCM.com]]</ref><ref>[http://imdb.com/title/tt0038589/locations "Filming locations"] [[IMDb.com]]</ref>


Although Angela Lansbury was a fine singer, her voice was considered unsuitable for her character, a low-class saloon singer. Virginia Rees provided Lansbury's singing voice. Cyd Charisse, who had her first speaking role in the film, also had her singing dubbed by Marion Doenges.<ref>TCM [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=777&category=Trivia "Trivia"] [[TCM.com]]</ref>
Singer Virginia Rees' voice was dubbed for Angela Lansbury's songs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virginia Rees |url=http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/0%7C151896/Virginia-Rees |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.tcm.com |language=en}}</ref> Cyd Charisse, who had her first speaking role in the film, had her singing dubbed by Marion Doenges.<ref>TCM [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/777/the-harvey-girls#trivia "Trivia"] [[TCM.com]]</ref>


Virginia O'Brien, a comic actress known for her deadpan style of singing, was pregnant while ''The Harvey Girls'' was filmed. Several scenes with Ray Bolger were never filmed due to the difficulty in hiding her pregnancy. This accounts for O'Brien's character disappearing after she sings "Wild Wild West".<ref name=tcmnotes/>
Virginia O'Brien, a comic actress known for her deadpan style of singing, was pregnant while ''The Harvey Girls'' was filmed. Several scenes with Ray Bolger were never filmed due to the difficulty in hiding her pregnancy. This accounts for O'Brien's character disappearing after she sings "Wild Wild West".<ref name=tcmnotes/>
Line 78: Line 87:
'''Production credits:'''
'''Production credits:'''
{{div col}}
{{div col}}
* Art Direction – William Ferrari and [[Cedric Gibbons]]
* Art direction – William Ferrari and [[Cedric Gibbons]]
* Set Decoration – Mildred Griffiths and [[Edwin B. Willis]]
* Set decoration – Mildred Griffiths and [[Edwin B. Willis]]
* Costume Design – [[Irene (costume designer)|Irene Gibbons]], [[Helen Rose]], [[Arlington Valles|Valles]]
* Costume design – [[Irene (costume designer)|Irene Gibbons]], [[Helen Rose]], [[Arlington Valles|Valles]]
* Makeup Artist – Dorothy Ponedel
* Makeup artist – Dorothy Ponedel
* Production Manager – Dave Friedman
* Production manager – Dave Friedman
* Assistant Director – George Rhein
* Assistant director – George Rhein
* Sound Director – [[Douglas Shearer]]
* Sound director – [[Douglas Shearer]]
* Special Effects – Warren Newcombe
* Special effects – Warren Newcombe
* Choreographer – [[Robert Alton]]
* Choreographer – [[Robert Alton]]
* Musical director – [[Lennie Hayton]]
* Musical director – [[Lennie Hayton]]
Line 112: Line 121:
===Deleted songs===
===Deleted songs===


Cut from the film were three other songs written for it by Warren and Mercer: "March of the Doagies", "Hayride" and "My Intuition".<ref name=tcmnotes/> "Doagies" was a production number featuring Garland; the [[outtake]] was included in ''[[That's Entertainment! III]]'' (1994).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70jLJCaKHps "March of the Doagies" clip from "That's Entertainment! III" (1994)] on [[YouTube]].</ref> "My Intuition" was a duet for Garland and John Hodiak; this was also filmed and still survives in video format.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyUV298wKRo ''Judy Garland & John Hodiak - My Intuition - deleted song from The Harvey Girls, 1946'']</ref> "Hayride", sung by Garland and Ray Bolger, was prerecorded but not filmed.<ref name=hayride>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAWzkkbR7_8 Hayride pre-recording from "The Harvey Girls"] at [[YouTube]]
Cut from the film were three other songs written for it by Warren and Mercer: "March of the Doagies", "Hayride" and "My Intuition".<ref name=tcmnotes/> "Doagies" was a production number featuring Garland; the [[outtake]] was included in ''[[That's Entertainment! III]]'' (1994).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70jLJCaKHps "March of the Doagies" clip from "That's Entertainment! III" (1994)] on [[YouTube]].</ref> "My Intuition" was a duet for Garland and John Hodiak; this was also filmed and still survives in video format.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDTuSyTS45g ''Judy Garland & John Hodiak - My Intuition - deleted song from The Harvey Girls, 1946'']</ref> "Hayride", sung by Garland and Ray Bolger, was prerecorded but not filmed.<ref name=hayride>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAWzkkbR7_8 Hayride pre-recording from "The Harvey Girls"] at [[YouTube]]
</ref>
</ref>


Line 124: Line 133:


==Awards and honors==
==Awards and honors==
"On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe" won an [[Academy Award for Best Original Song]] for Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. In addition, [[Lennie Hayton]]'s score was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, but did not win; the Oscar went to ''[[The Jolson Story]]''.
"On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe" won an [[Academy Award for Best Original Song]] for Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. In addition, [[Lennie Hayton]]'s score was nominated for [[Academy Award for Original Music Score|Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture]], but did not win; the Oscar went to [[Morris Stoloff]] for ''[[The Jolson Story]]''.


The film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]] in these lists:
The film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]] in these lists:
Line 132: Line 141:


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
'''Notes'''
{{reflist}}

'''Further reading'''
*{{cite book|title=George Sidney:a Bio-Bibliography|last=Monder|first=Eric|year=1994|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=9780313284571}}


==External links==
==External links==
Line 143: Line 148:
* {{IMDb title|id=038589}}
* {{IMDb title|id=038589}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=777}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=777}}
* {{Amg movie|21656}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|id=harvey_girls|title=The Harvey Girls}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|id=harvey_girls|title=The Harvey Girls}}
* [http://www.thejudyroom.com/soundtracks/harveylp.html The Judy Garland Online Discography "The Harvey Girls" pages.]
* [http://www.thejudyroom.com/soundtracks/harveylp.html The Judy Garland Online Discography "The Harvey Girls" pages.]
Line 159: Line 163:
[[Category:American musical comedy films]]
[[Category:American musical comedy films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
⚫
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American romantic musical films]]
[[Category:American romantic musical films]]
[[Category:Films that won the Best Original Song Academy Award]]
[[Category:Films that won the Best Original Song Academy Award]]
Line 173: Line 176:
[[Category:Films set in Utah]]
[[Category:Films set in Utah]]
[[Category:Films shot in Utah]]
[[Category:Films shot in Utah]]
⚫
[[Category:1940s American films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Samson Raphaelson]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Samuel Hopkins Adams]]

Latest revision as of 09:33, 22 December 2024

For the novel, see The Harvey Girls (novel). For the album, see The Harvey Girls (album).

The Harvey Girls
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGeorge Sidney
Robert Alton (musical number)
Written byKay Van Riper (additional dialogue)
Screenplay byEdmund Beloin
Nathaniel Curtis
Harry Crane
James O'Hanlon
Samson Raphaelson
Story byEleanore Griffin
William Rankin
Based onThe Harvey Girls
1942 novel
by Samuel Hopkins Adams
Produced byArthur Freed
StarringJudy Garland
John Hodiak
Ray Bolger
Angela Lansbury
Virginia O'Brien
CinematographyGeorge J. Folsey
Edited byAlbert Akst
Music byHarry Warren (music)
Johnny Mercer (lyrics)
Lennie Hayton (score)
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's Inc.
Release date
  • January 18, 1946 (1946-01-18)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2,931,000[1]
Box office$5,175,000[1]

The Harvey Girls is a 1946 Technicolor American musical film produced by Arthur Freed for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by Samuel Hopkins Adams, about Fred Harvey's Harvey House waitresses.[2] Directed by George Sidney, the film stars Judy Garland and features John Hodiak, Ray Bolger, and Angela Lansbury, as well as Preston Foster, Virginia O'Brien, Kenny Baker, Marjorie Main and Chill Wills. Future star Cyd Charisse appears in her first speaking role on film.

The Harvey Girls won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe", written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer.

Plot

[edit]

In the 1890s, a group of "Harvey Girls" – new waitresses for Fred Harvey's pioneering chain of Harvey House restaurants – travels on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to the American Southwest town of Sandrock. On the trip they meet Susan Bradley, who is travelling to the same town to marry the man whose beautiful letters she received when she answered a "lonely-hearts" ad.

Unfortunately, when she arrives, her husband-to-be turns out to be an "old coot" who does not at all meet her expectations, and vice versa. They start to argue and list their own personal faults, which they claim not to have mentioned in their letters. With their mutual disinclination to continue with the marital union clear, they jointly decide to call off the wedding.

With the marriage safely cancelled, he reveals to Susan that his letters were actually ghost-written as a joke by Ned Trent, the local saloon owner. Susan, rightly furious, confronts Ned to tell him off, in the process endearing herself to him.

Susan joins the Harvey Girls and she soon becomes their leader in fighting against the attempts by Trent's business associate, Judge Sam Purvis, to scare them away to maintain his own thriving business running the large saloon in town. The Harvey Girls also face the animosity of the so-called "dance-hall girls," led by Em, who is in love with Trent and sees Susan as a rival.

Trent visits the Harvey House, sees its value along with the other trappings of civilization, and then tells Purvis to leave them alone. Purvis continues with his campaign of intimidation, finally burning down the restaurant. Trent offers his saloon as a replacement and Em and the dance-hall girls leave town. Susan, thinking that Trent too is leaving, gets on the train, but Em, seeing that Susan loves Trent so much that she is willing to give up everything for him, stops the train and points out Trent, riding toward them on his horse. Ultimately, they wed in the desert, surrounded by the Harvey Girls.

Cast

[edit]
Judy Garland and John Hodiak in The Harvey Girls

Cast notes:

  • Byron Harvey Jr., the grandson of Fred Harvey of the Fred Harvey Company, has an uncredited role as a train conductor.
  • The Harvey Girls was the first reunion on film with Ray Bolger and Judy Garland since The Wizard of Oz (1939).[3]

Production

[edit]

The Harvey Girls was conceived by MGM as a dramatic western vehicle for Lana Turner, but Roger Edens, of the Arthur Freed unit, decided after seeing the musical Oklahoma! that the story should be reworked as MGM's western musical with Judy Garland as its star. Garland wanted to work with Fred Astaire on Yolanda and the Thief, which was directed by fiancé Vincente Minnelli. Edens convinced her that the part in Yolanda was not large enough for her, and he promised that The Harvey Girls would be specifically created to showcase her talents.[4]

Principal photography on The Harvey Girls lasted from January 12 through June 4, 1945,[5] a long production period. Studio filming was at MGM's Culver City studios, and the locations were in Victorville, California; at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth (near Los Angeles); and in Monument Valley.[6][7]

Singer Virginia Rees' voice was dubbed for Angela Lansbury's songs.[8] Cyd Charisse, who had her first speaking role in the film, had her singing dubbed by Marion Doenges.[9]

Virginia O'Brien, a comic actress known for her deadpan style of singing, was pregnant while The Harvey Girls was filmed. Several scenes with Ray Bolger were never filmed due to the difficulty in hiding her pregnancy. This accounts for O'Brien's character disappearing after she sings "Wild Wild West".[6]

The Harvey Girls was released in the United States on January 18, 1946.

Production credits:

Songs

[edit]

The songs in The Harvey Girls were all written by Harry Warren (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics):

  • "In the Valley (Where the Evening Sun Goes Down)" – Judy Garland
  • "Wait and See" – Angela Lansbury (voice: Virginia Rees)
  • "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" – Ben Carter, Marjorie Main, Ray Bolger, Judy Garland and chorus
  • "The Train Must Be Fed" – Edward Earle, Selena Royle, Marjorie Main, Judy Garland and chorus
  • "Oh, You Kid" – Angela Lansbury (voice: Virginia Rees)
  • "Wait and See (reprise) – Kenny Baker
  • "It's a Great Big World" – Judy Garland, Virginia O'Brien, Cyd Charisse (voice: Marion Doenges)
  • "The Wild, Wild West" – Virginia O'Brien
  • "Wait and See (second reprise) – Kenny Baker, Cyd Charisse (voice: Marion Doenges)
  • "Swing Your Partner Round and Round" – Ray Bolger, Judy Garland, Marjorie Main, Cyd Charisse and chorus
  • "In the Valley (Where the Evening Sun Goes Down) (reprise)" – Kenny Baker, Judy Garland

By far the biggest hit from the score of The Harvey Girls was "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe". MGM released the song to record companies even before shooting was finished on the film, and it became an instant hit dominating the airwaves through the summer and fall of 1945, with versions by Bing Crosby with Six Hits and a Miss, Judy Garland and The Merry Macs, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with the Sentimentalists, and, the most popular, Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers. Mercer's version entered the Billboard charts on July 5, 1945, and stayed on it for 16 weeks, including seven straight weeks as No. 1 between July 28 and September 8. Crosby's entered the charts on July 19 and stayed ten weeks, going as high as No. 4, while Dorsey's entered on August 2 and stayed for six weeks, peaking at No. 6. Garland's hit the Billboard No. 10 position on September 20. The song was also number 1 on Your Hit Parade for eight weeks running.[4]

In shooting the number for the film, Garland reportedly did the entire song up to the tempo change in one take, twice, after watching her stand-in do one run-through.

Deleted songs

[edit]

Cut from the film were three other songs written for it by Warren and Mercer: "March of the Doagies", "Hayride" and "My Intuition".[6] "Doagies" was a production number featuring Garland; the outtake was included in That's Entertainment! III (1994).[10] "My Intuition" was a duet for Garland and John Hodiak; this was also filmed and still survives in video format.[11] "Hayride", sung by Garland and Ray Bolger, was prerecorded but not filmed.[12]

Critical response

[edit]

Howard Barnes wrote in the New York Herald Tribune that the film was "A great big animated picture postcard. Judy Garland is the film's bright ... star. Miss Garland is effectively glamorized in get-ups of the (18)90's and sings her songs pleasantly. The Harvey Girls is a perfect demonstration of what Hollywood can do with its vast resources when it wants to be really showy ... pretty girls – period sets and costumes – lilting tunes – super-speedy dance shuffles."

The New York Daily News said it was "A nostalgic whiff of the old west. Judy sings several sentimental ballads, as well as On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe number. Her chief support in the way of real entertainment comes from Ray Bolger." Time wrote "A technicolored musical celebrating the coming of chastity, clean silverware, and crumbless tablecloths to the pioneer Southwest. The bearers of this culture, according to evidence presented here, were waitresses. The Harvey Girls is good fun in spots. Miss Garland doesn't seem as recklessly happy as she was in St. Louis but she still appears to be having a pretty fine time."[13]

Box office

[edit]

According to MGM records the film earned $4,112,000 in the US and Canada and $1,063,000.[1][14]

Awards and honors

[edit]

"On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe" won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. In addition, Lennie Hayton's score was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, but did not win; the Oscar went to Morris Stoloff for The Jolson Story.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Glancy, H. Mark (1992). "MGM film grosses, 1924–1948: The Eddie Mannix Ledger". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 12 (2): 127–144. doi:10.1080/01439689200260081.
  2. ^ Zaballos, Nausica (2014) Mythes et Gastronomie de l'Ouest américain: sur la route Paris: Le Square. pp.101-110.
  3. ^ Osborne, Robert. Outro to the Turner Classic Movie showing of the film on January 29, 2014
  4. ^ a b Miller, Frank "The Harvey Girls" (article) TCM.com
  5. ^ "Business data" IMDb.com
  6. ^ a b c TCM "Notes" TCM.com
  7. ^ "Filming locations" IMDb.com
  8. ^ "Virginia Rees". www.tcm.com. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  9. ^ TCM "Trivia" TCM.com
  10. ^ "March of the Doagies" clip from "That's Entertainment! III" (1994) on YouTube.
  11. ^ Judy Garland & John Hodiak - My Intuition - deleted song from The Harvey Girls, 1946
  12. ^ Hayride pre-recording from "The Harvey Girls" at YouTube
  13. ^ Morella, Joe and Epstein, Edward Z.(1969) Judy: The Films and Career of Judy Garland Cadillac Publishing. p.130
  14. ^ "60 Top Grossers of 1946". Variety. January 8, 1947. p. 8. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  15. ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  16. ^ "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved August 13, 2016.
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