NEW ULM – The New Ulm Film Society continues its musical film series with a movie that fits into every season.

The film society will screen 1944’s “Meet Me in St. Louis,” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 in the New Ulm Public Library.

“Meet Me in St. Louis” was adapted from a series of short stories written by Sally Benson, written about the Smith family who live in St. Louis. 

The Smith family includes Alonzo Smith (Leon Ames), his wife Anna (Mary Astor), son Lon Jr. (Henry H. Daniels Jr.) and daughters Rose (Lucille Bremer), Esther (Judy Garland), Agnes (Joan Carroll) and Tootie (Margaret O’Brien).

Much of the film centers on the two oldest Smith daughters Rose and Esther and their romantic relationships. Esther is in love with John, the boy next door (Tom Drake) and Rose is trying to get Warren (Robert Sully) to propose marriage.

The movie keeps the short story structure for the short stories. The movie is broken up into a series of seasonal vignettes that follow the Smith family over the course of a year, starting in the summer of 1903 and leading up to The World’s Fair in the spring of 1904.

Throughout the year, the Smith family sees shifts in their good fortune. As the year progresses, Rose and Esther are both able to gain the attention of their suitors, but a promotion for their father might force the entire family to relocate, disrupting their happy life in St. Louis.

Upon its release, “Meet Me in St. Louis” was a major hit with audiences. The film represented a warm and wholesome slice of life. For many, the Smith family represented an ideal middle class family life that had been missing in recent years. 

“Meet Me in St. Louis” was a nostalgic piece that harkens back to a simpler time in American life at the start of the 20th Century. The movie is set in a time before the Great Depression and before two World Wars. 

The film was also one of the better musicals to integrate the music into the plot. In early Hollywood musicals, many of the films would shoehorn in songs that did not necessarily match the story, but in “Meet Me in St. Louis” the songs served to further the plot or express character motivation. As a result several of the songs became instant classics that are still remembered today; though which song is the best remains up for debate.

At first, “The Trolley Song” was considered the best song from “Meet Me in St. Louis.” The song would be nominated for Best Original Song at the 1944 Academy Awards. However, over the decades “The Trolley Song” has taken a backseat to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which is one of the final songs of the film.

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” was originally performed by Judy Garland, who requested the lyrics be changed. Garland felt the original lyrics to the Christmas song were too bleak. The song is intended to be melancholy, as the Smith girls believe they are celebrating their last Christmas in St. Louis and will be saying goodbye to their friends. Despite the intentionally sad lyrics, the song has become a holiday standard.

The New Ulm Film Society’s screening of “Meet Me in St. Louis” is free to the public. Before and after the film, there will be a discussion about the movie’s place in film history.