Comments on: Confession Time

By: Alice Maybery

Alice Maybery — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:56:54 +0000

It was all MGM and her mom’s fault, about the drug problems I mean. Do you see how they treated her? You’re talking to Judy Garland, the world’s greatest entertainer, and my gosh was she stunning! Even though it’s just acting in all of her films, she made you believe it, she gave her life to help us Get Happy. She took the pills to work longer to make more musical? non-musical dreams.

By: Jacqueline T Lynch

Jacqueline T Lynch — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:44:20 +0000

A fascinating review. I’ve not seen the film in many years, but your essay makes me hope I can see it again soon.

By: moirafinnie

moirafinnie — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:20:14 +0000

Thanks for the provocative replies, all. Hi Patricia, I was also pretty knocked out by the revelation that the hot piano-playing by the gap-toothed girl in this movie grew up to be the delightful and accomplished Annie Ross. Hi Carmen, Seeing this movie really made me hope that I'll have a chance to see The Wizard of Oz in a real theater soon. A new print of the movie is going to be played with a small symphony orchestra backing it up near my hometown soon. Of course, I'll have to cover my eyes when the flying monkeys sail by. Hey, Suzi, Are you a Booth Tarkington fan too? I love his stuff, even when it creaks. It's fun, and a good peek into a Midwestern world. I keep hoping that he'll have a resurgence of interest among readers. Cool Bev, I know what you mean about that set. Fortunately it only appears briefly. The rest of the film has no such ominous overtones. MILD SPOILER ALERT BELOW Hi mjkbk, Yeah, much to the chagrin of George Stevens and Katharine Hepburn, the ending of Alice Adams was softened by RKO. You can read more about this in "George Stevens: Interviews" (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2004) by George Cooper Stevens & Paul Cronin, as well as in Marilyn Ann Moss's "Giant:George Stevens A LIfe on Film" (Terrace Books, 2004). The studio felt that the more realistic ending conceived by Tarkington might discourage audiences. Despite this, it may be my favorite Hepburn performance. END OF MILD SPOILER ALERT Hi jpoopj, I wasn't even trying to understand, much less analyze the scope of Judy Garland's problems here. All I meant to convey was my renewed admiration for her real gifts on display in the unpretentious Presenting Lily Mars and my individual discomfort with her frailty on screen as her career progressed. I just hope that others might discover this small gem in Garland's career too. She's a gamine delight in most of the movie, (before that ending was "improved." That's all!

By: jpoopj

jpoopj — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:09:30 +0000

I find these pseudo armchair psychoanalyses of Garland’s on screen personna to generally reveal more about the writer than about the performances they are trying to analyze. Primarily because they choose to fail to acknowledge that they are dissecting just that — a performance. Every professional who actually worked with Garland unequivocally noted her sublime acting abilities; her uncanny ability to project any emotion in a totally believable manner, to completely blur fantasy and reality. Their points of confusion always rested on the fact that Garland questioned her own talent, never on the existence of the talent itself. As others who actually knew the woman both personally and professionally have witnessed and stated, she could turn it on and off like a faucet; that she was terribly witty, funny and fun-loving. But those truths don’t seem to fit into the wanna-be Freud’s scope of reality – no, rather let’s be terribly dramatic and project some horrific terrors into the analysis of these performances. There seems an utterly desperate and driven need for the writer to do so; who could begin to fathom from what personal goals such urges must emanate. One would need a real Freud for that. But so be it, if that is what makes the writer happy. As someone elsewhere noted in response to the opening of this article, “I can’t watch Garland” ——– then don’t. But no one has said it better than the lady herself, to paraphrase, “They have a need to believe I am unhappy, so let them. It’s better for business” I think she was right.

By: mjkbk

mjkbk — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:58:36 +0000

Wait. Alice Adams got her beau? Did I see a different ending to this film? Admittedly, I haven’t seen it in many years, but I seem to remember she LOST her wealthy beau and decided to train for a job. The last shot is of Alice climbing the stairs of a secretarial school. Did I hallucinate that scene? Or have I confused “Alice Adams” with another film?

By: Cool Bev

Cool Bev — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:12:48 +0000

I have to agree – when Garland plays scared, you see real, wallclawing panic coming through. It is too heartbreaking.

Look at that last picture, with the orchestra hanging above Judy like a disc of Damocles. It seems to symbolize the weight of Show Biz, threatening to crush her.

By: Suzi

Suzi — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:53:59 +0000

I knew nothing about this film but will hope that TCM runs it again soon. I had heard of it, probably from readin Garland profiles, but I did not know it was based on a B.T. novel. I live this detailed type of overview — it’s so helpful. Thanks for another great post.

By: Carmen

Carmen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:07:09 +0000

I was lucky to discover “Lily Mars” years ago before TCM and have my own copy! Being a movie/stage struck kid, I identified so totally with Lily.
Your article was terrific but I adore Judy in everything. I never get tired of seeing her as Rose, Vicki Lester or Hannah Brown. She was it! Lastly, love your website!

By: Patricia

Patricia — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:18:50 +0000

I came across this past the half way point and have been wondering what I missed. Annie Ross?! I had no idea she’d been in movies way back when. I wonder if I can astound my jazz loving friends with that fact or if they’ll give me the “everybody knows that” look.

By: quin browne

quin browne — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:29:58 +0000

judy breaks my heart every time i see a film of hers, knowing how she ends up.

watching her sing to margaret o’brien is a treat (i love the fact i still sob after god knows how many viewings)..and, ‘get happy’? oh, it is a joy to watch.

shame she never could do just that.