Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)

WHO: Judy Garland starred, and met her second husband Vincente Minnelli while being directed by him, in this film.

WHAT: The movie that earned an Oscar nomination for a song including these lyrics sung by Garland:

"Clang, clang, clang," went the trolley,
"Ding, ding, ding," went the bell,
"Zing, zing, zing," went my heartstrings,
From the moment I saw him I fell.  

"Chug, chug, chug," went the motor,
"Bump, bump, bump," went the break,
"Thump, thump, thump," went my heartstrings,
When he smiled, I could feel the car shake.

WHERE/WHEN: Today through Tuesday at the Stanford Theatre at 7:30, with an additional screening today at 3:35.

WHY: Perhaps this isn't the best week (or the best summer) to sing about public transportation. If a less optimistic film about American transportation, The Magnificent Ambersons, was playing on a Frisco Bay cinema screen somewhere tonight I'd surely highlight that instead. But Meet Me In St. Louis is a wonderful film to see in a glorious Technicolor 35mm print, if you can get to a theatre showing one.

The Stanford is one Frisco Bay film venue that isn't near any BART station, though that doesn't mean transit there and back won't be impacted by a probable strike. I'm crossing my fingers that BART management will be swayed by public pressure and pay serious attention to the (from what I've come to understand) sensible demands of its workforce, and make a reasonable counteroffer that can avert another strike. Since that doesn't seem likely to happen, I like many other car-less cinephiles may find myself privileging screenings at my local neighborhood theatre over those at more far-flung venues for a while.

HOW: 35mm print, on a double-bill with Apartment for Peggy.