1948 was a long and tough year for Judy Garland, full of highs and lows.  But she ended the year on a positive note by delivering one of her sweetest, most charmingly comedic performances for 1949’s In The Good Old Summertime.

Judy began 1948 finishing up her work on Easter Parade. When that was completed, she went right into filming her guest spot in Words And Music, singing “I Wish I Were In Love Again” with Mickey Rooney (their final film appearance together). Judy always gave 200% to everything she did, and the previous films’ schedules had simply worn her out, making her weak and dangerously underweight – and relying too much on her medications. Regardless, MGM immediately put her into rehearsals for the big budget follow-up to Easter Parade, The Barkleys of Broadway – again co-starring with Fred Astaire.  Always eager to please, Judy tried for two months to get through the rehearsals, but it was too much.  Her doctor advised producer Arthur Freed that the very thought of having to report to work every morning was creating a “mental disturbance within her.”  Freed took Judy off the film and replaced her with Ginger Rogers.

Judy had a much needed few months of rest, getting herself back in shape and more importantly, gaining some weight.  During her time off, Words And Music was previewed and audiences were practically unanimous in wanting a second Judy Garland number.  They simply couldn’t abide with Judy Garland coming on and singing only one song!  MGM called her back to rehearse, record and film “Johnny One Note”, which she did without mishap.  Also at this time, MGM had the Irving Berlin mega-hit Annie Get Your Gun waiting in the wings – specifically purchased for Judy.  But there were pre-production delays pushing back the start date, so producer Joe Pasternak was able to snag Judy for his intimate musical remake of 1940’s The Shop Around The Corner, titled The Girl From Chicago and to star June Allyson and Frank Sinatra together for the first time.  That pairing never made it past the planning stages before Judy and Van Johnson were cast as the co-workers who antagonize each other by day while at the same time unknowingly engage in a pen-pal love affair through letters simply addressed “Dear Friend.”  The title was then changed to more musical (this was Judy Garland, mind you!) In The Good Old Summertime.

Pasternak and company wisely did not pressure Judy to go on a crash diet to get down to the “camera thin” size that the Freed Unit insisted on.  This helped to keep the pressures of making the film down to a minimum.  Plus, although there were several songs, the film was more of a comedy with music, rather than a huge, splashy dance-filled musical extravaganza that would have again worn Judy out.  Pasternak ensured more good spirits by having a single rose anonymously delivered to Judy’s dressing room every morning with the note “Happy Day, Judy,”  He later remarked: “A great artist is entitled to a lot more latitude. The quality that makes [Judy] great makes her feel more deeply.  All of us felt – and you don’t often feel this way in Hollywood – that we would accommodate ourselves gladly to work with Judy… We knew her magical genius and respected it.”

In The Good Old Summertime was the last time Judy would make it through the filming of an MGM musical without any major issues.  Even studio chief Louis B. Mayer was impressed.  When he asked how this was accomplished, Van Johnson replied: “We made her feel wanted and needed. We joked with her and kept her happy.”  The result is one of Judy’s best and most underrated performances – showing off her wonderful flair for comedy.  She looks healthier than she had in her preceding films, and her voice is at it’s late-40’s best.  The film would go on to become a huge hit, with audiences actually applauding after several of Garland’s performances as if it were a live show.