Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)

Set in 1903 St. Louis, the story of the upper middle class Smith family. The movie is told in four chapters divided by the seasons: Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. The family's major crisis comes when the father (Leon Ames) is promoted to a job in New York City and the family finds itself in turmoil over the move. Based on the book by Sally Benson and directed by Vincente Minnelli (GIGI). One of the most beloved movie musicals of all time, the film perfectly captures the nostalgia of American family life in a simpler time or at least what we perceive to be a typical American family. I imagine life wasn't so wonderful for the lower working class. Beautifully shot in three strip Technicolor by George J. Folsey (FORBIDDEN PLANET), the movie looks like an old fashioned candy box. The songs are all winners with classics like Have Yourself A Merry Christmas, The Trolley Song and The Boy Next Door. In one of her most iconic roles, Judy Garland has never looked lovelier and she's in fine form both as a singer and actress. With six year old Margaret O'Brien stealing scenes, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Marjorie Main, Harry Davenport, Hugh Marlowe and June Lockhart.