Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

JinRoz For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

theowinthrop It was her last MGM musical, and one of her best. But she was really troublesome in the making of it, so MGM fired her and her career (which included at least two more great performances) never recovered in the movies. That is how SUMMER STOCK is recalled today - the film that wrote "finish" to Judy Garland's film stardom at MGM.But SUMMER STOCK is also the film that gave her her last chance to appear opposite Gene Kelly and to play a story line that she was familiar with. For here Judy returns to the story line of the musicals she made in the early 1940s with Mickey Rooney, regarding "putting on the show". The difference is that she and Mickey and the others were teenagers (or supposedly teenagers) showing up the dubious grown-ups. Here it is grown-ups putting on a show for an out-of-town preview in a small town.Judy is living in a New England town, where her family has old, old roots (at one point we learn her great great grandfather set up an anti-theater law in 1698!). She and her sister, Gloria DeHaven, own a farm. Judy has been courted, and is engaged, to Eddie Bracken, the son of the town banker Ray Collins. Bracken is his typical weak type, with eyeglasses and hay fever. Collins is typically fatherly, but a bit of a bully to his son (not for any bad reasons). He looks forward to the marriage as a way of uniting the two oldest families of the area. And he even does Garland a favor, giving her a new tractor for her farm at cost.DeHaven has always been the pampered younger daughter. She has been dating Kelly and invites him and the cast of his musical review production to put it on in the barn of her farm. The musical not only has Kelly as director, producer, and star, but also has Phil Silvers and Carleton Carpenter as his assistants (in Silvers' case, supposed assistant as he's a walking disaster area), and also been lucky enough to get a famous leading man named Keith (Hans Conreid, effective in his brief part but all too brief). They descend on the farm and Garland and her cook and helper Marjorie Main are uncertain about what exactly to do. Collins and Bracken are not too helpful. In fact their parochial attitude to theater people is very hostile.As the film progresses Garland slowly gets dragged into the production, especially as DeHaven's interest flags. In the meantime the relationship of Bracken and Garland starts cracking seriously as he gets suspicious of the intentions of Kelly towards his intended.The numbers are pretty good, particularly the songs "Howdy Neighbor", "You Wonderful You", "Heavenly Music", and the last minute show stopper, "Get Happy!" Oddly enough, in the discussions I see on this thread, nobody notes the ridiculous tune that Conreid (it's not his voice) and DeHaven sing "Alone on a Lonely Island". It is done in such a way to spoof the stiff, overly rich voice of Conreid's "Heath". As it does not show up in the final production it probably was only meant for that character.It is too bad that SUMMER STOCK was her last MGM film...but at least Judy left on a high note.

mrdonleone Many years ago, I saw this movie gem for the first time. I adored it. Today, I saw it again, but I must confess it wasn't a joyful experience. Yes, sure, the fantastic song and dance numbers where there all right, but the magic was gone. I guess that's because I already knew what was going to happen. Plus the irritating persona (almost every character in this movie is pulling the blood from under my nails). I would give this a 5 on 10, if there wasn't a meaning in the picture. Oh yes, there is a meaning in this picture, but not quite like I hoped it was. The whole reason to see this movie is to hear Judy Garland sing 'Get Happy'. That song has been tried by many of the 'Idol' contestants over the world, but none of them did it the way Judy did. Garland, I love you!

Jem Odewahn There is something about SUMMER STOCK that just doesn't click. It may be the tunes, which are below-par by MGM's lofty standards. It may be Garland, who doesn't look that healthy. It could be the stagy sets and constantly re-worked 'Let's put on a show' plot. However, it's still a fun film and Garland and Kelly are always appealing and worth watching.Garland and Kelly, of course, go through their usual routine of disliking each other, then falling love with each other eventually through a few good deeds and a few good tunes. It's nice to watch. Kelly has a great number, where he dances with no company except a sheet of newspaper, that is sheer joy to watch and perhaps the best representative, apart from his famous title number in SINGIN IN THE RAIN, of his unique talent. Kelly's greatest feat was making a solo routine, seemingly simple and with few props, absolutely wonderful. And Garland, too, gets a great number, "Get Happy", which closes the film.

ryancm Judy's last film at MGM wasn't her best. A pity. She does not look good for most of her scenes and her acting is erratic. But that voice! Simple story of "let's put on a show in a barn" with Judy as farm owner and her sister, GLORIA DE HAVEN, the star of the show...at least for a while. Everyone knows where the plot is going and how it's going to end, but it's kind of fun getting there. Very unrealistic as the rehearsals have nothing to do with the actual show itself. Also, where are the crew members and backstage help? Incredible how they made the rustic barn into a first class Theatre with a huge stage. What happened to the boards that creaked in the GENE KELLY dance number. All of a sudden the stage is shiny, huge and bright. Well, that's MOVIE magic I guess. Also, what happened to all the kids in the show during the evenings? The farm looked like a ghost town when Judy and Gene were outdoors and when Gene does the "newspaper" dance in the barn, where was everybody. The guys in the GET HAPPY number were not any of the guys in the actual show or earlier scenes in the movie. One really MUST check reality at the door for most any musical. As good as the GET HAPPY number is, it's not Judy's best by any means. There is also a scene where Judy goes into an office to talk about not letting the show go on. The camera angle is so strange, as is the blocking of the scene. The camera is trying to hide her weight perhaps? It's such an awkward moment.