VividSimon Simply Perfect

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Connianatu How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

richard-1787 I suppose the only fair way to review this movie is to watch it first without having already seen The Little Shop Around the Corner. I can't do that, however, and it leaves me comparing the two, which is never to Summertime's advantage.On the one hand, I don't like some of the things that were added, like Van Johnson's strange relationship with the violinist.On the other, when Summertime repeats Shop, sometimes with virtually the same dialogue, I'm disappointed that Van Johnson doesn't do the lines as well as James Stewart. And Sakall doesn't give the store owner the depth that Frank Morgan did in Shop.Yes, there are musical numbers here, but they aren't very interesting, though Garland gives her all to bring them off.In short, this is probably a pleasant movie for those who don't know Shop. For those who do, it's a series of disappointments.

iamyuno2 Great cast but there wasn't the chemistry or magic of the movie it's based on, The Shop Around The Corner. And somehow, though each of the stars had shone brightly in other movies, they somehow seem uncomfortable in this one and are not seen at their best. It's hard remaking a great film and while they stole some of the lines directly from the first movie, they chose to diverge from the original in ways that watered down the story's effect. Somehow you don't care as much about any of these characters as much as you cared about all of the characters in the original - short of Vadas (whose character is not represented in this film as some others from the original are). Suffers, too, from its being made into a musical - too much the typical Judy Garland film where music doesn't always have a reason to be in a scene...it's just done to play to Judy's talents - not always a good move for a movie's integrity. Here, the plot gets lost in the stereotypical scenes where Judy is supposed to show off her talents. Judy Garland fans will enjoy this film, however, because here she seems truly happy and is at the peak of her singing talents. Perhaps if I weren't such a big fan of the original, I'd have liked this more. But, sorry, I found it a bit boring in comparison.

reddpill Van Johnson and Judy Garland play feuding co-workers who have unwittingly been carrying on a romance through the Postal Service. Johnson steals bits from well-known writers to include in his letters, which seems appropriate since so much of the dialogue was lifted word-for-word from The Shop Around the Corner, the earlier film from which this was remade.They did make a few changes from the original: they shot it in Technicolor and set the story in a music shop so that Garland would have an excuse to sing. (Fair warning: while this movie is often billed as a musical, the songs are few and far between compared to what you would normally expect for that category.) The lavish color, musical numbers, and even the addition of a baby in one scene (and young Liza Minelli in another) do not make up for the charm that was taken out compared to the original.How does this remake fail? Johnson is a bit too caddish and not as likable as Shop's James Stewart. Likewise, Judy Garland match the performance of Margaret Sullavan, who struck a perfect balance between a brash defender of the man with whom she has been corresponding and a sensitive, vulnerable woman seeking romantic love. As a pair, Johnson and Garland lack the chemistry of Stewart and Sullavan, and director Robert Z. Leonard cannot supply the scenes with the naturalism or charm that Ernst Lubitsch provided.Had I not seen The Shop Around the Corner (and in fact I re-viewed it just prior to watching In the Good Old Summertime), Summertime's shortcomings might have been less noticeable, but I cannot ignore the huge difference between the the two films and have rated and reviewed this film accordingly. If you have a choice, I would urge that you take a pass on Summertime and watch the original instead. If you are one of those people who just can't stand watching black & white movies (and oh, what you are missing if you are!), opt for the later remake, You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. They kept the color, tossed out the songs, and brought back much of the charm and chemistry that made the original a classic.

didi-5 "In the Good Old Summertime" is a remake of the 1940 film "The Shop Around the Corner": this time, with music and with Van Johnson in the James Stewart role and Judy Garland in the Margaret Sullavan role. In the shop where both work, the owner (Frank Morgan in the original) is Cuddles Sakall, as irritating as ever, and there is a tiny role for the great Buster Keaton.Any musical featuring Garland is always worth watching, and although this is minor compared to some of her other works, and does not have any great powerhouse musical numbers, she is in excellent voice and looks great. Van Johnson is a personable leading man (although a fellow singer would have been better) and the story crackles along in a way that does not disgrace itself or the Lubitsch original.