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Presenting Lily Mars
MGM, 1943 (BW, 104 minutes, Production No. 1264)
An ambitious talented girl from a small midwestern town crashes Broadway but before she triumphs she has to learn the hard way that no one becomes a star overnight. When Lily Mars catches the eye - and the heart - of a
famous producer, she thinks she has it made, especially when the star of the show walks out in a fit of temperament. But Lily has to face the hard reality that she isn't ready for stardom - for a while.
[from MGM press sheet]
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Crew
Producer: Joe Pasternak
Director: Norman Taurog
Screenplay: Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman
Based on the novel by
Music Director: George Stoll
Song Score: , ,
, ,
and
Choreography: Ernst Matray
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Harry McAfee
Set Decoration: Edwin B. Willis
Gowns: Shoup
Sound: Douglas Shearer, Norwood A. Fenton
Special Effects: Warren Newcombe
Director of Photography: Joseph Ruttenberg
Film Editing: Albert Akst
Filmed: September 1942 - March 1943 (Judy was 20 years old)
Released: April 1943
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Cast
... Lily Mars
... John ("Thorny") Thornway
... Mrs. Thornway
... Owen Vail
... Mrs. Mars
... Isobel Rekay
... Frankie
... Leo
... Poppy
... Violet
... Rosie
... Davey
... Charlie Potter
... Themselves
... Themselves
... Themselves
... Specialty Dancer (Judy's dance partner in finale)
... Mike, the stage doorman
... Scotty
... Boarding House Owner
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Musical Program
[0:24] (sung by Marta Eggerth)
[0:33] (sung by Judy Garland)
[0:44] "Russian Number" (sung by MGM Studio Chorus)
[0:48] (sung by Judy Garland and Mary Kent dubbing for Connie Gilchrist)
[0:50] (sung by Marta Eggerth)
[1:06] (sung by Marta Eggerth)
[1:08] (sung by Bob Crosby and His Orchestra with The Wilde Twins)
[1:10] (ballad version, sung by Judy Garland with Bob Crosby and His Orchestra)
[1:12] (Giuseppe Verdi / Webster-Jurmann) (comedy version, sung by Judy Garland with Bob Crosby and His Orchestra)
[1:24] (sung by Judy Garland)
[1:34] (sung by Marta Eggerth)
[1:38] Finale:
[1:38] (sung by Judy Garland and MGM Studio Chorus)
[1:40] (sung by Judy Garland and Chorus)
[1:41] (sung and danced by Judy Garland, Charles Walters, MGM Studio Chorus and Tommy Dorsey and Orchestra)
[cut] (sung by Judy Garland and MGM Studio Chorus)
[cut] (sung by Judy Garland and MGM Studio Chorus)
[cut] (sung by Judy Garland and MGM Studio Chorus)
[cut] (sung by Judy Garland and MGM Studio Chorus)
[cut] (sung by Charles Walters)
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Notes
Judy began work on Lily Mars while retakes were still being made for , and began work on before
completing Lily Mars.
Joseph Pasternak had just come to MGM from Universal after making a huge success of Deanna Durbin's early films. He would often rave about Judy, calling her "an authentic cinema genius, born with what might be called perfect
theatrical pitch."
Annabelle Logan, who played Lily's sister Rosie, later became a jazz singer by the name of Annie Ross.
Musical outtakes from this film are included in the laser disc set: "Judy Garland: The Golden Years at M-G-M," MGM/UA Home Video .
Musical outtakes from this film are included on the compact disc: "Judy Garland: Collectors' Gems from the M-G-M Films," Rhino .
See for information about the latest releases of home video and sountrack.
See for more information on this and other classic films.
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Critical Response
"Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which dotes on young Judy Garland, is again having her show off her best points ... Miss Garland is fresh and pretty, she has a perky friendliness that is completely disarming, and she sings and dances
according to the mood - sometimes raucous jive, sometimes sweet little ballads that turn out to be quite enchanting. No doubt about it, Miss Garland is a gifted young lady."
- The New York Times, April 30, 1943
Presenting Lily Mars is a conventional screen version of 73-year-old Booth Tarkington's tale of a stage-struck small-town girl. This juvenile darling (Judy Garland) gets to Broadway before you can say Jake Shubert,
marries a great producer (Van Heflin) and is soon seen swaying in black tulle in a super-sumptuous musical show staged by the lucky fellow.
- Time Magazine
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Memorable Lines
John:
"You've heard of Sarah Bernhardt,
she really was a dilly.
But Sarah Bernhardt couldn't compare
to the gal that's known as Lily!"
Poppy:
"Congratulations, Lily dear
upon the start of your career.
We love you best of all the stars
We're proud of you, Miss Lily Mars!"
Mrs. Mars (speaking excitedly to a news reporter on the telephone): "My name is Lily Mars' mother!"
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