Cmon, Get Happy, Tom Johnson
Cmon, Get Happy, Tom Johnson
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

C'mon, Get Happy
The Making of Summer Stock

Author: Tom Johnson, David Fantle, Savion Glover

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Unabridged: 12 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/10/2024


Synopsis

In their third and final screen teaming, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly starred together in the MGM musical Summer Stock. In C'mon, Get Happy, authors David Fantle and Tom Johnson present a comprehensive study of this 1950 motion picture. The production coincided at a critical point in the careers of Kelly and an emotionally spent Garland. Kelly, who starred in An American in Paris just one year later, was at the peak of his abilities. On the other hand, Summer Stock was Garland's final film at MGM, and she gamely completed it despite her own personal struggles. Summer Stock includes Kelly's favorite solo dance routine and Garland's signature number "Get Happy."

The authors discuss in rich detail the contributions of the cast, the director, the producer, the script writers, the songwriters, and top MGM executives. The volume features extensive interviews, conducted by the authors, with Gene Kelly, Charles Walters, Harry Warren, and others, who shared their recollections of making the movie. Deeply researched, C'mon, Get Happy reveals the studio system at work during Hollywood's Golden Era. Additionally, the authors have written a special section that buttonholes numerous contemporary dancers, singers, choreographers, musicians, and even Garland impersonators for their take on Summer Stock, its stars, and any enduring legacy they think the film might have.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Randy on October 25, 2023

I am a huge, crazy Judy Garland fan. There was never a question I would buy, ‘C’mon, Get Happy, The Making of Summer Stock.’ However, I was only pages into it when basic errors about Judy Garland’s life made it clear this was going to be a painful slog. To be fair they love Judy Garland and acknowle......more

Goodreads review by Vincent on January 21, 2024

The musical "Summer Stock" might seem like an odd choice for a "making of" book, but since this film came near the end of MGM's Golden Age, and it was the last film Judy Garland made for MGM, it is a film that is definitely worth a closer look. "C'mon, Get Happy the Making of Summer Stock," gives re......more

Goodreads review by John on October 18, 2023

A great way to "Get Happy"! The authors have done a ton of research, including a massive number of interviews, making this look back at the making of Summer Stock a delightful and info-packed trip back to the golden days of the MGM studio. We get Gene Kelly and Judy Garland, their genius as well as t......more

Goodreads review by Brian on December 25, 2023

A joyous, well-written, impeccably researched, and insightful examination of what makes Summer Stock (the Judy Garland/Gene Kelly pairing from 1950) such an enduring classic. Filled with insider information and interviews not only with those involved in the production but with more contemporary voic......more

Goodreads review by Matthew on July 21, 2024

This history and biography of the people and creatives that made "Summer Stock" presents a detailed and nuanced perspective. At times, it feels like each chapter starts over again, especially when repeating information (not always a bad thing). The archival research and analysis of materials make th......more