DEANNA OR JUDY: WHO DO YOU PREFER AND WHY?

[d120421]

Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland were among the most popular and successful stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, and each made a valuable contribution to cinematic history. As popular culture's first "Teen Idol" and the first child star to make the difficult transition to adult actress without losing her popularity, Deanna Durbin, who became an instant superstar with her debut performance in Three Smart Girls, not only was publicly credited with singlehandedly saving her financially ailing studio (Universal) from bankruptcy, but, with her natural and spontaneous acting style and pure, rich lyric soprano voice, introduced millions to the joys of singing and classical music.

 

After a somewhat uncertain start, Judy Garland became one of MGM's biggest stars. Like Durbin, Garland also made the transition to adult performer with ease and, in so doing, appeared in some of the best film musicals of all time, including Meet Me in St Louis and Easter Parade. Following her departure from MGM, and, as one of MGM's most popular stars, her film successes helped pave the way for the Freed Unit's musical triumphs in the 1950s even though she had left the studio by then.

 

Although both were unsurpassed at portraying the "Musical Girl Next Door" there were differences in their screen images/personas which went beyond their seemingly disparate singing styles. Although classical singing is often considered more formal and stylized, Deanna proved herself unsurpassed, in both singing and acting, at embodying the feisty, impulsive, independent "Little Miss Fixit" image Universal crafted for her, and although Judy was tagged in her very first MGM feature film performance in Broadway Melody of 1938 as "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas" by co-star Sophie Tucker, her star-making image was far more co-dependent and passive than Deanna's more self-reliant characters.

 

So, which one, if either, do you prefer, and why? Please refrain, if possible from making disparaging comments about either of them. This is not intended to be a "contest." Both were remarkably talented and charismatic performers who made significant contributions to popular cuture, and both have retained popularity in the decades since they left their respective studios, so there's plenty of credit to go around for both.

[cclowell38]

Boy, this is a HARD choice, because I think they were both terrific, but I think I prefer Deanna slightly to Judy. Maybe because she's newer to me than Judy. Her voice was so beautiful! It didn't sound like the fluttery voices of the other movie sopranos, and she could sing almost anything wonderfully. She was also very beautiful...even hot! and a very good actress.

 

But, like I said, they were both great. I'm really glad their films and recordings are available so I can watch or listen to one or the other when I feel like it. What great legacies!

[harlow1085]

I definitely prefer Deanna.

I was first introduced to Deanna Durbin when I went to Amsterdam last summer and saw that Anne Frank had more photos of her than any other Hollywood star plastered on her bedroom walls. I had been a big fan of classic films for a few years at that time, and yet I had never even heard of her! As soon as I got home I watched every film of hers on available on DVD and was dying for more! I've since been able to get a lot of her other films on VHS from ebay, and also the really difficult to get a hold of "Christmas Holiday" and "Hers to Hold." Her films, to me, are some of the most entertaining classic films ever. They're funny (except for "Christmas Holiday!"), often romantic and have great music.

 

Believe it or not, until very recently the only Judy Garland film I'd ever seen was "The Wizard of Oz!" I've since seen a few of her films, and while her singing is amazing, and I really respect her for what she contributed to the movies, I just can't get into her or her films as much as I can Deanna's.

 

I also really respect Deanna for leaving Hollywood when she felt it was the right time, settled down with her family, and despite some very lucrative offers, has never returned--though it's my selfish wish that she would! :-)

[d120421]

Hi CC:

 

I agree. It's a very tough choice. I like them both for different reasons. I generally think Deanna's best "comedies with music" were better films than Judy's early pre-OZ musicals and her teamings with Mickey Rooney. Not that I don't enjoy the ANDY HARDY and BABES films,or the others, but they're often very...preachy is the word I'm looking for, I guess, and overtly sentimental. Deanna's films are somewhat sentimental too, but they're generally more sophisticated, faster and better paced, and they take themselves much less seriously. Deanna was so good at projecting that feisty and impulsive "Little Miss Fixit" personality, I can see why she became such a worldwide favorite so quickly, and her voice is so pure and natural, it seems like a perfect compliment to that spontaneous personality she projects. Amazing that she makes all this seem so natural and effortless with a classically-trained soprano. You're right. It's very different from the more stylized and formal stylings of most of the movie sopranos.

 

On the other hand, Judy's best MGM musicals, such as THE WIZARD OF OZ, MEET ME IN ST LOUIS, and EASTER PARADE are some of the best, and best-loved films in the musical genre and I do think they're wonderful showcases for her talent and the talents of gifted co-stars like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Although I find Judy's "Girl No One Whistled At" roles somewhat ungrateful, I do think she does about as much with them as anyone could and she's often wonderfully appealing in them. In fact, in her films with Mickey Rooney, where she almost always had this sort of part, I wonder why her roles are usually so subordinate to his? I guess his manic energy matched the country's mood at that time. Anyway, of their joint teamings, GIRL CRAZY is my favorite, in part because Judy's now "the belle of the (Western) ball" and sparking Mickey's interest, even if they STILL manage to give her a standard "nobody loves me" torch song spot ("But Not For Me") to sing at one point.

[d120421]

Hi harlow1085:

 

I've read that Deanna was Anne Frank's favorite movie star, about the pictures of her on the wall of the Secret Annex. I think there were two of them? In fact, in the documentary ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED (which I think won an Oscar), one of Anne's childhood friends re-visits Anne's room at the Secret Annex and recalls how the two of them used to collect celebrity memorabilia. The friend recalled that Anne was more interested in collecting "movie star" memorabilia while the friend was more interested in royalty. But she then goes over to one of the pictures of Deanna and says something like: "But this is the one I remember: Deanna Durbin."

 

Did you know that Deanna was also Prime Minister Winston Churchill's favorite movie star? That Josef Stalin retained a special translator to translate the dialogue of her movies into Russian while he watched them? That she reportedly sang at several of Franklin Roosevelt's birthday parties by special request? and that Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini wrote her an open fan letter asking her to intercede with FDR on behalf of American Youth to dissuade him from bringing America into World War II?

 

I've read that Deanna isn't interested in having a biography done of her life or in writing her memoirs, but she'd certainly have a fascinating story to tell if she ever decided to do so!

 

That's interesting that you've only seen a few of Judy's movies, given how readily available they've been on VHS and are becoming on DVD, not to mention how frequently they're shown on TCM. Besides OZ, which of her films have you seen and what did you think of them?

[harlow1085]

Hi, markus21!

 

I didn't know Deanna was Anne Frank's favorite movie star! I remember there being at least two photos of her on her walls, but there might have been a third one. When I was younger I was obsessed with anything having to do with Anne Frank, you'd think I'd know that. I'll definitely need to watch that "Anne Frank Remembered" documentary!

 

I also didn't know any of the other facts you mentioned, except I think I remember reading before that Winston Churchill was a fan of hers. It's hard to find a lot of info about her, since, like you mentioned, there are no biographies of her and she hasn't written her memoirs (but I really wish she would!!).

 

The films of Judy Garland's that I've seen are "In The Good Old Summertime," "The Harvey Girls," "The Pirate," and parts of "Easter Parade." They were all okay, but, like I mentioned before, I just can't get into them like I do Deanna's films. Her co-star in "The Harvey Girls" kind of creeped me out, so that sort of ruined the movie for me. I think it's possible that I'm also sort of reluctant to really get into Judy Garland's movies because Judy is so more well known than Deanna, and I feel like Deanna deserves more recognition than she gets. Does that make sense?

[d120421]

Hi Harlow1085:

 

It's actually not too surprising that Deanna was Anne Frank's favorite star. She was wildly popular in Europe. From 1939-1942 inclusive, she was the top female box office star in Britain. In fact, she was so popular that in 1942, they held a week-long "Deanna Durbin Film Festival" ("From the child of our hearts to the woman we love!") in which her films were shown exclusively on the Odeon Theater Circuit throughout Britain: an honor that's never been repeated for any other star, and she retains great popularity in Britain to this day. Over the past three decaes, the BBC has stated that it receives overwhelmingly more requests from the public for her films and her recordings than it does for any other star of Hollywood's Golden Age.

 

According to novelist Eric Ambler, Winston Churchill used to run 100 MEN AND A GIRL to celebrate British victories during World War II. He thought Deanna was a "formidible" and "remarkable" talent. I must say, I think he had good taste!

 

Of course, because she became such an iconic presence, especially here in America and suffered such a prolonged and public personal decline over several decades (and because Deanna has made clear to interested film historians that she isn't interested in having a biography written on her), there are many books written on Judy, though most, unfortunately, focus much more heavily on her personal problems than on her professional achievements. John Fricke's recent excellent books on her career have attempted to re-direct the focus to her professional legacy, but I don't think they'll ever be able to completely separate Judy's personal problems from her work, especially as her problems began to impact her performances and appearance as early as the mid-1940s.

 

For me it doesn't make her talent any less remarkable and it (usually) doesn't prevent me from enjoying her films and recordings, but there are exceptions, such as some scenes in A STAR IS BORN where she looks so puffy and haggard that it's hard to look at her. Not surprisingly, I've seen several articles on Judy in which the authors, as admiring as they are of her later work and mature talent, openly state their preference for her earliest work, before her personal problems began to manifest themselves onscreen (or on disc, as the case may be).

 

To be fair, I think this is also true of Deanna's later work, though to a much lesser extent. As one critic observed, in a few of her final films although her "natural and effervescent quality remains as attractive as ever, one can sometimes sense her impatience with the inadequate material she was given to work with." Still, there's no doubt that whatever pressures Deanna Durbin in her career, and I think, professionally speaking, they were often greater than those Judy experienced at MGM, Deanna handled those pressures much better than Judy did.

 

As a fan, I'd certainly enjoy reading a well-done biography of Deanna,though I respect her right to privacy and can understand why she wouldn't want a biography done (because it would destroy the privacy she's worked so hard to maintain). Still, for such a detrminedly private former celebrity there's a good deal of commentary on her career and the impact she had on popular culture.

 

From sociological analyses of the impact her independent screen image had on contemporary adolescents, to references to her in Cole Porter's lyrics, the writings of John Updike and those of other authors and references to her in analyses of the infamous 'Black Dahlia Murder" (she was a favorite star of the victim, Elizabeth Short), it's clear Deanna exerted a major impact on popular culture, and I'm always surprised to find how often commentary on her turns up in unexpected places.

 

If you are interested in finding out more about Deanna, I do have a Group on Yahoo! you might be interested in. It's called DISSERTATIONS ON DEANNA and is dedicated to discussing her career and those of the performers, such as Judy, Jane Powell, Kathryn Grayson and others, whose careers were greatly influenced by her success. Pre-approval is required for membership and includes a requirement that you agree to abide by the terms of a Group Statement outlining the rules for membership, but here's the address if you'd like to check it out:

 

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/dissertationsondeanna/

[cclowell38]

Hi Markus:

 

I'm a little put off by Judy's very weepy characters in some of her movies, but she was great at playing them. She'd make funny little comments & asides that didn't make them seem totally helpless even if she did almost always need Rooney, Kelly, Astaire and others to make a star out of her. But I agree it's a pretty ungrateful image for someone trying to become a star. In fact, it almost seems like a suporting image.

 

You're right about Deanna's voice and style, too. I just watched part of I MARRIED AN ANGEL this morning, and, even though I like Jeanette MacDonald, even in my favorite number, "A Twinkle in My Eye," Jeanette had a kind of formal enunciation in parts of it and sounded like an opera singer slumming. But she did a great jitterbug!

 

I really enjoyed Jeanette's performance, but I kept thinking how differently the number would have sounded if Deanna had sung it. In some ways, I think Deanna and Judy's vocal styles were very similar. I mean, both of them had such pure, rich voices they never came across as "careful" or "formal" when they sang. They just sang naturally and effortlessly and it was terrific!

[d120421]

Hi CC:

 

I agree that Judy's early characters tended to well up pretty quickly. In fact, it seems to me that most of her characters got pretty teary fairly easily. For example, in SUMMER STOCK even a wrecked tractor sets her off. I also agree that she played this sort of role beautifully for the most part, though I often wanted her to tell Rooney's characters (especially) off much more quickly and much more often than she usually did. It's probably not surprising if she came to think of herself as a victim and/or helpless in real life since she played this type of role so often.

 

I love "A Twinkle in My Eye"! It's my favorite number from I MARRIED AN ANGEL too, and Jeanette does a terrific jittterbug, especially considering that floor length dress she was wearing! It's often cited as the worst of the Mac/Eddy movies, and I gues in many ways it was, though it wasn't entirely their fault. The play had been pretty racy on Broadway (an angel loses her virginity and her wings when she falls in love with a mortal) so the invariable compromises had to be made to satisfy the Production Code (and stodgy MGM, the most conservative of movie studios) when it was adapted to the screen.

 

But I love the "Tiwinkle in My Eye" number and the scene that follows it (when Jeanette appears as the glamorous, sophisticated black-sequined "Bad Brigitta" speaking in Rodgers & Hart couplets), because it recalls the more overtly sexy and sophisticated roles she played at Paramount before she signed with MGM and was teamed with Nelson Eddy. I think she was a pretty good commedienne when she had the right material.

 

You're right. I could see Deanna playing (and singing) Jeanette's role marvelously. She was a very deft little commedienne herself. Her films are generally much more sophisticated than Judy's and have heavy screwball comedy influences, particularly in the casting (e.g., Alice Brady, Eugene Pallette, Mischa Auer, etc.) and the settings (e.g., urban, New York, Art Decco), and she delivers that sophisticated dialogue as well as any actress I've ever seen (or heard, as the case may be) with a wonderful energy and spontaneity. For her third film, MAD ABOUT MUSIC, on astute critic noted: "Little Miss Durbin seems almost too good to be true. Now she has added a sparkling comic technique to her other talents and some of her scenes are as sure in their sense of comedy as any of those played by Irene Dunne or Carole Lombard."

 

As for the natutralness of Deanna's and Judy's singing, I couldn't agree more. I think that was one reason they were able to be so convincing/successful in those "singing teenager" roles: because their voices were so natural and their singing styles so artless. They really were in a class by themselves!