Formative Performances: Margaret O’Brien in “Meet Me in St. Louis”

[The following is a guest post by abovethetitle.]

Lady T highlighted a kid so I’ll go with one too. One of my earliest childhood memories is watching the VHS of “Meet Me in St. Louis” with my female cousins when we had a sleepover at my grandparents’ house. It was our female bonding movie. Of course it goes without saying that Judy is at her very best, her eventual husband Vincente Minnelli giving her the most lovely lighting, hair and costumes to accentuate those famous songs she got to sing. But Judy didn’t want to take the movie again because she was tired of playing teenagers and because word on the street was that the character of Tootie would steal the entire picture. I wouldn’t say she upstaged Garland but Margaret O’Brien certainly left a lasting impression. I can’t really say what made me choose O’Brien over Garland, other than it’s a more unexpected choice. The truth is that I associate this film with my childhood more than any other except “The Sound of Music.” I have chosen to highlight a scene that has both of them.