Little Nellie Kelly ** (1940, Judy Garland, George Murphy, Charles Winninger) – Classic Movie Review 9202

Director Norman Taurog’s 1940 MGM black and white family musical comedy Little Nellie Kelly is a forgotten, or at any rate overlooked, Judy Garland movie, although it was a hit at the time, earning MGM a profit of $680,000 on a budget of $665,300.

Judy Garland takes two roles: Nellie Snr, who dies in childbirth, and Nellie Jnr thereafter. Garland also sings and, as Nellie Jnr, solves the troubled relationship between her policeman dad Jerry Kelly (George Murphy) and grandpa-in-the-theatre, Michael Noonan (Charles Winninger).

Little Nellie Kelly is pleasant enough and Garland warbles prettily, but Jack McGowan’s adaptation of the George M Cohan blarney-packed musical comedy play on which the film is based lacks vigour and punch.

The songs include ‘It’s a Great Day for the Irish’ (Music and lyrics by Roger Edens), ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, ‘A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow’, ‘St Patrick Was a Gentle Man’, ‘Little Nellie Kelly’ and ‘Danny Boy’.

Also in the cast are Douglas McPhail, Arthur Shields, Forrester Harvey, James Burke, George Watts, John Raitt, J Pat O’Malley and Rita Page.

It was shot at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, 10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, California.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9202

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