Summer Stock (1950)

I never thought I'd say this: but watching Summer Stock I missed Mickey Rooney.  He would've been much better in the lead than Gene Kelly**. Rooney not only had great chemistry with Judy Garland, but he could bring some real pizzazz to  a standard musical role.  Which Gene Kelly couldn't - and doesn't. Otherwise, there's not much to say about the movie.  The script/story has some funny moments, but some dull moments too. We get a great musical number Get Happy by Judy,  but the rest are forgettable.  Kelly dances  a little but without excitement. The supporting cast is good, especially Gloria DeHaven and Marjorie Main but that's counter-balanced by Phil Silvers* - who's terrible.

Best Scene:  Judy sings Get Happy 
Worst Scene: Garland sings about a Tractor

Summary: A technicolor MGM musical that's only remembered because of Judy Garland.  Despite having some incredible talent, it needed better songs, a better leading man, better dancing, and a better script. And less Phil Silvers.  Pleasant - but mediocre.  Rating 2.5 of 4.

*  I love Phil Silvers in Sgt. Bilko and he's the best thing in Its a Mad, Mad, World, but he can't sing or dance  and in every movie he's too stiff or confined by the script.  Like Milton Berle he needed to play his unique comedic persona or he was awful.

** This movie shows up Gene Kelly's flaws. He was a great dancer, but he couldn't carry a movie.  Even more that other leading men, Kelly needed great songs, a good script, and some good co-stars. At his peak, he made  a lot of hits.  But 3 of those movies co-starred Sinatra and Singing in the Rain had  one of the greatest scripts/co-stars ever.  Even in  An American in Paris, Kelly had the support of Gershwin, Caron, Levant, and Georges Guétary,