Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

For Me and My Gal Blu-ray Movie Review

Make love, not war.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III June 8, 2022

---

June 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of Judy Garland's birth... and to celebrate, all three Warner Archive Blu-rays this month -- Ziegfeld Girl, The Clock, and For Me and My Gal -- feature the late, great star. I'll also be covering two other 1940s Garland films from deeper in the Warner Archive vault, The Pirate and The Harvey Girls.

---

Busby Berkeley's musical drama For Me and My Gal stands out in cinema history for two reasons: it not only marked the first real adult role for established mega-star Judy Garland, but also the film debut of fellow genre icon Gene Kelly. Production began less than four months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and it's obvious that this historical event's fallout shaped the film's story and tone dramatically. But while For Me and My Gal actually takes place during America's entry into the first World War, it keeps the same patriotic spirit of serving your country in any way possible. And while the more serious final act leans a little too heavy on jingoism (complete with a post-credits plea to buy war bonds), it's an otherwise even-handed and enjoyable film carried dutifully by two blossoming stars.

The first leg of For Me and My Gal concerns the slow rise of competing vaudeville acts, like tap-dancing Harry Palmer (Kelly) and the more elaborate stage show of Jo Hayden (Garland) and Jimmy Metcalf (George Murphy). Jo is instantly turned off by Harry's cockiness -- which in romantic movie language means of course they'll get together -- but a rare instant of humility leads to their impromptu duet at a conveniently empty restaurant nearby. It's not long before they take their show on the road. From there, For Me and My Gal balances professional ups and downs with standard issue "will they or won't they?" window dressing; it's a train derailed by everything from simple mix-ups to external forces like popular singer Eve Minard (Martha Eggerth), who Harry sees as another tool to help his career. But what Jo and Harry really want is to play at New York's Palace Theatre, and maybe even tie the knot afterwards.

Without venturing too far into spoiler territory, For Me and My Gal's third act adopts a more serious tone after Harry is drafted into the military weeks before a big event and he looks for just about any way out of his ill-timed patriotic duty. Harry's drastic solution to the problem drives what might be a final wedge between his personal and professional relationship with Jo who, only moments before, received tragic personal news via telegram.

It's an engaging enough narrative arc considering the somewhat uneven subject matter, even if portions of For Me and My Gal don't hold up to scrutiny. The story relies on far too many plot conveniences and random run-ins (I lost count of the chance backstage reunions with old friends, a few of which even take place in another country during its final act), whose sole existence is just to keep the plot moving while we're distracted by occasional song breaks. The end result still works well enough, thanks mostly to capable direction by Busby Berkeley -- which features none of his trademark elaborate choreography, believe it or not -- and both absolutely charming performances by our two leads. No surprises there, which ends up holding true for the film as a whole: it's pretty predictable stuff and the final stretch is indeed a sharp detour by its trio of screenwriters (working from a story by Howard Emmett Rogers), but For Me and My Gal still gets by on pure talent and remains a decent little career highlight for its on-screen musical icons.

As usual, Warner Archive heaps plenty of support on the main feature with another perfectly well-rounded Blu-ray, pairing an outstanding A/V restoration with a solid collection of bonus features -- some of them featuring early musical performances by Garland -- carried over from earlier home video editions including Warner Bros.' 2004 DVD.

For Me and My Gal Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Much like their outstanding 1080p transfer of Ziegfeld Girl, the source material and other restoration details regarding For Me and My Gal were not specified on their recent press release. But fans of the film needn't worry -- this is as high-class a presentation as we've come to expect from the boutique label and clearly its best outing on home video to date. Sets and costume designs sparkle with detail and texture, while a natural layer of film grain preserves the feel of a true cinematic presentation. The silvery grayscales showcase rich shadow detail with no signs of black crush or blooming, while the image as a whole is very clean thanks to Warner Archive's methods of meticulous cleanup: only a few stray flickers and bits of debris could be spotted along the way, contributing to a purist-friendly image whose original look has not bee compromised. It's yet another top-tier effort from the boutique label's reliable team of experts, and one that fans should agree is a huge improvement over their parent company's 2004 DVD. (Warner Archive also released their own DVD in 2020 which may be sourced from the same newer master, but I don't own that disc.)

For Me and My Gal Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix offers a pure presentation of the original one-channel audio source, which is almost completely free of any discernible age-related wear and tear. Dialogue and background effects are balanced very well with a surprisingly robust dynamic range, while all of the pre-recorded and diegetic musical performances sound crystal clear and quite powerful at times. It still plays like a product of its time period, but For Me and My Gal sounds in line with the best classic musicals from this era so fans should be pleased with the results.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, but not the extras. This is pretty annoying since the DVD collection that most of them were sourced from did in fact have optional subtitles available. It's perhaps my only ongoing hang-up regarding Warner Archive releases, and one that I hope is addressed at some point.

For Me and My Gal Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with poster-themed cover art and no inserts. All extras are ported over from Warner Bros.' 2004 DVD (one of several releases on that format), although a few upgrades have been made.

• Audio Commentary by John Fricke - This feature-length discussion by the noted film historian and author, who specializes in Judy Garland and The Wizard of Oz, is a very organized, detailed, and informative track that covers the film's development, casting, impact, music, enduring legacy, and more.

• MGM Short: La Fiesta de Santa Barbara (18:41) - This 1935 comedy short, which has been given a fresh new 1080p transfer, was directed by Louis Lewyn and produced by Pete Smith, who also narrates. Aside from being a fun and entertaining show that earned an Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Color), it features appearances by Buster Keaton, Harpo Marx, Gary Cooper... and none other than 13 year-old Judy Garland, who sings "La Cucaracha" with Mary and Dorothy Gumm (then collectively billed as "The Garland Sisters").

• MGM Short: Every Sunday (10:33) - Another Garland throwback (this one upscaled from an old DVD master), Every Sunday is a 1936 short in which two girls (Garland and Deanna Durbin) use their singing voices for a very good cause. It was also featured in the indispensable retrospective film That's Entertainment!.

• Outtake Musical Numbers - Two short excised bits presented in DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio (mono).

• "Three Cheers for the Yanks" (2:33) - Performed by Judy Garland.
• "For Me and My Gal Deleted Finale" (2:17) - Performed Judy Garland and Gene Kelly.

• Screen Guild Players Radio Broadcast (29:37) - This abridged audio-only version of the film features Judy Garland and Gene Kelly reprising their roles, along with narration by Dick Powell.

• "Leo is On the Air" Radio Promo (13:49) - Another audio-only piece, this vintage broadcast features musical performances by Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and George Murphy as heard from the film.

• Theatrical Trailer (2:14) - This lively promotional piece can also be seen here.

• Song Selection - Instant access to For Me and My Gal's 26 main musical numbers, listed below. But don't get too excited, the last half-dozen or so are very short and part of a patriotic medley sequence.

• Main Title
• "Oh Johnny Oh / They Go Wild, Simply Wild Over Me"
• "The Doll Shop"
• "Oh, You Beautiful Doll"
• "Don't Leave Me, Daddy"
• "Oh, You Beautiful Doll (Reprise)"
• "The Sailor's Hornpipe (Dance)"
• "By the Beautiful Sea"
• "For Me and My Gal (Song)"
• "For Me and My Gal (Dance)"
• "When You Wore a Tulip"
• "Do I Love You?"
• "After You've Gone"
• "Tell Me"
• "Till We Meet Again"
• "We Don't Want the Bacon"
• "Ballin' the Jack"
• "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?"
• "Where Do We Go From Here?"
• "It's a Long Way to Tipperary"
• "Goodbye Broadway, Hello France"
• "Smiles"
• "Oh! Frenchy"
• "Pack Up Your Troubles"
• "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"
• "For Me and My Gal" (Finale)

For Me and My Gal Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Despite the tacked-on jingoism during its third act (which, to be fair, was par for the course in 1942), For Me and My Gal is a durably entertaining musical production: it was not only the first "adult" role for Judy Garland, but a damn fine debut for Gene Kelly as well. Warner Archive's hot streak continues with an especially well-rounded Blu-ray package that includes a rock-solid restoration and plenty of thoughtful bonus features carried over from several earlier home video editions. A firmly recommended release for die-hard Garland/Kelly fans and newcomers alike.