This is the "MGM Christmas Trailer" from 1937, which is available as a bonus on the Warner DVD of the 1938 film A Christmas Carol. It runs for 90 seconds approximately, starts off with showing us a snowed in house and it also ends this way. In-between, we see Judy Garland and a church choir. They perform "Silent Night, Holy Night" for the audience. I think this was a nice little present by MGM for audiences and I personally enjoyed the watch. However, I must say I saw this for the first time several years ago and I liked it more back then than I do today. Garland's voice is really deep and this may not be to everybody's liking. I think she was 15 when this was made and probably the biggest (female) star at that time from her age group. This is from 2 years before she made her eternal "Wizard of Oz" film. All in all, I liked this one here more than the other MGM Christmas short film "The Christmas Party" from 1931, in which Jackie Cooper invites all his buddies. The reason may be that the song in here is just such a classic. Always has been, always will be. I recommend the watch, preferably in December.
Add a Review
-
Horst_In_Translation31 July 2016
-
. . . WHIPLASH. During the climax of this film, the abusive music instructor reduced a student to jelly by viciously interrogating the drummer as to whether he was ahead of or behind the beat (aka, "fast or slow"). I would not necessarily wish to presume (or take it upon myself) to gauge whether the female soloist here is sharp, flat, or "on-key." However, when my mother (a director of many choirs, as well as being a long-time school teacher and veteran of putting on many Christmas Pageants) saw MGM CHRISTMAS TRAILER (aka, JUDY GARLAND SINGS "SILENT NIGHT") Mom immediately volunteered, "She's flat." But there was some musical group (perhaps The Beatles) who pondered whether someone could warble off-key, and still be a worthwhile human being. I think that this pop song concluded in the affirmative.
-
TCM revives this two-minute short every Christmas, and what an unpretentious treat it is. A greetings card shot of snowflakes falling on a tiny church cuts to 15-year-old Judy Garland singing "Silent Night," as lovely a rendition of this traditional favorite as you'll ever hear. Thanks, once again, to TCM, for unearthing a lost treasure.
-
With Christmas almost here, I thought I'd rewatch this very brief musical short which I long ago favorited on YouTube. Starting with "O Come, All Ye Faithful" on chiming bells with a Christmas drawing on a clear background, we then segue on falling snow on a church before cutting to a 15-year-old Judy Garland in choir robe in front of a chorus of children similarly dressed inside the chapel as she sings the first verse of "Silent Night" with those kids cooing along. What a lovely voice she had and how touching this little promotional film was and how wonderful this is still available today. Really, there's nothing else to say except this M-G-M Christmas Trailer is highly recommended to both Garland and holiday fans.
-
preppy-324 December 2010I know I have to fill out 10 lines to get this published...but how do you write 10 lines on a 2 minute short??? I'm not sure but I'll try...
This opens on a beautiful snowy night. We see a church in the distance and hear the bells ringing. Then we cut to inside and see a VERY young Judy Garland (I believe she was 15) singing "Silent Night" with a whole choir of kids backing her up! In an amusing little lapse of continuity you see beautiful sunlight streaming through a HUGE painted glass window---but it's NIGHT outside! But I'm not complaining--it was more funny than anything else. Also Garland looks just incredible and her voice is beautiful (of course). There! I filled 10 lines! WELL worth seeing. This pops up on TCM around every December so try to catch it there. -
CitizenCaine4 November 2012Following Judy Garland's debut film Pigskin Parade released in October of 1936, MGM wondered what to do with Garland and placed her in this short with the St. Luke's Episcopal Choristers of Long Beach. Garland sings Silent Night and the short ends. One wonders what the original purpose of the one song short was. Was it shown in movie theaters? Is it all that remains of additional footage? It's enough to showcase Garland's singing talent in a way that said the powers that be must make appropriate use of her talent in the future, and eventually they did. Afterward, Garland made appearances in several low budget films which featured her talent.
-
ftm68_9929 August 2004The imdb ratings continue to boggle the mind, my mind anyway. Seven people gave this number a 10, two people gave it a nine, one person a 5 and one a 4. Yet it ends up with only a 6.7 rating? Come on imdb, we love you and no offense, but is your calculator in working order? I don't get it.
That was all I was going to say on the subject, but it seems that any comment being submitted to imdb must include at least ten lines of text to be considered for acceptance. Okay, I'll just add that I can't see anything to dislike about this clip of Judy Garland singing "Silent Night" and everything *to* like.
Well, there's eleven lines of text but I'm still getting a message that I have to have ten lines of text. Come on imdb, what's the holdup? :) -
Michael_Elliott13 March 2008MGM Christmas Trailer (1937)
*** (out of 4)
A 15-year-old Judy Garland sings "Silent Night" in this very short (2-minutes) short from MGM. There's really nothing to judge here except the song and Garland does a great job with it. I'm sure something extra could have been added to plump up the running time but what's here is very good.
Christmas Party, The (1931)
*** (out of 4)
Jackie Cooper wants to throw his football team a Christmas party at his house but soon other teams learn of it and want to come as well. The house is too small for everyone so Cooper asks Mayer if he can have the party on one of the MGM lots. The actual story here isn't all that important but what is are all th A-list stars who make an appearance here. Clark Gable, Lionel Barrymore, Anita Page, Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler, Marion Davies, Jimmy Durante (as Santa) and Norma Shearer are just a few of the stars that show up. If you know anything about Mayer you'd know that there's no way he'd really allow a party to take place on his set but I guess that's besides the point since the film itself is just trying to be charming and it does that. Mayer doesn't show up but there are plenty of others that make this a must see for fans of Hollywood's Golden Era.