This film examines the life of Judy Garland from 1968 when she left the US owing to waning work opportunities and arrived in London to perform in a sell-out season at The Talk Of The Town nightclub.
Incredibly Judy Garland was broke and left her two young children under the care of her ex-husband who lived in the US. Her life was tainted by financial pressures and the desperate need for the return of her children. Popping pills further fuelled by alcohol ultimately led to her demise.
Through flashbacks, audiences will learn of the behind the scenes Hollywood ‘grinding mill’ and the controlling nature of producer Louis B Mayer who ordered Judy Garland to consume pills to maintain her weight. This daily routine along with other extreme activities would today classify as child abuse.
This film highlights Judy’s loss of childhood, the attachment she felt for her children, her endearing relationship with her soon to be fifth husband and the secret one-sided love she felt for Mickey Rooney. Liza Minnelli and Shirley Temple are quickly mentioned in passing.
A humorous script is carefully interspersed with several intensely emotional scenes which will have audiences laughing out loud one moment and unashamedly teary the next. Renee Zellweger sings many of Garland’s more popular songs and her rendition of Over The Rainbow in the finale is equally as moving as Garland’s.
Lavish musical production numbers, exquisite cinematography and a powerhouse performance by Zellweger, who shares an uncanny resemblance with Judy Garland, all combine to deliver a stand-out and must-see biopic. (MMo)
★★★★
