A Date with Judy (film)

A Date with Judy is a 1948 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Wallace Beery, Jane Powell, and Elizabeth Taylor. The film was based on the radio series of the same name.

The film was shot in Technicolor and largely served to showcase former child star Taylor, aged 16 at the time. Taylor was given the full MGM glamor treatment, including specially designed gowns.

Robert Stack appears in a prominent supporting part. Many others in the MGM stock company appear in their customary roles, including Leon Ames as a dignified father figure, the same role he played in the Judy Garland film Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and top-billed Beery in his penultimate role as a contrasting "rough and ready" father figure.

The film features the soprano singing voice of young Powell, and is also a showcase for the musical performances of Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda and Spanish bandleader Xavier Cugat. In this film, Miranda is given to humorous malapropisms such as "His bite is worse than his bark" and "Now I'm cooking with grass". The songs "Judaline" and "It's a Most Unusual Day" also debuted in this film.

Plot
In Santa Barbara, California, teenager Judy Foster and her friends are rehearsing a number for their high school dance when the student director of the show, Carol Pringle, complains that the song, as performed, is too "juvenile". Carol, a snobbish senior at the school and Judy's best friend, demonstrates how she believes the music should be played, lending the song a more seductive tone.

Carol later calls to tell Judy that famous bandleader Xavier Cugat will be the guest of honor at the dance that night. Shortly afterwards, Carol convinces her younger brother, Ogden "Oogie" Pringle, to cancel his dance date with Judy, claiming that women are more drawn to men who ignore them. When Judy learns that Oogie has decided not to take her to the dance, she becomes infuriated and vows to break off their friendship. Dejected, Judy visits "Pop" Sam Scully's drugstore, where she meets Pop's handsome nephew, Stephen Andrews. Judy becomes instantly attracted to the older Stephen, and he agrees to escort her to the dance as a favor to Pop. At the dance, Oogie sees Judy with Stephen and becomes jealous. While Oogie tries to divert Judy's attention away from Stephen, Stephen meets Carol and declares she is "the prettiest girl in Santa Barbara" as they dance together.

After the dance, Stephen accompanies Judy home, and she kisses him before rushing inside, while a forlorn Oogie secretly watches them. Realizing how much Judy means to Oogie, Carol schemes to reunite the two by telling Judy that she has convinced her wealthy father to give Judy and Oogie a program on his radio station. At a dinner arranged by Carol, Oogie tries to make amends with Judy, but Judy accidentally falls over while Oogie is behind her, and she wrongly accuses him of pushing her. Although Stephen assures Oogie that he would never take Judy away from him, she tells her father that she is in love with Stephen and that she intends to marry him.

Meanwhile, Judy's father Melvin is secretly taking rumba lessons with instructor Rosita Conchellas, wanting to surprise his wife on their 20th wedding anniversary. Judy pays Melvin a surprise visit in his office during one of his lessons, prompting Rosita to hide in the closet. Seeing Rosita's skirt caught in the closet door, Judy mistakenly believes that her father is having an affair. At school, Judy confides in Carol about her suspicions. Judy then runs home and, in an effort to save her parents' marriage, gives her mother a beauty makeover to make her more appealing to her father.

Upon learning that Carol is in love with Stephen, her father, widowed businessman Lucien, enlists the family butler to perform a background check on Stephen. Indignant, Stephen barges into Lucien's office and confronts him, declaring that now that he has met Carol's father, he understands why she is spoiled and egotistical. Finally realizing how much he has been neglecting his family, Lucien comes home from work earlier than usual that night and promises to be more attentive to Carol and Oogie. Later that night, an undeterred Oogie comes by Judy's house and tries to serenade her; she is initially flattered, but they argue when he announces he is going on a fishing trip with his father and might not return in time for their radio show.

The next day, Judy and Carol spy on Melvin and see him escorting Rosita to his car. That night, at Judy's parents' wedding anniversary celebration, Judy and Carol accuse Rosita of having an affair with a married man. Rosita misunderstands the accusation and believes that they are talking about Cugat, her fiancé. After the two girls clarify that they were referring to Melvin, Rosita explains that she was teaching Judy's father the rumba as a surprise for his wife and children. Judy and Carol realize their mistake and apologize to Rosita. Judy then reconciles with Oogie after she learns that Carol is in love with Stephen, and Stephen agrees to resume his romance with Carol in a few years, when she is older.

Songs

 * "It's a Most Unusual Day" (Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson), performed by Jane Powell
 * "Judaline" (Don Raye, Gene de Paul), performed by Jane Powell, Scotty Beckett & Quartet
 * "I'm Strictly on the Corny Side" (Stella Unger, Alec Templeton), performed by Jane Powell & Scotty Beckett
 * "Cuanto Le Gusta" (Gabriel Ruiz, Ray Gilbert), performed by Carmen Miranda with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra
 * "Cooking with Gas", performed by Carmen Miranda with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra
 * "Love Is Where You Find It" (Earl K. Brent, Nacio Herb Brown), performed by Jane Powell, Jerry Hunter & Selena Royle
 * "Home Sweet Home" (H.R. Bishop), performed by Jane Powell, Jerry Hunter & Selena Royle
 * "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" (Wallace Willis), performed by Lillian Yarbo

Production
Although Xavier Cugat is credited in the opening credits as "Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra", the end credits simply bill Cugat as "Himself". The A Date with Judy radio show ran from 1941 to 1949 on NBC, and from 1949 to 1950 on ABC. The character of Judy Foster was portrayed on the radio by Dellie Ellis (later known as Joan Lorring), Louise Erickson, and Ann Gillis.

Thomas E. Breen was originally set to co-star in the film with Jane Powell, and Leslie Kardos was set to direct. Selena Royle replaced Mary Astor, who withdrew from the film due to illness.

According to a biography of director Vincente Minnelli, a musical number entitled "Mulligatawny", which was created by Stanley Donen, was cut from the film before its release. Actress Patricia Crowley portrayed Judy Foster in the ABC television series A Date with Judy (1951–1953).

Reception
The film spent four weeks at the top of the US box office, earning theatrical rentals of $3,431,000 in the United States and Canada and $1,155,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,495,000.

Critical reception
A New York Times reviewer pointed out that "the picture's gaiest moments" were provided by Carmen Miranda, "whose singing remains a source of delighted amazement to this observer."