n the summer of 1903, the Smith family is enjoying the sunshine, the warmth, and the pleasant moods as matriarch Anna (Mary Astor) and trusty maid Katie (Marjorie Main) bustle about the kitchen, and Grandpa (Harry Davenport) selects the perfect hat for the evening. Young Esther (Judy Garland) returns from a game of tennis, while older sister Rose (Lucille Bremer) anxiously awaits a potential phone-call-proposal, pretending she has more important things to worry about than boys. Both, however, are drawn to the handsome gentleman next door, John Truett (Tom Drake), who doesn’t seem to notice them yet.

In the early moments, there aren’t any woes over which to fuss about; the homemade ketchup might be a touch too sweet or sour or thick, but mostly there’s just time for singing and dancing around the house, crooning about the World’s Fair in St. Louis – the title tune, which is by far the best of the songs (many of the others barely register). When stern father Alonzo (Leon Ames), a lawyer who just lost another case, comes home, the drama increases a touch, as he has no interest in catering to the whims of a household that wishes to arrange dinner around Rose’s phone call – all the way from New York. But even with concerns about eligible Smith daughters getting married off, the tone is routinely lighthearted and comical; there’s no disguising the effervescence of this Technicolor production.

The plot constructs plenty of time for additional song-and-dance sequences; the Smith clan wastes no opportunity to party. During the standard merrymaking, guests even goad Esther into putting on little shows as extra instances for performances that don’t require breaking away from the action; pure fantasy sequences aren’t as necessary, though seductive ballads still replace verbal banter and singing substitutes for visual interpretations of emotions. Musical numbers are very much in line with the progression of the story, even if they’re clearly extraneous. Heading to the fairgrounds provides a natural chance to sing on the trolley, while a Christmastime soiree is ripe for dancing (oddly, the big fair itself never materializes in the frame).

At the heart of the film are the comical situations of Esther’s pushy flirtations, as the target of her affections is expectedly oblivious (and airheaded when it comes to important matters). “Exactly the kind my grandmother uses!” Tom exclaims as the Smith girl mentions her perfume that she saves for special occasions, effectively deadening the mood. Her careful arrangements for interactions that require some light touching – or simply longer spells in the same room – are rather humorous, and eventually wear down her willing conquest. Unfortunately, minutes are spent with completely unfitting diversions, particularly with children Tootie (Margaret O’Brien) and Agnes (Joan Carroll), who engage in their own cute but frivolous little misadventures that fail to do much beyond stretch out the running time.

Also hurting the pacing is the slow way in which characters cope with minor hiccups in family affairs and relationships. Minimal revelations tend to drag – and that has nothing to do with the fact that a song often appears in the middle of such developments as if to repetitiously narrate the way the personas feel. Fortunately, a return to comedy moments toward the finale helps quite a bit, while Esther’s goodheartedness wins out over episodes of jealousy or sabotage; her sweetness, particularly during a dance with her grandfather and while consoling inconsolable siblings, is incredibly wholesome. Plus, the climax is notably uplifting. But ultimately, the story just doesn’t possess much power or resonance; the tribulations of the Smith family never really merit a full theatrical picture, nor do the romances, which aren’t all that passionate or memorable.

– Mike Massie