The Knickerbocker Theatre at Hope College will show four films featuring Judy Garland during its “One Night Only” series every Monday from July 24 to August 14 at 7:30 p.m. The series offers the chance to view classic films on the big screen once again, or for the first time.
No retrospective of Garland would be complete without her breakout performance as Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz” showing on July 24. Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Margaret Hamilton and Garland star in this 1939 musical. Garland plays Dorothy Gale, a young orphan who has run away from home and comes back only to be whisked away by a tornado with her dog, Toto, to the land of Oz. The classic film features the now-standard “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and a story of finding the gifts inside of oneself.
“Meet Me in St. Louis” is featured next on July 31. The all-star cast features Garland, Margaret O’Brien and Mary Astor. In the romantic, comedy musical, Garland plays Esther Smith, a young teenager who falls in love with the boy next door. Esther and her three sisters learn lessons of life and love when faced with the emotional trauma of having to move to New York. The film features the debut of classics such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Trolley Song” and “The Boy Next Door.”
The series continues on August 7 with “Ziegfeld Follies,” in which Garland teams up with a cast of legends including William Powell and Lucille Ball. The 1945 comedy musical features showman Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. who, although now in Heaven, fondly remembers his first Broadway revue, the Ziegfeld Follies of 1907. He is hoping, for one last time, to recreate the magic by staging one last folly.
The series finishes with “A Star is Born” on August 14. The 1954 musical, teaming Garland with James Mason and Jack Carson, is about an alcoholic, declining movie star, Norman Maine, who sees the talent of an aspiring singer/actress, Esther Blodgett, and is inspired to help her into the film industry. The two marry after starring in a musical together. However, Esther, now known as “Vicki” must face the struggle between a demanding, uprising career and the salvation of her husband after submitting to an unruly spiral of drinking.
Tickets are $5. Tickets will be sold at the door but are also available in advance at the Events and Conferences Office located downtown in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890.
The Knickerbocker Theatre is located in downtown Holland at 86 E. Eighth St.