Judy by the Numbers: "If I Forget You"
Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at 9:00AM Anne Marie is tracking Judy Garland's career through musical numbers...
Click to embiggenToday's clip is a plea for the importance of film preservation. The following 3 minute clip is all that is currently known to survive of a short called "If I Forget You" starring Judy Garland and Bette Davis. That's right, two of Classic Hollywood's biggest stars once shared the screen and we know virtually nothing about it.
The little we do know about this teeny number and the tiny short surrounding it comes from reviews and an ad (pictured left) that ran in a few trade papers circa April of 1940. The short was part of the third annual tribute to Will Rogers, who passed away in 1935. It featred Kay Kyser and his Kollege of Musical Knowledge, then Judy singing the title song, then Bette Davis stepped onscreen to ask audiences to donate to the Will Rogers Memorial Commission (which benefited the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital).
The Movie: If I Forget You (MGM short, 1940)
The Songwriters: Irving Caesar (music & lyrics)
The Players: Judy Garland, Kay Kyser, Bette Davis, director unknown.
The Story: On the surface, a one reel ad for a charity seems underwhelming enough (and certainly Judy's performance, while sweet, is standard fare for the starlet), but when taken in context, If I Forget You shows how powerful one star's image can be even after death. The comedic cowboy had been gone 3 years, but the charity bearing his name could sway a week of exhibition ("Will Rogers National Theatres Week") and get two uncooperative giants (MGM & WB) to lend major talent for a brief cameo. This is even more impressive when you consider the fact that Will Rogers was a 20th Century Fox star. Will Rogers's image had the power to cross studio lines and exhibition rules. It probably didn't occur to Judy Garland as she sang Caesar's song that her image may one day become as powerful as Rogers's had been. Nonetheless this small (nearly forgotten) short reminds fans and academics that the aura of studio system stars can have tangible effects even after their deaths.
previously: "The Land of Let's Pretend" (1930), "The Texas Tornado" (1936), "Americana" (1936), "Dear Mr Gable" (1937), "Got a New Pair of Shoes" (1937), "Why? Because!" (1938), "Inbetween" (1938), “Zing Went the Strings of My Heart” (1938), "Over the Rainbow" (1939), "Good Morning" (1939)
Reader Comments (3)
The song isn't anything special though she gives it a beautiful interpretation. This is the first time you can see the MGM makeup department working to bring out her doe eyed beauty. She never could see it unfortunately since she was judging herself against Lana Turner and Hedy Lamaar, a tough yardstick for any girl but in her youth she had such a delicate beauty.
It's a pity the rest has been lost but the amount of film that has disappeared is simply staggering. This also is a reminder that no matter how big the star these people WORKED.
When they weren't in front of the cameras on a feature they were doing shorts or photo shoots or interviews. I remember when I was checking out info on a Jean Harlow movie I had just watched and discovering that she starred in 22 pictures in her brief 6 years of full on stardom!! That averages out to 3 1/2 pictures a year! Add in all the rest of the publicity she has to do along with that and it sort of sucks the glamour out of the idea of the glory of stardom.
What an intriguing little curio and a great write-up! This is exactly the type of thing I LOVE finding out about the Classic Hollywood Studio Era.
I've always liked this song and have worn out my version of Rosemary Clooney singing it. I didn't know that Judy had sung this, how could I? You can tell this is "lost" because the sound doesn't synch up with the movements exactly and Judy was no amateur in that regard.
This at least needs to have the soundtrack restored, but heck, since it's "peak beauty" for Judy, I insist the visuals get restored as well!