illneverforgetu Excellent remake of Jimmy Stewart's 1940 The Shop Around the Corner - they could have changed he script a little more, a majority of the scenes are nearly work for word of the original. Not as good as the original - but the acting was phenomenal and the storyline just can't die. I fully enjoyed this musical (and was grateful they didn't try to put too many songs, but instead keep the story flowing). Judy Garland is wonderful, charming and hilarious in this role.

richard-1787 I suppose the only fair way to review this movie is to watch it first without having already seen The Little Shop Around the Corner. I can't do that, however, and it leaves me comparing the two, which is never to Summertime's advantage.On the one hand, I don't like some of the things that were added, like Van Johnson's strange relationship with the violinist.On the other, when Summertime repeats Shop, sometimes with virtually the same dialogue, I'm disappointed that Van Johnson doesn't do the lines as well as James Stewart. And Sakall doesn't give the store owner the depth that Frank Morgan did in Shop.Yes, there are musical numbers here, but they aren't very interesting, though Garland gives her all to bring them off.In short, this is probably a pleasant movie for those who don't know Shop. For those who do, it's a series of disappointments.

TheLittleSongbird While not as good as the wonderful (non-musical) 'The Shop Around the Corner' (one of the great Ernst Lubitsch's greatest gems) and some may question the point of it, as far as "remakes" go 'In the Good Old Summertime' doesn't fare shabbily at all and holds up well on its own too.'In the Good Old Summertime' is dragged down a little by the violin subplot, an additional subplot to a film that is otherwise reasonably faithful in basic details to 'The Shop Around the Corner', which didn't really add very much and distracted at times from the main romance. While Marcia Van Dyke is a very skilled violinist, those skills do not translate in her acting which is very bland.The title is also an odd one, a very appetising and catchy title but irrelevant to the story seeing as it's more winter than summer, which will mislead (and has done) people.However, 'In the Good Old Summertime' is beautifully filmed and lavishly produced, and Robert Z Leonard directs with an energetic lightness but also a maturity. The songs have been criticised for not being particularly memorable. While not timeless standards all of them are lovely and have a real liveliness and genuine emotion, especially "Merry Christmas" and "I Don't Care", both performed by Judy Garland. All of them are gracefully and energetically staged.Scripting is witty and sophisticated and while the story is not as emotionally layered as 'The Shop Around the Corner' it is nonetheless always interesting and immensely charming.Apart from Van Dyke, the cast are all strong. Judy Garland is just wonderful and in sublime voice (then again, who couldn't expect any less?) and Van Johnson gives one of his most comfortable and engaging performances of any of his musical endeavours. He and Garland have a spirited and heartfelt chemistry.Spring Byington and SZ Sakall are humorous and very likable scene-stealers without overdoing it, and while Buster Keaton is well past prime and has little to do he makes the most of what he is and his pratfall is both funny and elegant.In conclusion, a very charming musical with an enormous amount to like. 8/10 Bethany Cox

reddpill Van Johnson and Judy Garland play feuding co-workers who have unwittingly been carrying on a romance through the Postal Service. Johnson steals bits from well-known writers to include in his letters, which seems appropriate since so much of the dialogue was lifted word-for-word from The Shop Around the Corner, the earlier film from which this was remade.They did make a few changes from the original: they shot it in Technicolor and set the story in a music shop so that Garland would have an excuse to sing. (Fair warning: while this movie is often billed as a musical, the songs are few and far between compared to what you would normally expect for that category.) The lavish color, musical numbers, and even the addition of a baby in one scene (and young Liza Minelli in another) do not make up for the charm that was taken out compared to the original.How does this remake fail? Johnson is a bit too caddish and not as likable as Shop's James Stewart. Likewise, Judy Garland match the performance of Margaret Sullavan, who struck a perfect balance between a brash defender of the man with whom she has been corresponding and a sensitive, vulnerable woman seeking romantic love. As a pair, Johnson and Garland lack the chemistry of Stewart and Sullavan, and director Robert Z. Leonard cannot supply the scenes with the naturalism or charm that Ernst Lubitsch provided.Had I not seen The Shop Around the Corner (and in fact I re-viewed it just prior to watching In the Good Old Summertime), Summertime's shortcomings might have been less noticeable, but I cannot ignore the huge difference between the the two films and have rated and reviewed this film accordingly. If you have a choice, I would urge that you take a pass on Summertime and watch the original instead. If you are one of those people who just can't stand watching black & white movies (and oh, what you are missing if you are!), opt for the later remake, You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. They kept the color, tossed out the songs, and brought back much of the charm and chemistry that made the original a classic.