Are you looking for an evergreen musical drama film? Then you can conclude your search here, as you’ve come to the right place. Today I’ll talk about Meet Me in St. Louis, a similar musical film starring Judy Garland. Furthermore, I’ll also share where was Meet Me in St. Louis filmed.
The American musical drama film, Meet Me in St. Louis was released almost 79 years ago. However, this classic movie still holds its importance in world cinema. The story of Meet Me in St. Louis was actually inspired by Sally Benson’s novel, published two years prior to this film.
The basic premise of Meet Me in St. Louis revolves around the members of a typical American family during the early 1900s. The plot thickens when one of the members of the Smith family falls in love with a handsome-looking man living in the same neighborhood.
The commercial performance of Meet Me in St. Louis was great. The makers were absolutely delighted with the critical response this romantic drama film received. Meet Me in St. Louis collected several nominations, including 4 at the Oscars, and won 6 major awards in total. Comedy movie fans, especially kids, enjoyed the overall storyline of the film thoroughly.
So, without stalling any further, let’s know more about this American family drama movie. Let’s discuss where was Meet Me in St. Louis in detail.
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Where Was Meet Me In St. Louis Filmed? Let’s Know This Musical Drama Closely!
Since Meet Me in St. Louis is a musical drama, Vincente Minnelli had a different approach while directing this film. Unlike other blockbuster movies, which were directed by Minneliii, like I Dood It, Some Came Running, and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, this musical drama was targeted at the younger generation.
So, during the initial stages of production, Minnelli asked the screenwriters to omit mature content from the screenplay and use slapstick humor instead. Apparently, this decision worked in Minnelli’s favor and eventually made this film a roaring success.
Another vital factor that contributed to the overall success of Meet Me in St. Louis was the picturesque filming locations that Vincente used. Even though the story of this romantic drama is set in the mid-western state of St. Louis, which is apparent from the title, the filming of Meet Me in St. Louis actually took place in and around the West Coast.
To be more specific, the shooting of Meet Me in St. Louis took place in California instead of St. Louis. Minnelli mainly took this decision because he was short on the production budget.
Also, the fact that he didn’t want to waste much time looking for perfect locations in St. Louis as he had to finish the shooting process within a stipulated time period. Thus, without making things much more complex, the director asked the production members to commence filming in California.
The principal photography of Meet Me in St. Louis began in the first week of December 1943 and continued until the end of April 1944. After the filming process was completed, the production readily began working on the post-production without wasting a single day.
The overall tenacity of the production members and the vision of the filmmaker helped Meet Me in St. Louis, the second-highest-grossing film of 1945.
Alright, so let us now take a closer look at where was Meet Me in St. Louis filmed.
California | USA
The filming process of Meet Me in St. Louis began in the city of Los Angeles. The opening scene of the movie, where we see the eldest member of Smith’s family boarding off a train, was filmed outside a busy train station in Los Angeles.
The production members filmed this outdoor scene after taking permission from the American Railways board chief. Special cameras were mounted outside of La Grande Station, located in the downtown area of Los Angeles, to capture this iconic scene.
Other important outdoor shots of the movie were also filmed in and around the downtown area of Los Angeles. These scenes were mainly used to depict the surrounding area of Smith’s home in St. Louis.
After these sequences were captured, the production members moved to the next filming location.
The second phase of filming commenced in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Studios, located at 10202 West Washington Blvd, Culver City. All major interior scenes of the movie were filmed inside this famous studio.
Minnelli decided to use multiple sound stages for recreating the background of St. Louis. Shooting in Culver City lasted for 3 and a half months or so. The production members took the majority of the time constructing the make-believe sets before using them to shoot the interior scenes of Meet Me in St. Louis.
Ok, so let me now walk you through the plot of Meet Me in St. Louis. In the meantime, you can also
check out Yellow Sky, Road House 2, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
Plot Of Meet Me In St. Louis | What’s It About
The basic premise of Meet Me in St. Louis is centered around the members of an American family who move into their new home in St. Louis. At the very beginning of the film, the character of Esther Smith comes up with a plan for a family outing and shares it with her mother.
Soon, the Smiths go out for a picnic and spend a wonderful time together. But when Esther and other family members arrive at their home, they are surprised to see a new neighbor. Shortly after, the new neighbor comes in to make acquaintance with the Smith family.
Watch Meet Me in St. Louis and find out the full story!
Final Words
Alright, I hope you enjoyed the read. I’ve mentioned all the filming locations of this iconic family drama movie. But if you still have any other questions regarding where was Meet Me in St. Louis filmed, let us know in the comments section below.
Other than that, if you’re interested in knowing the filming locations of the other great films and shows, then you can check out similar pieces on Viebly too.
