The Dream Factory
The Dream Factory is a podcast about the sometimes magical, sometimes terrifying world of MGM studios during Hollywood's golden age. Join host Derek Lajeunesse and fellow movie fans as they reawaken the ghosts of MGM, deep diving into people and the films that defined an era of moviemaking.
The Dream Factory
The Harvey Girls - Catfishing and Waitress Training (Part 5)
The Harvey Girls dissection continues as Conor and I discuss the scenes that follow the epic “On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe” musical number where our heroine Judy Garland meets her fiance via correspondence for the first time and realizes she’s been catfished! We also explore the lives of some of the film’s key character actors (Chill Wills!) and discuss the young upstart director of this movie, George Sidney.
We also explore the climate of MGM in 1945 and the growing power of the musical unit helmed by songwriter turned producer Arthur Freed. Freed’s films were so successful that he had free reign over the resources of the studio to take chances with movies and push musicals forward.
Thanks for listening!
Derek
Instagram: @thedreamfactorypod