--- title: "Meet Me in St. Louis: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/meet-me-in-st-louis/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/meet-me-in-st-louis" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Meet Me in St. Louis (1944): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 10 reviews: 9 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics greet Meet Me in St. Louis with enthusiasm, praising a musical whose family warmth leaves space for sadness and unease. Judy Garland’s performance draws the most consistent praise, with the songs valued both for their emotional force and for how naturally they fit into everyday family life. Minnelli’s use of colour, framing and detailed compositions is another recurring strength. Several reviews find darker feelings beneath the nostalgic charm, rather than treating it as uncomplicated comfort. The spread is largely between warm approval and stronger enthusiasm, with little evidence of substantial disagreement in the available texts. Empire supplies the clearest reservation, finding the film dated but still entertaining and its songs particularly memorable. The praise varies more in emphasis, from performance to visual detail. Time Out’s review text is unavailable, so its lower score cannot establish a specific objection. ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 5/5. 30 November 2001. The review celebrates the film as a classic, feelgood musical with poignant undercurrents. It especially praises Minnelli’s use of colour, framing and production design, and the way he weaves songs into family life. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/meet-me-in-st-louis-review/) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 18 December 2011. French welcomes the rerelease as a near-perfect, enduring musical. He especially praises Judy Garland’s spirited, poignant performance and the film’s beautifully judged music. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/dec/18/meet-me-st-louis-review) ## Los Angeles Times — KEVIN THOMAS Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 June 1990. Thomas calls the film an enduring American classic that balances enchantment with poignancy. He especially praises its seasonal structure and the way its songs are naturally woven into the story. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-06-25-ca-553-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Jaime N. Christley Rating 4.5/5. 13 December 2011. The critic considers the film a Technicolor classic and praises the Blu-ray’s presentation. He especially singles out Minnelli’s richly detailed compositions and the eerie, expressionistic sequence involving Tootie and the neighborhood children. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/meet-me-in-st-louis-2169/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 2021. The review calls the film completely delightful and predicts it will be a major success. It especially praises Margaret O’Brien’s performance and the film’s nostalgic charm. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/meet-me-in-st-louis-1944-review-1235066185/) ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 April 2004. Murray finds the film bright and funny, with a darker emotional undercurrent. He praises Judy Garland’s performance of “The Trolley Song” for conveying both anxiety and joy. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/meet-me-in-st-louis-1798199532) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1943. The review finds the film wholesome, colorful, and appealingly American. It singles out the musical numbers and Judy Garland’s performance for praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1943/film/reviews/meet-me-in-st-louis-1200414272/) ## Empire — Emma Cochrane Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2013. Cochrane finds the film dated but entertaining, with Garland giving her best performance. She singles out the songs as the elements that linger in the memory. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/meet-st-louis-review/) ## The New York Times — Bosley Crowther Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 1944. The review finds the period film charming and warmly appealing. It singles out Judy Garland’s performance as a particular strength. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1944/11/29/archives/the-screen-meet-me-in-st-louis-a-period-film-that-has-charm-with.html) ## Time Out Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 15 March 2012. The page identifies this as a review of the 1944 film, but the review text is unavailable. Its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/meet-me-in-st-louis) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/meet-me-in-st-louis.md