Hollywood has already gone over the rainbow with buzz over Oscar-winner Rene Zellweger’s much anticipated new film, Judy, the long-awaited Judy Garland biopic. Insiders buzz about Zellweger’s performance, which marks her return to movies after a six year absence, and how it will stack up to previous turns as the iconic diva, most notably Judy Davis and Tammy Blanchard in the ABC TV movie Me and My Shadows. Liza Minnelli has already spoken out against the film, and claims Zellweger and the filmmakers did nothing to consult her about it.
Still, as the movie pushes to release in 2019, we can’t help but feel excited about a healthy dose of Judy in our cinemas. With that said, biographies of Judy often soft-pedal certain elements of her life. We hope Judy will fix that problem, and cover these five aspects of Ms. Garland’s too-brief life.
1. Her man problem
So previous televised biographies–and the much-acclaimed telefilm Me and My Shadows–glossed over one of Garland’s biggest problems: she fell for the wrong guys. Shadows portrayed husband Sid Luft as a saintly, well-meaning husband, and omitted his gambling and drinking problems that cost he and Judy all their money. That bankruptcy haunted Garland for the rest of her days as she struggled to get out of debt and keep up with her own concert schedule. A fair and comprehensive biopic should mention that issue.
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2. Her relationship with Liza
Me and My Shadows also skimmed over Judy’s warm and very competitive relationship with daughter Liza Minnelli…probably because Liza’s sister Lorna wrote the script. In short, we’ve seen the Lorna-Judy movie. Bring on the Liza.
Related: Liza Minnelli doesn’t mince words when expressing her feelings about Renee Zellweger playing her mom
3. Her happy days
By all accounts, Garland had one of the best senses of humor, and many happy times with her close friends. Rather than concentrate on her declining health or addiction issues, a great biopic could show Judy in happier moments as a loving mom and loyal friend.
Renée Zellweger is playing Judy Garland in a new movie about the icon's final concerts in London — get ready for the Renéessance!!! pic.twitter.com/EqmbCpnTRm
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) March 19, 2018
4. Her celebrity friends
Speaking of Judy’s friends, Ms. Garland paled around with just about everybody, from Frank Sinatra to Orson Welles to President John F. Kennedy. Lorna Luft recalls hanging out at the Kennedy’s home, taking baths with young Caroline and John-John. An interlude of Judy and her celebrity friends would offer a glimpse into her life outside performing and personal drama, helping to humanize her iconic personality.
5. Her love of the gays
Judy knew full-well of her gay icon status, and even performed in gay bars for extra cash. Since we have a feeling Roadside Attractions should know just who has the most interest in a Judy Garland movie, they also ought to have the good sense to show her interacting with her most emphatic fans.
Judy his screens in 2019. An exact release date is pending.
Billy Budd
I wanna see scenes of the studio people giving her drugs when she was a little child (amphetamines in the morning to enhance her acting/singing, and barbiturics to make her sleep) and her having sex with a gay husband (Minelli). The movie has to show not only the good stuff, but also the controvertial stuff.
Lacuevaman
I’ll just stay at home an listen to her records. There will never be a replacement. There is only one Judy Garland.
davegun2
Judy Garland looked me in the eye and asked, “Seen action?”
“‘Nam. I just got back from a tour. I don’t understand what’s happening there. But I went and I’m glad I went. I took care of the boys.”
“Some of the best times of my life were when I did USO shows. Do you know the only real people in the world are military men? Everyone else is a big phony. The military boys, they love my music. And I love them. Genuine, know what I mean?”
I nodded. “Yeah I do, kinda hard for the lavender guys. But we manage. Gays are coming out you know?”
“My best audiences. I’m going to London in a few days. I laugh at myself because the Brit men all sound like poufs to me. But I know my gays will be in the audience and I’ve decided this is going to be the best show I have ever given. My comeback, you know?”
I laughed.
“You got panned by the critics for the last concert.”
Judy shrugged.
“Too much booze, and pills. I’m better, but when I travel to foreign countries I really have trouble sleeping. So the pills, well, they help and they hurt.”
“I like this place. It’s not seedy like most,” I said, to change the subject.
“I like it because no one bothers me here. I can have a quiet drink and no big deal with these guys. Respect. They have respect. Only my gays.” She seemed sad somehow. In person, she was both beautiful and fragile. She reminded me of my mother.
“Look, I gotta go,” I said. “But I don’t catch the train for New York City until late tomorrow. You want to have dinner or something?”
QueerTruth
Cute. I assume this is fantasy/fiction
davegun2
No. This is not fiction. I am writing a novel about my time in the Navy. And I did meet her as I’ve described it.
QueerTruth
Well good for you, Dave. That sounds like an interesting story.
One thing I question for the above- Did queer people and or their friends refer to each other as “gays” or “the gays” in that time?
I’m assuming the era you are referring to is the 1960s. I am very curious how gay men identified themselves.
DCguy
How can Zelweger have a 6 year absence from the movies when Bridget Jones Baby came out in 2016?
QueerTruth
Exactly. She also was in Whole Truth in 2017. Sigh…
Queerty: How hard is it to conduct basic elementary research on your stories?
GetOffMyInternets
No one at Queerty does actual research. Graham and David Grant basically troll Instagram, Jeremy gets on his high horse for people not being attracted to his victim mentality, and David Reddish never fact checks.
Complaints about Queerty aide, wtf does Renee think that she can sing? She was terrible in a Chicago even after training. But as Kathy Griffin once said about her: “and I say whatever that sweaty puffy coke whore wants, she should get.”