MovieChat Forums > In the Good Old Summertime (1949) Discussion > You've Got Mail Misconception

You've Got Mail Misconception

posted 20 years ago by kbkbkbkb
25 replies | jump to latest

Many people in the user comments about this movie are saying that 'You've Got Mail' with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan was a remake of this movie. Infact, the first movie with this plot line was 1940 flick 'Shop Around The Corner' with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan.

Obviously they all have basically the same story (and I love it every time). But I just wanted to make sure that the movie that came first was given some credit :)

On that note... I think this is probably my favourite version of this story :) hehe. Judy Garland is fantastic and Van Johnson is ever so cute!! Especially at the end!

Hugh, you are my boy from Oz!

[–] Estella 19 years ago

I agree with everything you said Katbuffy. I love this film. And Van J. is damn cute! The end where they're sat under the Christmas tree and he tells her he loves her just makes me melt!! It is such a funny, warm nostalgic gem.

[–] riemann17 19 years ago

It was originally a 1937 Hungarian play called "Parfumerie". Then "The Shop Around The Corner" (did you notice that was the name of Meg Ryan's store? I got a chuckle out of that obviously "in" joke.) Then "In the Good Old Summertime". Then there was a Broadway musical (not the same musical, just the same basic story) called "She Loves Me" in 1963 (songs by Bock and Harnick who did Fiddler), set in a parfumerie once again. Then there was "You've Got Mail" (unless of course, there were any other versions that I missed!) And I agree Katbuffy - I like all of them (I've seen all 4 American versions.)

[–] Guerauxguex 17 years ago

There was another variation on this theme I recall from my telly watching youth- two actually, but they incorporated a time differential as well. In one a puritan lass was somehow able to communicate with a lad from our modern era. This led to her persecution as a witch for being possessed by devils. (I don't recall titles, & forgive me if I mis-remember the plot. It's been ages!) The other was a correspondence between a modern man & Victorian woman who posted letters which appeared in a drawer of his writing desk.
If some reader recalls the names of these programmes, please help!

Its easier to whisper advice from behind the scenes rather than risk its merit at the point of attack

[–] kathryn_103 17 years ago

There was a Hallmark movie called The Love Letters that featured a Civil-War era antique desk that a man owned in modern day. However, if the woman who owned the desk in the 1860's put letters inside it, they appeared in the modern day. It's implausible, but fun! I hope that helps.

[–] OlLineRebel 17 years ago

I remember that. I watched it. Kind of neat.

[–] ajprice-1 7 years ago

That movie (beautifully done in 1998) was based on a short story by Jack Finney that I THINK first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in the late 1950's and, later, in a book of short stories. I read the short story first and was excited when it was adapted by Hallmark. Jack Finney and Richard Matheson were the masters of time travel stories, many of which have been made into movies. Their works also were adapted by the old Twilight Zone television program. Thanks for reminding me about this movie. Some years ago (pre-internet) I tried to find the original story and was unsuccessful. I'll bet that I can track it down now....would be a great read.

[–] octobercountry-2 17 years ago

"There was another variation on this theme I recall from my telly watching youth- two actually, but they incorporated a time differential as well. In one a puritan lass was somehow able to communicate with a lad from our modern era. This led to her persecution as a witch for being possessed by devils."

This was an episode of the 1980's version of the Twilight Zone, called "A Message from Charity." It was based on the short story of the same name written by William M. Lee.

[–] ijonesiii 18 years ago

I must concur that this is my favorite version of this classic love story. Though Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan play YOU'VE GOT MAIL with sincerity, by the time they got around to this story, it just had this whole "been there done that" air about it and the whole thing just seemed tired.

[–] OlLineRebel 17 years ago

But most people have no clue about that, because most people don't try to watch old movies. They were some 50 years apart.

The problem with "You've Got Mail" is it was WAAAY too long and drawn-out.

The Judy version is the best - not only romantic, with some good songs (not all), but FUNNY!

[–] bonbk 16 years ago

I like The Shop Around the Corner best. To me, it was the most romantic, with leads who have great chemistry. I also like how well developed and how likable the supporting cast is in TSATC.

[–] martini-29 15 years ago

I also like Shop Around the Corner best. Stewart and Sullavan were magic and the sub-plot involving Mr. Matuschek's wife, Joseph Schildkraut and the attempted suicide add a unique depth. Don't know if that element existed in the Lazslo play.

[–] Isaac5855 16 years ago

I agree...in YOU'VE GOT MAIL...the road to the the big reveal is a VERY LONG journey.

[–] Death_to_Pan_and_Scan 16 years ago

Anyone who prefers this film over 'The Shop Around the Corner' seriously needs to lay off the crack pipe.

Not EVERY movie with Judy Garland is automatically fabulous. This one falls quite short and even the Hanks/Ryan version 'You've Got Mail' is better. Judy is horribly miscast here and ladies just seem to fawn over Van Johnson just because they're equating him as the (insert name of pretty boy here) of his day. James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan had much better chemistry. This film also has mediocre music for a pseudo-'musical'. Of the 3 film versions of this story that I've seen ItGOS is the least enjoyable.

I've noticed that even the most mediocre of films has a rabid fanbase on imdb. Just because it's old doesn't make it 'classic'.

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If you're watching 'Fullscreen' DVDs, you aren't getting the whole picture.

[–] Smilies1 16 years ago

Woamn do not like Van Johnson because he is a pretty boy.He is very talented and a very good actor and just becuase he is very handsome does not make him a pretty boy.Yes he is very nice to look at but he is much more than that,and I don't think I am the only one who thinks so,

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Isaac5855 16 years ago

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you should allow people who love this film their opinion.

[–] dmnemaine 14 years ago

It's interesting that you call the score "mediocre music", since it's basically all popular standards of the film's period. "Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey", "In The Good Old Summertime", "Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland", "Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie", and "I Don't Care" are some of the best popular songs to come from the turn of the last century.

[–] Tomatish 9 years ago

By that standard, Glee should become a Classic. It's not just about having the top 40 songs on. It's about the songs being a vehicle for the story and creating an atmosphere, which they certainly didn't in this movie - not for me at least. However, it is always lovely to hear Miss Judy sing.

[–] dmnemaine 9 years ago

The commenter said that the music itself was mediocre. I was narrowly challenging that specific statement on its own merits. This is certainly not an integrated musical (many Hollywood musicals of the period were not), and while by 1948 it was becoming the standard on Broadway to integrate musicals, due mainly to the great success five years earlier of "Oklahoma!", the concept was much slower to reach Hollywood. The score does, however, create a definite atmosphere of 1890s/1900s America by using popular standards from that era. That does not, however, make the film itself necessarily a classic. While I think it's probably one of MGM's better efforts, it in no way rises to the standard of "The Wizard Of Oz", "Meet Me In St Louis", "Easter Parade", "Singin' In The Rain", "The Bandwagon", "An American In Paris", etc.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] lady_fortuna-1 15 years ago

I just watched this movie for the first time today (until then, I didn't even know it existed) and have to say I loved all three versions. SATC for Jimmy Stewart, I love that man's work. Judy Garland's performance in Summertime, I think, was my favorite part. I don't know if it was all the backstage drama in her life at the time, but she pulled off this on edge, nervous heroine that was rather appealing to me. Above all, though, it was that final scene under the Christmas Tree... I think that one scene had more heat than all of You've Got Mail.

On the other hand, I loved how Tom Hanks played with Meg Ryan's character a bit more and let the onscreen romance catch up with the romance in the letters more than the others. Trying to see where You've Got Mail took its inspiration was also a fun exercize. Personally, I thought it pulled from both of the earlier versions.

[–] duguidb 15 years ago

The best thing about "In the Good Old Summertime", is the Great Buster Keaton and his great stunt when he smashes the wrong violin. Nobody else has that one!

[–] Drumcheeny 14 years ago

I like this film a lot, but have to say I think that The Shop Around the Corner is a better film in my view. I think that Judy's I Don't Care performance is just silly and I am a big fan and it is probably my least favourite song of hers. Also, I find Van Johnson very oily and not good to watch. I have never warmed to him - the only thing I thought he gave a good performance in was The Caine Mutiny. He seems to over deliver his lines, but it was a joy to see Keaton and also Cuddles in this film and the delicious Spring Byington in a lovely role.

[–] BarryTrexel 14 years ago

I actually enjoy both "the Shop Around The Corner" and "In The Good Old Summertime". While I do think the former is more of a classic, I do find some of Judy Garland's comedy scenes in the latter very funny. The scene towards the beginning of the film where she is trying to make it to work on time, while Van Johnson makes a mess of her outfit is very amusing. I also find the bright colors and the Chicago turn of the century spirit warm and inviting. Still, I do think that an original score might have made the film more of a classic had one been written. Plenty of original scores were being written at that time for Broadway Musicals and Film Musicals with turn of the century settings. While a film like "Meet Me In St. Louis" contains a mix of old AND new, it's the fresh new songs from the score that are stand outs. No matter how enjoyable one might find the turn of the century standards, there really isn't much that stands out musically in "In the Good Old Summertime" giving the film it's own distinction as a great musical. On the other hand, the 1963 Broadway Musical, She Loves Me, based on the Sullivan/Stewart film is pure bliss in every way.