Anne Hathaway Straps On Her Ruby Red Slippers as Judy Garland

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on March 23, 2009

We just got a press release that proudly announces Anne Hathaway will play icon Judy Garland in an upcoming biopic of the singer/actress being produced by The Weinstein Company. Nowhere in the press release is the phrase, “Over the rainbow with excitement” uttered. This is an outrage.

Apparently, Harvey Weinstein was plucked from his nest to make the announcement and to check on whether he could see his shadow or not. Turns out we’re getting a Judy Garland biopic and six more weeks of winter. The flick, titled Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland, will draw from a ton of interviews and other source materials including Garland’s own autobiography in order to create a realistic look at a complex figure in our culture.

I don’t have to explain who Garland is, especially to our huge readership of people who loved Transformers – another film based on her life. I realize that the center of the Venn diagram for “fanboys” and “Judy Garland fans” is a giant subsection. Still, I think it’s actually really cool that we’ll get a film version of her life – one that’s given so much to cinematic history and deserves more recognition. If there’s anyone out there who hasn’t seen The Wizard of Oz, I’d like to meet them and the undoubtedly fascinating aboriginal tribe they belong to.

Plus, Hathaway is an obvious choice for the role. Just like how she’s an obvious role for both the Felix the Cat and Audrey Hepburn biopics Hollywood undoubtedly has in the works.

What do you think?

Read more articles by Dr. Cole Abaius