Judy Garland remains one of the most iconic movie stars ever, more than 50 years after her all-too-early passing. So, as June 10 marks what would have been Garland’s 103rd birthday, what better time than now to watch a classic Judy Garland movie?
Of course, the first one that most people will think of is The Wizard of Oz (one of WTW's best movies of all time), which is always a good choice. Adding to that fact is that Wicked: For Good, releasing in November, is going to introduce Dorothy to the story of Elphaba and Glinda. We don’t know yet who is taking on that role in the movie, and obviously, she won’t be the center of attention like Garland was in the 1939 classic.
I have another suggestion, though, for a Judy Garland movie to watch on her birthday — why not try one of her two Oscar-nominated performances — 1954’s A Star Is Born or Judgment at Nuremberg? And the icing on the (birthday) cake is that one of those movies is available to watch for free online.
That would be Judgment at Nuremberg, streaming for free on Tubi and Prime Video. No subscription required, you just have to deal with the occasional ad breaking in.
Judgment at Nuremberg was released in 1961 and starred Spencer Tracy as Chief Justice Dan Haywood, who conducts one of the trials of Nazi war criminals in post-World War II Germany. It features a star-studded cast, with Burt Lancaster, Marlene Dietrich, Maximilian Schell, Montgomery Clift, a young William Shatner and Garland. The movie was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, and won two, what we now know as Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Schell.
Garland’s nomination for the movie came for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Irene Hoffman, a reluctant but key witness in the trial. This was a rare, straight, dramatic turn for Garland, who, of course, is best known for her musicals, helping it stand out in her filmography.
Of course, while Judgment of Nuremberg is excellent and deserves to be seen, the movie’s heavy subject (and nearly three-hour runtime) may scare other people off. If that’s the case, then here’s where you can watch some of Garland’s other iconic performances right now.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Garland’s most essential performance, The Wizard of Oz, is streaming on Max. The movie itself needs little introduction, plus it features one of the greatest musical moments in movie history when Garland sings “Over the Rainbow.”
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Also streaming on Max, Meet Me in St. Louis features iconic Garland songs like “The Trolley Song” and her beautiful performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
A Star Is Born (1954)
All due respect to Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga’s A Star Is Born, and all other versions of this movie made over the years, but Garland’s A Star Is Born is the definitive one for me. This is her other Oscar-nominated performance, as she plays a budding actress who falls in love with a movie star, only for things to get complicated when her star begins to eclipse his. Brilliant musical numbers and a great turn from her co-star James Mason make this one rival The Wizard of Oz for Garland’s best movie, in my opinion. A Star Is Born is only available through digital on-demand platforms at this time.
If you don't have time for a full movie, get a highlight reel of classic Judy Garland movies with this special birthday tribute video from Turner Classic Movies:
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