JUDY Depicts The Struggle of Judy Garland To Find Stability Amongst Fame

I will be the first to admit. I am not a Judy Garland fan. I am not a hater more like lukewarm indifference, the only redeeming quality I saw in the Wizard of Oz were the ruby red slippers, which I am proud to say my oldest daughter had a replica of that she wore until they fell apart. Her “magic shoes” she called them.

Despite my lack of fandom, I found myself sucked into Judy on Hulu.

The movie was all of two hours or so, but tbh I do believe it would have made a better mini series. When you are examining the life of the Judy Garland . . . It’s a lot to pack into that time frame.

It starts with showing a young Judy Garland on the set of the Wizard of Oz being admonished for wanting to be a regular girl and wanting to go see the pictures (that was what they called movies back in the day for my younger audience), when she was going to be a millionaire before the age of twenty while other women were doomed to quasi-boring jobs and the labor of running a household.

Judy Garland had food withheld from her and was force-fed prescription drugs

The Hollywood execs wanted Dorothy to have a certain look and Judy Garland was just a bit too heavy for their liking but no one could match her incredible voice. So, Judy Garland was put on a restrictive diet of soup and prescription drugs in order to fit the role.

Uppers to stay awake and sleeping pills to rest. Judy Garland developed a lifelong condition of insomnia and sleep problems as a result. Also, a penchant for pills and vodka.

“The problem is that I don’t currently own a chimney for Santa to climb down.” — Judy Garland

What caught my attention to Judy, was hands down, Renee Zellwegger’s portrayal of the after-Oz Judy Garland. We see Judy go through housing instability, financial ruin, being shown out of upscale hotels after she has an inability to pay and most heart wrenching, the loss of her children to her ex-husband due to her transient living situation.

She lightheartedly explains to her children that she must leave in order to perform in London. They children are upset that she will miss Christmas and she responds

The problem is that I don’t currently own a chimney for Santa to climb down.

Man, that hit hard. If you have ever experienced economic or housing insecurity, it will. Many parents miss holidays because they have to work or because they know their children will have a better visit from Santa if they stay with the “other parent”.

“I’m unreliable and uninsurable.” — - Judy Garland

This one hits home for so many creative types who suffer from anxiety and/or depression. It was clear from watching Judy, that this was at least part of what Garland had been trying to self medicate.

Many times she would miss a show or commit some horrible faux pas like cussing out the audience which meant almost no one wanted to work with her. The cause of most of her anxiety problems was money related and at the same time, the reason for her money problems was anxiety related. When I type that out it is almost as if she was sentenced to a self induced hell. Where if she could just conquer one of the two, the other would go away, but they were so intertwined it couldn’t be resolved.

“Every time I cut a cake, I find out I’ve married some jerk.” — — Judy Garland

Judy Garland was no stranger to marriage, men, and divorce. It seemed she would be destined to fall for men, marry, and divorce them who mirrored herself. Gorgeous messes. Most of whom, wanted to use her fame for their own self gain. How many successful women can say the same thing for themselves? A lot.

“You are just like the others ones. You sit on the sideline and watch the show and you think that’s making things happen. You think that’s working.” — -Judy Garland to her then husband

I think what hurt Judy the most was that men loved the idea of her, the fame, the shows, the opportunities for themselves after hitching to her star . . . But none of them truly wanted to support her and make her feel validated and loved. Which was ultimately all she ever wanted. Judy Garland, I feel confident in saying, only felt truly loved and accepted by her audience, and she so desperately craved that in her personal life.

I think we all do.

“I’m only Judy Garland for an hour. The rest of the time I am apart of a family. I just want what everyone wants . . . I just seem to have a harder time getting it is all.”

It seems so simple right? Most people dream of fame and fortune. Judy Garland dreamed of a home and family. Something that would ultimately allude her.

Maybe we all want what appears to be unattainable?

For some, it is entertaining millions, but for others, it’s simple things like having a dinner at home surrounded by a spouse and children who love you.

After watching Judy, I am still not a Wizard of Oz fan, but I am now most definitely a Judy Garland fan.

You can check out Judy on Hulu. This post may contain affiliate links.