A forewarning - this version of Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001) is an edited version to the one shown on national television in 2000 - 2001.
Why it has been edited so tightly is unknown - as there is clearly plenty of space left on the dvd for these scenes.
Some of the scenes that were deleted were great, crucial scenes: they included:
* A segment showing a teenage Garland with her partner Mickey Rooney on a tour promoting the Wizard of Oz film release
* A few scenes with Judy and her teenage romance with Artie Shaw, who left her for the more glamourous Lana Turner.
* Scenes with Louis B Mayer, as Judy is warned about going to nightclubs and ruining her reputation
*A stunning scene where Judy collapses from exhaustion during filming of a musical number, 'I Got Rhythm' with Busby Berkeley.
These scenes all included the superb Tammy Blanchard, who plays Judy up until 1944, when Judy Davis takes over with her Oscar winning performance.
Also edited was a scene in the late 1960's, when Judy was forced offstage by angry fans when she's hours late for a concert.
Without these scenes, the film is still a wonderful watch, and gives a touching insight into all of Miss Garland's problems and triumphs in her all too short life. She died at age 47 from an accidental drug overdose.
With a score that includes some of Garland's greatest hits like Over the Rainbow and Get Happy, and a great supporting cast to tell her truly inspiring life story, Me and My Shadows is the outstanding Garland Biopic, and a great story of the relationship between a mother and her children.
