In I Could Go On Singing there are several parallells between Judy's life and that of her character Jenny Bowman. In the film, having abandoned her son, Matt, for her career many years earlier, Jenny now wanted him back. Indeed in one scene Jenny and her agent were discussing her case for custody of Matt. Whilst making the film, Judy was having a struggle of her own to keep her children in a custody battle with her husband Sid Luft.
Judy was no novice to the London Palladium, by the time of the films release in 1963 Judy had already given more than 60 performances there. I Could Go On Singing gives us a taste of what this was like, with two songs "Hello Bluebird", and the title song, actually filmed on the Palladium stage in front of a real audience of Garland fans. The other two songs,"It Never Was You" and "By Myself", were set on the stage but filmed in the studio without audience.
Despite some petty weaknesses in production, I Could Go On Singing is full of exciting, dramatic, touching and beautiful moments. Judy's own personality, warmth, love for her audience and joy of life are there to be seen. The script was developed with Judy and Dirk's own input. Today there are few of Judy's fans who would be unable to recite the hospital room scene with such wonderful lines as "I've hung on to every bit of rubbish there is to hang on to in life and thrown all the good bits away" .Lines actually written by Judy and Dirk themselves.
I Could Go On Singing is one of the most beloved of Judy Garland film's, perhaps because it is a glimpse of the real Judy Garland, perhaps because it is a tale of rekindled love. For myself it is the film "closest to home" on every level.
The atmosphere in the London Palladium is electric as the tension builds. Backstage a little lady is making the final adjustments to her makeup, and steps out to the wings for the strains of the overture as it pounds out the climax. Every note throbs through Jenny's viens, every beat a bolt of lightening that seizes her very bones. The anticipation grips the audience with such suspense and excitement that the conducter's expression is beaming pure delight. Unable to contain the power that the music is generating within her, the chanteuse shouts out a tremendous "GO!" to the orchestra as her theme song is vamped through the foundations and fabric of the theatre. The audience rise and Jenny walks on .... Judy is back!!!
