AllMovie

A Booth Tarkington novel was the source for the so-so Judy Garland musical Presenting Lily Mars. Garland plays the title character, a small-town girl with big-city ambitions. She heads to Broadway hoping for stardom, but after a series of disappointments the best she can manage is an understudy job. That's right, folks: the star walks out on opening night, Lily goes on in her place, and the audience boos and throws rotten tomatoes (just kidding: Lily's a sensation, of course). Van Heflin costars as a young producer who falls in love with Lily, but who avoids bestowing upon her instant stardom for fear of being accused of favoritism. Naturally, Judy Garland gets to sing a lot, and whenever she does the picture soars; other musical acts include the orchestras of Bob Crosby and Tommy Dorsey.