In the Good Old Summertime is a peppy and unassuming musical whose modest but undeniable charms will be enjoyed most by audiences unfamiliar with the movie (The Shop Around the Corner) upon which it is based. Although it has drastically changed Shop's setting, Summertime does keep a surprising amount of the movie's wonderful dialogue, even as if plays havoc with some of the plot essentials, resulting in a movie that is curiously devoid of all but the smallest dramatic tension. This, of course, places a significant burden on the talents of its cast, and Summertime is quite fortunate here. If Van Johnson cannot equal the work of Jimmy Stewart in Shop, he is still an excellent choice for the musical version. Even better is Judy Garland, who is in superb voice and delivers a knock-out "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey," a lively "I Don't Care" and a touching "Merry Christmas." She's also in peak comedic form, delivering an exceptional performance even when the script falls prey to hokeyness, as it does on occasion. The supporting cast is quite good, even if Buster Keaton is largely wasted, Robert Z. Leonard's direction is fine and the period costumes are quite colorful. If Summertime is not the perfect musicalization of Shop -- that honor belongs to the stage show, +She Loves Me -- it is still an enjoyable little romp.