Continuing my appreciation of the films of Vincente Minnelli, I’ll start this week off by celebrating the many great actors who appeared in his films.

It would be madness to not start with the ladies. Minnelli worked with a laundry list of Hollywood’s great actresses, and often highlighted their gifts in a way no other director could. His subject matter and themes were too wide-ranging to put him in the ranks of traditional “woman’s directors” like Douglas Sirk, but his films were certainly showcases for amazing female talent.

Here are just some of the actresses who appeared in his movies (often more than once):

Lauren Bacall
Lucille Ball
Ingrid Bergman
Leslie Caron
Cyd Charisse
Judy Garland
Katherine Hepburn
Judy Holliday
Lena Horne
Jennifer Jones
Deborah Kerr
Shirley MacLaine
Liza Minnelli
Eleanor Powell
Debbie Reynolds
Eva Marie Saint
Barbra Streisand
Elizabeth Taylor
Lana Turner

That’s just crazy. Even Daily Commenter Dana will recognize most of the names on that list!

If I had to single out three performances among that group that shine the brightest, I’d go with:

Shirley MacLaine in Some Came Running: As a dim but well-meaning party girl who falls for Frank Sinatra’s frustrated novelist, MacLaine is funny, unpredictable, and ultimately heartbreaking.

Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis: Breaking free from the kid-star reins of Dorothy, Garland delivers a slyly sexy comedic turn and kills in every musical number.

Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing: Holliday plays an answering service switchboard operator who meddles in the affairs of her clients. I had only seen her in supporting parts prior to this, and I was blown away by her comedic talent. Reprising the role for which she won a Tony onstage, Holliday skips between voices, executes flawless physical comedy, and belts out show-stopping songs.

Unfortunately, no clips of Bells Are Ringing are available on YouTube, but I did find this performance of a song that was cut from the film. Sadly, Holliday died of breast cancer at just 43.