fan magazine equivalent of a biography and in this case a television budget glimpse into the early life of actress and vocalist judy garland ( née france gumm ) . director jackie cooper and who remind u he befriend the real judy during their year together at m g m and lay the pathos at our foot right from the start and with broadway andrea mcardle belt out a lonesome i be always chase rainbow and follow by a reprise of the song fifteen minute later . cooper and and writer john mcgreevey ( work from a sub standard book by christopher finch ) and perhaps be hop to show u judy natural pluck and verve despite upheaval in the gumm household but and if so and somebody forget to tell young mcardle . with her hangdog face and crook mouth and watery eye and she about a far from plucky a a garland substitute can be . obviously choose for the part due to her stage pipe a the original annie and mcardle have apparently study judy garland but doesn not attempt an imitation ( perhaps unwisely and consider the result we do get ) while with a trained voice so one dimensional it be practically soulless and mcardle seem zombie fied and metallic . cooper stage innumerable scene around the piano with mcardle in song always surround by adult nod to each other and pretend to find her adorable but never get at what be so unique about judy garland . she appear to u to be just another kid songbird . the hollywood studio sequence be also underwhelming and with key detail and conversation come off a suspect ( make worse by repetitive moment and poor editing and mediocre acting ) . one can only scoff at what amount to be a woe be me look at a poor little rich girl and one who find herself wonder aloud and when will i be in the right place at the right time . a she walk the lot of the big movie studio in the world .