et ▁Me ▁In ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Z ieg feld ▁Fol lies , ▁and ▁The ▁C lock ). ▁ ▁Gar land ▁was ▁eager ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁her ▁tal ents ▁as ▁a ▁s oph istic ated ▁leading ▁com ed ienne ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁class ▁as ▁Kath ar ine ▁He p burn , ▁and ▁M GM ▁saw ▁a ▁perfect ▁opportunity ▁to ▁reun ite ▁her ▁with ▁Gene ▁Kelly , ▁newly ▁returned ▁from ▁his ▁n avy ▁service ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁an ▁Academy ▁Award ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁for ▁An ch ors ▁A we igh . ▁ ▁Fre ed ▁engaged ▁legend ary ▁composer ▁Cole ▁Por ter ▁to ▁write ▁the ▁score ▁for ▁a ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁fee , ▁and ▁entr usted ▁An ita ▁Lo os ▁and ▁Joseph ▁Th an ▁with ▁the ▁film ' s ▁scenario . ▁ ▁They ▁fashion ed ▁a ▁role ▁for ▁L ena ▁Hor ne , ▁that ▁of ▁Con ch ita , ▁a ▁local ▁dress maker ▁and ▁Gar land ' s ▁conf id ante . ▁ ▁After ▁five ▁months ▁of ▁work , ▁Lo os ▁and ▁Th an ▁offered ▁a ▁reading ▁of ▁their ▁script ▁to ▁Fre ed , ▁Minn elli , ▁Gar land , ▁Kelly , ▁and ▁Por ter . ▁ ▁To ▁the ▁horror ▁of ▁the ▁listen ers , ▁the ▁team ▁had ▁produced ▁an ▁awk ward , ▁unus able ▁revers al ▁of ▁Be hr man ' s ▁original ▁prem ise . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁female ▁lead ▁remained ▁an ▁impression able ▁Car ib bean ▁girl ▁bes otted ▁by ▁dream s