Music for Millions (1944)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Henry Koster

Writer:

Myles Connolly (writer)

Release Date:

18 December 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Warm, Tender Romance! Deep, Lasting Faith!

Plot:

Six year old "Mike" joins her sister Barbara Ainsworth who plays in a classical orchestra during WW II.

Plot Keywords:

Orchestra | Pregnant | Friendship Between Women | Pregnant Sister | Sister Sister Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Margaret O'Brien	...	Mike
José Iturbi	...	Himself
Jimmy Durante	...	Andrews
June Allyson	...	Barbara Ainsworth
Marsha Hunt	...	Rosalind
Hugh Herbert	...	Uncle Ferdinand
Harry Davenport	...	Doctor
Marie Wilson	...	Marie
Larry Adler	...	Larry
Ben Lessy	...	Kickebush
Connie Gilchrist	...	Travelers Aid Woman
Katharine Balfour	...	Elsa
Helen Gilbert	...	Helen
Mary Parker	...	Anita
Madeleine Lebeau	...	Jane

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

During the Second World War when this film was made on the MGM lot in 1944, other than harpists there were very few women in major world symphony orchestras. In order to justify the cast of women instrumentalists who are June Alyson's roommates in the story, the on-screen orchestra has an unusual proportion of females, among them the dumb blonde Marie Windsor ("My Friend Irma") on classical clarinet! Even today when there are numerous women in all major orchestras, it is still unusual to see as many women in the brass section as those who are pictured in this film.

Soundtrack:

Clair de Lune

Warm and Wonderful

You'd think that any movie with June Allyson and Margaret O'Brien, Hollywood's two most famous "town criers," would be miserable, but "Music for Millions" is wonderful. Yes, there are tears. But with Jimmy Durante, there's also plenty to laugh about...and with Jose Iturbi there is plenty to sing about, although of course Iturbi plays, and doesn't sing.

Iturbi is the conductor of an orchestra whose male members are being swallowed into the war effort (by the end of the movie, there's only one man left in the orchestra besides Iturbi). Allyson is a bassist (NOT a cellist) who is pining away for her husband, missing in action in the Pacific. O'Brien is Allyson's baby sister "Mike," an eternal optimist and fiercely loyal to her sister. Durante is the manager, a frustrated musician himself and saddled with always making plans for things that you just can't make plans for.

Really, the star of the movie is the music itself, and it's some of the best you'll hear. Iturbi's "Clair de Lune" alone is enough to bring tears, and the first movement of Grieg's piano concerto--most of which we get to hear, when O'Brien isn't interrupting--is majestic. Durante has two numbers of his own, both hilarious reminders of why he was so well-liked.

I figure I'm pretty cynical, but even I was smiling through tears at the end. This is a terrific movie.

By the way, if you're interested in Jose Iturbi, please visit my new website, www.manyfountains.com to learn more about this great pianist and conductor.