They Shall Have Music (1939)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Archie Mayo

Writers:

Irma von Cube (screenplay) and
John Howard Lawson (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 August 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Music | Drama | Family

Plot:

A boy runs away from home and ends up at a music school for poor children. When the school suffers hard times, he enlists the aid of violinist Heifetz to save the day.

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Violin | Music School | Children | Violinist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Jascha Heifetz	...	Himself
Joel McCrea	...	Peter McCarthy
Andrea Leeds	...	Ann Lawson
Gene Reynolds	...	Frankie
Walter Brennan	...	Professor Lawson
Terry Kilburn	...	Limey
Porter Hall	...	Mr. Flower
Walter Tetley	...	Rocks Mulligan
Chuck Stubbs	...	Fever Jones
Tommy Kelly	...	Willie
Gale Sherwood	...	Betty (as Jacqueline Nash)
Alfred Newman	...	Musical Director
Mary Ruth	...	Suzie
John St. Polis	...	Davis
Alexander Schoenberg	...	Menken (as Alexander Schonberg)

Also Known As:

Melody of Youth (UK)
Ragged Angels (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #5396) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Gene Reynolds, who plays Frankie, would go on to a successful career as a TV producer and director, most notably of "M*A*S*H" (1972).

Goofs:

Continuity: The movie was spliced together from many takes, so there are numerous continuity holes, especially during the performaces.

Soundtrack:

Violin Concerto in E Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op.64

Cinematic treasure of 20th century's greatest violinist

Although many audio recordings of great musicians like Jascha Heifetz survive, the cinematic or televised record is limited indeed. This is why musical offerings like "They Shall Have Music" are such rare gems. While, with modern eyes and ears, one can quibble about the plot, the perceptive viewer should put this film's unique delights in their proper perspective. The plot was designed to appeal to both young and old audiences of the era, but it remains enjoyable to this day. A important aspect of the experience of watching classic films is to see them through the eyes of the moviegoer of that era.

I must take issue with reviewer who complains about a film that is in black and white, or who feel obliged to report that their students express such reservations. These are juvenile complaints which reflect a limited historical perspective. For the teacher, this should offer up an educational opportunity to explain the unique qualities of black and white photography and its place in cinematic history. Color can, in fact, get in the way of a good storyline, or the music. For example, the black and white photography of John Ford's "Stagecoach," is, like the still photographs of Ansel Adams, an artistic masterpiece.

As for Heifetz being wooden, I could not disagree more. If you want blatant emotional posturing, go to a rock concert. The role of a classical musician like Heifetz is to move the audience, not him or herself. Heifetz's emotion is conveyed through his playing, not through his body language. He had a rare ability to extract every emotional nuance out of the music and transfer it to his listeners. It is the listener who should be moved, not the artist.

Incidentally, one reviewer asked about seeing Heifetz on YouTube playing the 1st movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, with Frank McHugh in the audience. This is from the 1947 film "Carnegie Hall," not "They Shall Have Music" "Carnegie Hall" is an even greater treasure of many great classical artists in their prime. We are blessed that there were film producers who, at least in these limited instances, chose to showcase these artists. In was still an era not totally overwhelmed by the lowest common denominator tripe we get today.