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They Shall Have Music (1939)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
18 August 1939 (USA)
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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. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
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User Comments:
The storyline was mundane, but the music was excellent, and the acting featured a Who's Who of character actors and bit players of that day.
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
105 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
One of the few films in which conductor Alfred Newman actually makes an on-screen appearance.
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Goofs:
Continuity: The movie was spliced together from many takes, so there are numerous continuity holes, especially during the performaces.
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Soundtrack:
Andante cantabile
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (11 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for They Shall Have Music (1939)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| School could be based on.... | alrodbel |
| Re: 13 yr Old Girl Could Not Sing Aria | offylover |
| Bravo to TCM and the others that play classic movies! | HoferPM-1 |
Recommendations
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Music section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |


The story itself is routine: A boy runs away from home and ends up in a struggling music school for kids. He convinces a famous violinist to sponsor the school. The film is a splicing of shootings over 11 weeks, and leaves many amusing holes which the observant viewer may find for him/herself.
However long the whiskers of the plot might have been, the movie is justified by its music and acting. There is plenty of music, featuring classical works played by Heifetz and by The Meremblum Orchestra, one of the leading youth symphonies of that day, and said music is excellent. By itself, it would make the picture worth viewing. The conducting and scoring duties were put in the best of hands: those of Alfred Neumann.
The acting is a study in contrasts. The kids in the orchestra, most of whom had little or no acting experience, must have driven director Archie Mayo crazy, looking into the camera, overacting the parts that they had, and overstudiously following directions given to them. But the spontaneity that results from their lack of training adds an interesting charm to the picture. The veteran actors were marvelous with the material they had to work with. Walter Brennan was perfectly cast in his role, one that he emulated in real life. Joel McCrea and Andrea Leeds were ideal fits for their parts. And the supporting acting was a veritable Who's Who of character actors: Marjorie Main, Arthur Hohl, Paul Harvey, , Charles Coleman, Perry Ivins, and Porter Hall in his typical role of the heavy---all ideally cast. And the bit players: Jessie Arnold, John Hamilton, Marjorie Wood, Jimmy Flavin, Dulcie Day, the gravelly voiced Lee Phelps in his usual role as a policeman and many many more. If you're a fan of character actors, this movie will bring back a lot of memories.
Overall, the picture is very enjoyable and is recommended, even if you aren't a fan of classical music.
tvcat