Music for Millions ** (1944, Margaret O’Brien, June Allyson, José Iturbi, Jimmy Durante) – Classic Movie Review 11,682

Director Henry Koster’s 1944 MGM musical Music for Millions stars Margaret O’Brien, June Allyson, José Iturbi and Jimmy Durante. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1946

O’Brien won a special child actor Oscar in 1944, the year of this weepie about sisters adopted by Iturbi’s symphony orchestra. The six-year-old ‘Mike’ (O’Brien) comes to the aid of her big sister cellist Barbara Ainsworth (Allyson) who is pregnant while her husband is away at war.

Music for Millions is professionally made, but rather cynical-seeming sickly stuff, hitting the tear ducts too hard. It is not much fun, really, apart from the nice tot O’Brien and Durante.

Also in the reliable MGM stock company cast are Marsha Hunt, Hugh Herbert, Harry Davenport, Connie Gilchrist, Marie Wilson, Luther Adler, Ethel Griffies, Ben Lessy, Katharine Balfour, Helen Gilbert, Mary Parker, and Madeleine LeBeau.

Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune is performed by Larry Adler on harmonica and by José Iturbi on piano. Frédéric Chopin’s Waltz in E Minor is performed by José Iturbi.

The film earned $3,845,000, resulting in a profit of $824,000 on a cost of $1,744,000.

José Iturbi Báguena (28 November 1895 – 28 June 1980) appeared in several Hollywood films of the 1940s, notably playing himself in the musicals Thousands Cheer (1943), Music for Millions (1944), Anchors Aweigh (1945), That Midnight Kiss (1949), and Three Daring Daughters (1948).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,682

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