Rapsodia de juventud

You may have heard that music is the universal language. Nowhere is that more true than in Archie Mayo's "They Shall Have Music". It focuses on a troubled boy who runs away from home and joins a struggling music school. Things take a turn when Jascha Heifetz (playing himself) enters the scene.

The movie addresses poverty and funding for the arts. And in the process, we get to hear some masterful performances of works by the great composers (and of course, during the Barber of Seville overture, I pictured Bugs Bunny subjecting Elmer Fudd to all sorts of humiliation to the tune of the overture). No surprise that the children perform the music exquisitely, since Samuel Goldwyn hired the Meremblum Orchestra to star in the movie.

It might not be the greatest movie ever made, but I hope that it reminds people of the importance of the arts. Indeed, during WWII, Winston Churchill got asked if he planned to cut funding for the arts to redirect the money to the armed forces, and he said "Then what are we fighting for?" Alfred Newman's Academy Award-nominated score is like a character by itself. I definitely recommend this movie.

For many years, Samuel Goldwin tried to bring his friend Jascha Heifetz to the screen. One evening when Goldwyn and his wife Frances were having dinner with Heifetz and his wife, silent screen star Florence Vidor, Goldwyn proposed that Heifetz star in a movie. After some persuasion, Heifetz agreed, on the condition that his acting be kept to a minimum. And the movie, originally titled "Music School" was born.

The story itself is rather stock: A streetwise boy (Gene Reynolds, who is best known as the producer of "M*A*S*H"), runs away from home and ends up at a financially troubled music school run by Professor Lawson (Walter Brennan). While attempting to raise funds for the school, the boy and some other kids happen across Heifetz at Carnegie Hall. After much ado, Heifetz ends up appearing at the school concert and sponsoring the school.

The story, while predictable,is surprisingly well written, although the film contains several minor gaffes where different scenes were patched together, the most obvious being the young cellist who is sent out of the orchestra room on an errand and is seen sitting in the orchestra a few seconds later.

What is not surprising is how good the acting is. As was customary for studios then, the studio surrounded the inexperienced star with veteran talent: Brennan, Joel McCrea, Andrea Leeds, Porter Hall, Marjorie Main (later of Ma and Pa Kettle fame), Arthur Hohl, Paul Harvey, and a Who's Who of character actors. Actress Diana Lynn and singer/actress Kaye Connor made their (uncredited) debuts in this film, as did longtime Nelson Eddy singing partner Gale Sherwood (as Jacqueline Nash). Child veteran actors Reynolds, Walter Tetley and Terry Kilburn also appear.

Goldwyn hired the Peter Meremblum Symphony, a highly regarded youth orchestra from the Los Angeles Area, to appear in the film. Most of the kids in the orchestra weren't actors, although many were in demand as background players where children were needed. There was no question that they were excellent musicians, as good as professionals (which many of them later became). Many of the kids in the orchestra went on to noteworthy careers: Kaye Connor and Diana Lynn both starred in the theater and movies, Richard Berres was a producer and director, Mitchell Lurie founded a well-known music supply company, Elliott Rapaport went on to be a prominent cardiologist, Lewis Elias was a band leader, Thomas Facey a conductor with different symphonies, Channing Robbins a prominent instructor at the Julliard School, his sister Joyce Robbins an instructor with SUNY Stonybrook. Edwina Pierse(Smith-Johnson) was a teacher and concertmistress and 1st violin with the Long Beach Symphony for over 50 years, Virginia Ellis a teacher and in-demand soloist Mary Louise Zeyen a longtime cellist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and many others pursued musical careers with major symphony orchestras and as teachers.

While Heifetz's acting was kept to a minimum, his salary wasn't. He commanded $70,000 for seven weeks. When some scenes had to be re-shot at a later date, he got an additional $50,000 for another four weeks. What thankfully wasn't kept to a minimum was his musical output. Composer Alfred Neumann (who was once a Meremblum Orchestra conductor) handled the scoring. Heifetz performs the "Introductionne and Rondo Capriccioso" by Camille Saint-Saens, his own arrangement of Manuel Ponce's "Estrellita" (with an off-screen Teddy Saidenberg accompanying), Dinicu's devilishly difficult "Hora Staccato" (from a Vitaphone recording, with Emanuel Bay at the piano), an excerpt from Tchaikovsky's "Melodie (Saidenberg at the piano)", an excerpt arranged for violin solo from Tchaikovsky's well-known "Andante Cantabile" from his opus 11 string quartet (played during the opening credits at the beginning of the movie), and the final movement from Felix Mendelssohn's E Minor Violin Concerto. During all of these performances, there are many closeups of Heifetz's performing, including some very close shots of his fingering and bowing, something that would be of value to violinists desiring to study his technique.

The Meremblum orchestra also shines here, performing the arias "Caro Nome" by Verdi and "Casta Diva" by Bellini, (both with Sherwood singing ), an arrangement of the overture from Rossini's "Barber of Seville", a short excerpt from Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik", and the previously-mentioned Mendelssohn concerto (with Heifetz). Diana Lynn can be heard in the background of one scene, performing part of Chopin's Nocturne in B-flat Minor, and a five year old Mary Ruth performs Chopin's popular "Minute" Waltz.

All in all, this is an excellent movie. AMC showed this regularly up until early 1993. I haven't seen it on television in recent years, but copies of it are not difficult to obtain. If you have the chance, I highly recommend that you view the movie.

THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC (United Artists, 1939), directed by Archie Mayo, became producer Samuel Goldwyn's tribute to classical music through the eyes and talent of young children. Headlined by Jascha Heifetz (1901-1987), a celebrated violin virtuoso, with name above the title, ahead of renowned screen veterans Joel McCrea, Andrea Leeds and Walter Brennan, this production might have served as a biographical subject on Heifetz with him enacting his own story up to his legendary status. Instead, it's something completely different, dedicated "To the many schools throughout the world --- devoted to the development and encouragement of great talent among the children of the poor." The main character of the story isn't any of the actors mentioned, but the fourth billed Gene Reynolds, who actually carries the 102 minute film from start to finish.

As Frankie Miller, he's a tough New York City slum kid living with his kindhearted mother, Jane (Marjorie Main) and strict stepfather, Ed (Arthur Hohl). He's also leader and treasurer of a group of boys, Limey (Terry Kilburn), Rocks (Walter Tetley) and Fever (Chuck Stubbs), spending much time on the streets getting in trouble with authorities and neighbors. One evening, Frankie and Limey find two unused tickets to a Jascha Heifetz concert. Unable to pawn off the tickets, they attend the recital instead. With Limey bored to tears, Frankie takes much interest in Heifetz. After returning home, he acquires his late father's fiddle to develop his musical talent imitating Heifetz. A heated argument with his stepfather follows, whom he nearly attacks, causing Frankie to run away and avoid being arrested and taken to reform school. Very much on his own, carrying a violin case for food and supplies, the boy earns money shining shoes by day and sleeps in an abandoned car by night. Things start to look better for Frankie after befriending a stray dog he names "Sucker," later leading him into a Third Street music school for poor children. Finding "Frankie Smith" to have an ear for music, and no place to stay, Professor Lawson (Walter Brennan, in fine characterization), the school's founder, offers the teenager room and board and acceptance as one of his pupils. Because the school is six months behind on their rent, and unable to survive on donations alone, Mr. Flower (Porter Hall), whose associate, Peter McCarthy (Joel McCrea), who never bothered to collect due to his love for Lawson's daughter, Ann (Andrea Leeds), threatens to close down the school. Through Frankie's good intentions, he makes efforts to save the school by trying to speak to Mr. Heifetz at his home. Situations become more complex when Heifetz's $70,000 Stradivarius is reported missing and now in Frankie's possession.

In a sense of being an original story, the screenplay tends to borrow portions from Goldwyn's own DEAD END (1937), using tough kids from New York's poor district as main attractions, and Universal's ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL (1937), with talented teenage singer (Deanna Durbin) helping her father's unemployed musicians by getting the sponsorship of musical conductor Leopold Stokowski. Whether intentional or not, THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC does get by on its own merits, especially with interludes to fine classical pieces consisting of: Peter Tchiakowsky's "Andante Cantabile" from "String Quartet No.1 in D, Opus 11"; "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Opus 28"; Frederic Chopin's "Nocturne in B Flat Minor, Opus.9, No.1"; "Caro Nome" from Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletto" (beautifully sung by Jacqueline Nash); Wolfgang Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" "Hora Staccato" and "Estrellita" "The Barber of Seville," "The Minute Waltz in D Flat" (piano played Mary Ruth); "Symphony No.4 in A ('Italian'), Opus. 90," "Casta Diva," and "Violin Concerto in E Minor." Others participants to these compositions aside from Heifetz include the California Junior Symphony Orchestra.

In spite of its somewhat contrived screenplay held together through a series of circumstances, THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC is as entertaining as it is underrated. With McCrea and Leeds having little to do, with Heifetz having even less by way of acting, Gene Reynolds, a fine young actor with sincerity and conviction, on loan out assignment from MGM, never developed into a top teen idol as did box office attraction Mickey Rooney. Nearly forgotten as an actor, Reynolds did become better known in later years as director and producer of TV shows, especially the long running, MASH (CBS, 1972-1983). Tommy Kelly, lead boy actor in 1938's "Adventures of Tom Sawyer," and "Peck's Bad Boy at the Circus," is reduced to minor role as Willie, the kid whom Frankie hounds for membership dues for the club.

With this being an overlooked Goldwyn production, THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC did get plenty of exposure over the years, through its 1986 video cassette distribution; cable television broadcasts on American Movie Classics (1992-94) and Turner Classic Movies (where it premiered March 30, 2007). Anyone seeking for relatively unknown movie, this is one to consider, along with another similar themed production of MUSIC OF THE HEART (Miramax, 1999) featuring Meryl Streep. (***1/2)

I think Samuel Goldwyn was trying to accomplish two things in this film. First the film is a homage to Jascha Heifetz, considered to be the best violin virtuoso of the past century. Secondly having brought to the screen the Dead End kids with his film of the same title and seeing them sign with Warner Brothers, he was trying to create a second gang of appealing urchins.

Though the film was good there certainly was no demand that the kids from this film be reteamed for another feature.

Leader of the gang is Gene Reynolds who at one time played the violin, but now leads a street gang of disreputable urchins. His stepfather, Arthur Hohl, breaks the violin his late father gave young Reynolds and threatens to send him to reform school over the feeble protests of his mother Marjorie Main.

Young Reynolds happens to stumble onto a music school run by the old music maestro himself, Walter Brennan and his daughter Andrea Leeds. They take him in, but they have their financial problems with a lot of creditors led by Porter Hall.

This film is mostly to be seen today because it's a chance for classical music lovers to see and hear Jascha Heifetz who as you gather is the solution one way or another to everybody's problems. Joel McCrea is in this film also, but has a rather colorless part as Andrea Leeds boyfriend.

Besides Heifetz, one thing the film does do is touch on, albeit gingerly on the topic of child abuse and battered spouses. Arthur Hohl is one mean man and Marjorie Main is very clearly a much battered wife.

The kids in the cast do well, Reynolds, Tommy Kelly, Terry Kilburn and a young girl under the name of Jacqueline Nash who grew up and performed as Gale Sherwood, nightclub partner to Nelson Eddy. She had a nice soprano even as a child.

But it's Heifetz you see the show for.

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.