$ 12 The women of a touring symphonic orchestra are a tightly knit group and they're not about to let the secret they hold slip through the knitting. They'll wait until fragile pregnant bassist Barbara Ainsworth (June Allyson) has her baby before letting her know about a War Dept. telegram that says her husband is missing in action in the WWII Pacific. But Barbara begins to notice differences in the way the women are acting around her. The all-star Music for Millions is part weepie part comedy part morale booster and all in all a stirring showcase of works by Chopin Debussy Grieg and others. Jos+ Iturbi adds his gifted screen presence and talents as the orchestra's conductor. Jimmy Durante provides warmth and comedy relief that includes his nightclub favorite "Umbriago." And Margaret O'Brien's endearing performance as "Mike" capped a year that resulted in a special Academy Award- for Outstanding Child Actress of 1944. Musical producer Joe Pasternak moved from Universal to MGM in the early 1940s taking his pet director Henry Koster (the two men had teamed to make a star of Deanna Durbin) with him. The Pasternak/Koster collaboration Music for Millions features child star Margaret O'Brien as a Durbin-like Miss Fix-it who tries to help her pregnant older sister (June Allyson) who in turn is pining away for her GI husband. As it happens the older girl is a cellist in Jose Iturbi's orchestra; thus in keeping with the formula established by Pasternak's One Hundred Men and a Girl many of the plot threads are knotted together in a series of concert recitals. The highlight of Music for Millions features Jimmy Durante giving a stirring rendition of his famed nightclub piece "Umbriago." The film won an Academy Award nomination for screenwriter Myles Connelly plus a special Oscar for moppet Margare

The women of a touring symphonic orchestra are a tightly knit group and they're not about to let the secret they hold slip through the knitting. They'll wait until fragile pregnant bassist Barbara Ainsworth (June Allyson) has her baby before letting her know about a War Dept. telegram that says her husband is missing in action in the WWII Pacific. But Barbara begins to notice differences in the way the women are acting around her. The all-star Music for Millions is part weepie part comedy part morale booster and all in all a stirring showcase of works by Chopin Debussy Grieg and others. Jos+ Iturbi adds his gifted screen presence and talents as the orchestra's conductor. Jimmy Durante provides warmth and comedy relief that includes his nightclub favorite "Umbriago." And Margaret O'Brien's endearing performance as "Mike" capped a year that resulted in a special Academy Award- for Outstanding Child Actress of 1944. Musical producer Joe Pasternak moved from Universal to MGM in the early 1940s taking his pet director Henry Koster (the two men had teamed to make a star of Deanna Durbin) with him. The Pasternak/Koster collaboration Music for Millions features child star Margaret O'Brien as a Durbin-like Miss Fix-it who tries to help her pregnant older sister (June Allyson) who in turn is pining away for her GI husband. As it happens the older girl is a cellist in Jose Iturbi's orchestra; thus in keeping with the formula established by Pasternak's One Hundred Men and a Girl many of the plot threads are knotted together in a series of concert recitals. The highlight of Music for Millions features Jimmy Durante giving a stirring rendition of his famed nightclub piece "Umbriago." The film won an Academy Award nomination for screenwriter Myles Connelly plus a special Oscar for moppet Margare

Scroll to Top