Enjoyed this film from the very beginning to the end with great artists performing in Carnegie Hall and a great story revolving around a woman named Nora Ryan, (Marsha Hunt) and her son named Tony Salerno, Jr., (William Prince) who wants her son to become a great concert pianist. Nora works in Carnegie Hall as a cleaning lady polishing brass rails and works hard to support her son who she loves very much. Tony grows up in Carnegie Hall and gets to meet all the famous conductors, singers and famous musicians. However, Tony wants to cut the apron strings of his mother and branches off to the modern dance bands and meets up with a very attractive gal which sort of breaks his mother's heart. If you like Classical Music and enjoy the great talents of super star talents from the past, this is the film for you. By the way, Marsha Hunt is approaching the age of 90 years and contributed a great deal of her acting ability to the Hollywood Silver Screen. Great film, don't miss it. Enjoy.
25 Reviews
Nostalgia Trip
harry-7610 November 2000
What a pleasure it is to review the 1947 "Carnegie Hall," with its wealth of legendary classical artists performing in lengthy segments. Many of these artists have rarely been photographed in such a clear manner, and it is indeed a treat to have so many in one film.
"Carnegie Hall" contains some 75 minutes of footage featuring these artists, with many works and movements uncut. How rare it is to see and hear such artists as Lily Pons and Ezio Pinza preserved for all time. These, plus many instrumental soloists and orchestras perform brilliantly in beautiful black and white photography.
Alas, surrounding these musical segments is a very tepid dramatic yarn, which often is not well blended into the musical sequences. In fact, at one point the drama seems to come to a scretching halt, to make way for the music.
Further, the camera work during the first part is rather unimaginative and static. It does get better as the film progresses and, by the end, sequences of Heifitz and Stokowski contain some fluid and interesting shots.
While it could have been better, "Carnegie Hall" is a real curio from an era which boasted true musical giants. The restored print is crisp and clear, and the sets are nicely lit, reminding one of the beauty of black and white production.
It's worth enduring the story to get to the great music and magnificent artists, all honoring that fine structure at West 57th Street and Seventh Avenue in New York. ###
"Carnegie Hall" contains some 75 minutes of footage featuring these artists, with many works and movements uncut. How rare it is to see and hear such artists as Lily Pons and Ezio Pinza preserved for all time. These, plus many instrumental soloists and orchestras perform brilliantly in beautiful black and white photography.
Alas, surrounding these musical segments is a very tepid dramatic yarn, which often is not well blended into the musical sequences. In fact, at one point the drama seems to come to a scretching halt, to make way for the music.
Further, the camera work during the first part is rather unimaginative and static. It does get better as the film progresses and, by the end, sequences of Heifitz and Stokowski contain some fluid and interesting shots.
While it could have been better, "Carnegie Hall" is a real curio from an era which boasted true musical giants. The restored print is crisp and clear, and the sets are nicely lit, reminding one of the beauty of black and white production.
It's worth enduring the story to get to the great music and magnificent artists, all honoring that fine structure at West 57th Street and Seventh Avenue in New York. ###
Musical bliss, narrative hokum
TheLittleSongbird5 February 2017
As an enormous lifelong fan of classical music and opera, 'Carnegie Hall' was seen with much eagerness and no hesitation. After seeing it, the film isn't great but there are also a lot of pleasures, though perhaps one will enjoy it better if a classical music fan to recognise the music and the stars involved.
The weakest element of 'Carnegie Hall' is the story, which is pure paper thin hokum, that gets increasingly thinner, draggy and credibility straining as the film progresses. Didn't mind that it was a clichéd kind of story, there are a lot of clichéd stories in films that still work, did mind that not much interesting was done with the non-musical side of the film. Also at times feels too stretched and over-stuffed with a few scenes that go on a bit longer than needed and with too many characters.
Contrived and flimsy scripting also works against 'Carnegie Hall', and most of the acting that's not the classical music stars is not particularly great with William Prince being rather anonymous. The sole exception in this regard is Marsha Hunt, who deserved better but brings authority, poignancy, firmness and dignity to her role.
Onto the positives now. Much of 'Carnegie Hall' looks very pleasing, with some lovely noir-like lighting, atmospheric use of shadows and mostly fluid and eye-catching camera work (if admittedly a bit static in the early parts). It's competently directed, informative, inspiring and moving in the best of its parts, and absolutely nothing can be said against Hunt.
Best of all are the music and the assemblage of classical music/operatic stars. On the musical side, 'Carnegie Hall' couldn't have been more blissful, with the opportunities of seeing and hearing Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mozart, Delibes et al. performed so brilliantly being a joy, and while this may not be good news to some to me it was lovely to have musical selections sizeable in length, these pieces are just too good to only have in snippet form so having it done the way it was here felt like the music and performers were being done justice.
With the stars, picking a favourite is impossible and you not only see them on top form but you see their personalities. The virtuosity of Artur Rubenstein in the Chopin, with those enigmatic flourishes, was a delight, and Jascha Heifetz plays Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto at a tempo that has never been done that fast and what sounds impossible is done with envious nimbleness by him with the intensity enough to make fires blaze. Leopold Stokowski features interestingly, again conducting Tchaikovsky in a way seldom done before, and 'Carnegie Hall' offers a rare chance of seeing Fritz Reiner and Walter Damrosch on film.
As an opera fanatic, particularly of the "golden age of opera", it was even more of a treat seeing fairly rare glimpses of Lily Pons, Rise Stevens and Ezio Pinza in their signature roles and arias of Lakme, Carmen and Don Giovanni respectively, all three sounding glorious.
Overall impressions are when it comes to the musical side of things 'Carnegie Hall' soars majestically. In the sections where story or drama is featured more, it does falter. 7/10 Bethany Cox
The weakest element of 'Carnegie Hall' is the story, which is pure paper thin hokum, that gets increasingly thinner, draggy and credibility straining as the film progresses. Didn't mind that it was a clichéd kind of story, there are a lot of clichéd stories in films that still work, did mind that not much interesting was done with the non-musical side of the film. Also at times feels too stretched and over-stuffed with a few scenes that go on a bit longer than needed and with too many characters.
Contrived and flimsy scripting also works against 'Carnegie Hall', and most of the acting that's not the classical music stars is not particularly great with William Prince being rather anonymous. The sole exception in this regard is Marsha Hunt, who deserved better but brings authority, poignancy, firmness and dignity to her role.
Onto the positives now. Much of 'Carnegie Hall' looks very pleasing, with some lovely noir-like lighting, atmospheric use of shadows and mostly fluid and eye-catching camera work (if admittedly a bit static in the early parts). It's competently directed, informative, inspiring and moving in the best of its parts, and absolutely nothing can be said against Hunt.
Best of all are the music and the assemblage of classical music/operatic stars. On the musical side, 'Carnegie Hall' couldn't have been more blissful, with the opportunities of seeing and hearing Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mozart, Delibes et al. performed so brilliantly being a joy, and while this may not be good news to some to me it was lovely to have musical selections sizeable in length, these pieces are just too good to only have in snippet form so having it done the way it was here felt like the music and performers were being done justice.
With the stars, picking a favourite is impossible and you not only see them on top form but you see their personalities. The virtuosity of Artur Rubenstein in the Chopin, with those enigmatic flourishes, was a delight, and Jascha Heifetz plays Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto at a tempo that has never been done that fast and what sounds impossible is done with envious nimbleness by him with the intensity enough to make fires blaze. Leopold Stokowski features interestingly, again conducting Tchaikovsky in a way seldom done before, and 'Carnegie Hall' offers a rare chance of seeing Fritz Reiner and Walter Damrosch on film.
As an opera fanatic, particularly of the "golden age of opera", it was even more of a treat seeing fairly rare glimpses of Lily Pons, Rise Stevens and Ezio Pinza in their signature roles and arias of Lakme, Carmen and Don Giovanni respectively, all three sounding glorious.
Overall impressions are when it comes to the musical side of things 'Carnegie Hall' soars majestically. In the sections where story or drama is featured more, it does falter. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Surprisingly well written and acted
pacificgroove-315-49493113 April 2013
I disagree with those here who said the story that frames this showcase for classical musicians is mediocre or worse. Though it's a variation on "the Jazz Singer", I thought the script especially well written, and believably and very likably acted by Marsha Hunt. The scene where her character's adult son finally asserts his independence was so passionately acted by William Prince that I was startled. I didn't suspect that the son was, in real life, older than his "mother"; Marsha Hunt did a fine job playing an older woman.
For me, many of the classical music performances were boring, despite the talented and famous cast of musicians. Mostly this was because the un-enhanced 1947 audio did such a poor job of reproducing the music (TCM 2013 showing). I did enjoy seeing Stowkowski conduct in his graceful flamboyant manner (and I suspect that some of the footage may have been rotoscoped for one of the classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, where "Leopold" is the revered symphony conductor). As a musical theater buff, it was interesting seeing Enzio Pinza, near the time when he starred in "South Pacific". He was more charismatic and energetic than in some early 1950's TV footage that was my only visual impression of him.
For me, many of the classical music performances were boring, despite the talented and famous cast of musicians. Mostly this was because the un-enhanced 1947 audio did such a poor job of reproducing the music (TCM 2013 showing). I did enjoy seeing Stowkowski conduct in his graceful flamboyant manner (and I suspect that some of the footage may have been rotoscoped for one of the classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, where "Leopold" is the revered symphony conductor). As a musical theater buff, it was interesting seeing Enzio Pinza, near the time when he starred in "South Pacific". He was more charismatic and energetic than in some early 1950's TV footage that was my only visual impression of him.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall ? buy the DVD.
Beginthebeguine27 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Taken from an idea by Silent Screen Star Seena Owen low budget director Edgar G. Ulmar pays homage to classical music and captures the performances of many of the greatest living soloist and conductors of the 1940's. The plot is simple and somewhat sweet. Cute little Irish immigrant moves to the New York during the opening of the great hall. By coincident her aunt works there and she is allowed to watch the performance. Struck by it's beauty, she develops a life-long obsession with Carnegie Hall; where she eventually begins work as a cleaning woman. She marries a pianist, and during the weakest part of the script they shoot from many years of bliss to a marriage ending fight when he decides to quit the Hall. Conveniently, he falls down the stairs drunk and dies. While their son is growing up mom continues to guide his life toward The Hall. Studying, practicing finally becomes a burden for him and in his late teens or early twenties meets a young singer and he runs off with her and joins a dance band. Time goes by and our mom has become old, she has risen through the ranks of Carnegie Hall and has become rich, but she does not have her son. She realizes that she has made mistakes and when the young wife of her son asks for her help she rushes to make everything alright...of course we end up back at The Hall for a happy ending.
All this is merely decoration for the directors true purpose, the music and the artists. I had the chance to meet Marsha Hunt many years ago when I was a young man in L.A. She was a very pleasant women and still attractive, but I never had any idea how beautiful she was as a young woman. She is stunning and her talent is no less so. I am not amazed that such a talent is lost in early Hollywood. I have heard so many stories about similar destruction of great talent, by less talented studio heads of the time. They had no idea what to do with intelligent and talented women. It was all of our loss, however, that Ms. Hunt was not able to command a career that would have been fitting. In this movie, she alone carries the story. As ridiculous as the script is, and the ton of plot holes she makes the film watchable when the musicians are not on screen.
All this is merely decoration for the directors true purpose, the music and the artists. I had the chance to meet Marsha Hunt many years ago when I was a young man in L.A. She was a very pleasant women and still attractive, but I never had any idea how beautiful she was as a young woman. She is stunning and her talent is no less so. I am not amazed that such a talent is lost in early Hollywood. I have heard so many stories about similar destruction of great talent, by less talented studio heads of the time. They had no idea what to do with intelligent and talented women. It was all of our loss, however, that Ms. Hunt was not able to command a career that would have been fitting. In this movie, she alone carries the story. As ridiculous as the script is, and the ton of plot holes she makes the film watchable when the musicians are not on screen.
One big long concert
blanche-229 April 2009
"Carnegie Hall" was made in 1947 and actually filmed in the newly refurbished Carnegie Hall. It's the story of a cleaner at the Hall named Nora (Marsha Hunt) who marries a pianist. He dies some time after they're married, and she's left to raise their son. She exposes him, by taking him to Carnegie Hall, to all of the great music and musicians, and he studies piano. The plan is for him to grow up to be a concert pianist. But he has other plans, and some of them include the pretty Ruth (Martha O'Driscoll), who sings with Vaughn Monroe. William Prince plays the adult son, and Frank McHugh plays an employee of the Hall who is a friend of Nora's.
This is one long movie with tons of beautiful music done by some of the great artists of the time: Leopold Stokowski conducting Tchaikovsky's "Symphony in E Minor," Artur Rubenstein (whom I saw play in concert while I was in high school) doing Chopin's "Polonaise" and "The Ritual Fire Dance" at the piano keyboard, Jascha Heifetz and his nimble fingers on the violin for Tchaikovsky's "Concerto for Violin" - to name only a few. Singers include Ezio Pinza singing parts of Don Giovanni, Rise Stevens singing "Pres des Ramparts de Sevilla" from Carmen, and Lily Pons, in an exquisite gown, doing the Bell Song from Lakme, her signature piece. Jan Peerce sings "O Solo Mio." It's all wonderful, and a real feast for classic music lovers, but it isn't very cinematic, and the script is non-existent. It is great to have the musical performances preserved, however.
Marsha Hunt is still with us as of this writing, and she was a lovely actress, physically a cross between Jennifer Jones and Barbara Rush. She gets the usual Hollywood aging of gray hair, white powder and half a line on her face.
I suggest putting this on your DVR and fast-forwarding to the performances.
This is one long movie with tons of beautiful music done by some of the great artists of the time: Leopold Stokowski conducting Tchaikovsky's "Symphony in E Minor," Artur Rubenstein (whom I saw play in concert while I was in high school) doing Chopin's "Polonaise" and "The Ritual Fire Dance" at the piano keyboard, Jascha Heifetz and his nimble fingers on the violin for Tchaikovsky's "Concerto for Violin" - to name only a few. Singers include Ezio Pinza singing parts of Don Giovanni, Rise Stevens singing "Pres des Ramparts de Sevilla" from Carmen, and Lily Pons, in an exquisite gown, doing the Bell Song from Lakme, her signature piece. Jan Peerce sings "O Solo Mio." It's all wonderful, and a real feast for classic music lovers, but it isn't very cinematic, and the script is non-existent. It is great to have the musical performances preserved, however.
Marsha Hunt is still with us as of this writing, and she was a lovely actress, physically a cross between Jennifer Jones and Barbara Rush. She gets the usual Hollywood aging of gray hair, white powder and half a line on her face.
I suggest putting this on your DVR and fast-forwarding to the performances.
Rhapsody in Midtown.
mark.waltz6 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The fictional story between all the incredible performances on the big stage is something you've probably seen a dozen times or more if you've seen several dozen movie musicals made during the 1940's. It reminded me immediately of "Rhapsody in Blue" with the Hollywood version of the story of the Gershwin brothers, with a bit of extreme mother love dominating the film. Irish born Marsha Hunt marries an Italian musician and hopes that her son (William Prince) will follow in his father's footsteps. She's loving but grasping, so when he chooses a different path, that leaves her with heartbreak.
There's so much that's right with this movie that trite plot line doesn't make much of a difference, and in listening to this with my earphones on, I definitely had pleasures galore. Telling her story in flashback, Hunt recalls how as a little girl she got to see Tchaikovsky conducting a concert of his own music, and while it's an actor playing him, the presence of real Carnegie Hall artist playing themselves is a thrill, making this film of definite historical value, not just for American film but for world music.
The direction of Edgar Ullmer is superlative, this being one of his few A films, mainly known for low-budget film noir and a few classic horror films, definitely a project he had a passion for. The camera angles on the live performances are right on, capturing every movement perfectly, and knowing what is visually appealing for musical performances like this.
Martha O'Driscoll, as Prince's girlfriend, provides some tough drama in the later parts of the film, and Frank McHugh skips his usually dimwitted characterization as a friend of Hunt's although he does throw in one of his standard "Ah huh!" Laughs to remind the audience that it's him they are watching. Hans Jaray, as Hunt's husband, is only on screen for a short period of time but completely over emotes. This is a valuable. Peace with lots to love, definitely something worthy of being in a time capsule, but perhaps about 15 minutes overlong. But what to cut? I couldn't make that decision.
There's so much that's right with this movie that trite plot line doesn't make much of a difference, and in listening to this with my earphones on, I definitely had pleasures galore. Telling her story in flashback, Hunt recalls how as a little girl she got to see Tchaikovsky conducting a concert of his own music, and while it's an actor playing him, the presence of real Carnegie Hall artist playing themselves is a thrill, making this film of definite historical value, not just for American film but for world music.
The direction of Edgar Ullmer is superlative, this being one of his few A films, mainly known for low-budget film noir and a few classic horror films, definitely a project he had a passion for. The camera angles on the live performances are right on, capturing every movement perfectly, and knowing what is visually appealing for musical performances like this.
Martha O'Driscoll, as Prince's girlfriend, provides some tough drama in the later parts of the film, and Frank McHugh skips his usually dimwitted characterization as a friend of Hunt's although he does throw in one of his standard "Ah huh!" Laughs to remind the audience that it's him they are watching. Hans Jaray, as Hunt's husband, is only on screen for a short period of time but completely over emotes. This is a valuable. Peace with lots to love, definitely something worthy of being in a time capsule, but perhaps about 15 minutes overlong. But what to cut? I couldn't make that decision.
What a treat! with spoilers.
urbisoler-110 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know if any of this constitutes a spoiler or not but better safe than sorry. I saw this film for the first time yesterday (4/9/13). This film is chock full of unbelievably marvelous music. Just one instance: Watch Arthur Rubenstein's left hand piano playing. You won't believe that he could possibly sustain those chords without error. Unbelievable! This film held my attention until the final sequence. The trumpet solo by Harry Kames was well done but the music was unmemorable. It is important to understand the reason for this film. It is not the story line which was mundane. It is the music performed by some of the greatest artists ever. I'm in the process of looking for a copy.
When classical music was still part of our heritage
gazebo3504 February 2007
I saw this film when it first came out in 1947. at that time i was still learning to appreciate the great classical tradition. so this movie was an eye opener for me. i couldn't afford to go to concerts so here was an opportunity to see as well as hear some of the great icons of the classic world ie stokowski, walter, rodzinski, Rubinstein, heifetz, piatigorsky et al. yes it was a big thrill for me at the time. no less thrilling was to see Tchaikovsky himself in the opening scene, (as played by an actor of course.) the story line was purely secondary and was not to be taken seriously. this was the era ie the thirties and forties when you would occasionally hear some classical music in the movies. nelson eddy and Jeannette MacDonald for example would give some tid bits etc. it was also the time when the lives of composers such as Brahms, Schumann and Chopin were also being portrayed. a time when classical music was part of the everyday vocabulary albeit in somewhat truncated and simplified form. that now has all changed for some time and classical music is relegated to the limbos of the hoary past and is no longer part of our everyday. so this is a movie for classical music lovers or aspiring lovers of this seemingly defunct art.
good music, shame about the 'plot'
didi-515 January 2001
Although the music segments are second to none (Rubenstein, Heifetz, Pinza, Lily Pons, Rise Stevens, and representing the more 'modern' era Harry James and the great Vaughn Monroe) the story, what little there is, is really dreadful. Nora is a selfish and pathetic person in whom we have little or no interest, her piano-playing son has the personality of a goldfish, and the film is the clunkier for them both. Tip - if you see this on video fast-forward to the musical bits. They are well worth it and amazingly, all still look great after 53 years!
The music is brilliant--the story is a test of endurance...
Doylenf28 April 2009
If you love classical music, CARNEGIE HALL will give you an earful. Some of the great performers of the time are seen in concert, such as Leopold Stokowski conducting Tchaikovsky's "Symphony in E Minor," Artur Rubenstein doing Chopin's "Polonaise" and "The Ritual Fire Dance" at the piano keyboard, Jascha Heifetz and his nimble fingers on the violin for Tchaikovsky's "Concerto for Violin," all performed brilliantly and making for a memorable soundtrack.
But the story is a mawkish affair--MARSHA HUNT wanting her son to be a concert pianist who will some day play at Carnegie Hall, while he has other plans that include the world of modern music. When he joins the Vaughan Monroe band, mother and son sever their relationship and the rest of the tale treads the predictable movie line of many a backstage musical with no inspiration from the screenwriter.
It doesn't help that Hunt's age make-up is as artificial as the thin plot that is supposed to hold all of this music together. WILLIAM PRINCE as her son makes almost no impression and MARTHA O'DRISCOLL is merely eye candy as the girlfriend who becomes his wife.
If only the producers had a script worthy of all this music. RISE STEVENS does a nice job on an aria from "Carmen" and LILY PONS gets to do her famous "Bell Song," but neither of these acts are staged as more than "get up to the mike and sing." EZIO PINZA and JAN PEERCE are a bit luckier in the staging of their arias.
Music lovers will certainly appreciate all the musical bits, some of which go on for quite a lengthy time while what little plot there is comes to a complete standstill.
A feast for the ears, but not much can be said about the film itself which is more like a test of endurance over two hours and sixteen minutes of running time.
Trivia note: All of the performing scenes were actually filmed at the newly refurbished Carnegie Hall.
But the story is a mawkish affair--MARSHA HUNT wanting her son to be a concert pianist who will some day play at Carnegie Hall, while he has other plans that include the world of modern music. When he joins the Vaughan Monroe band, mother and son sever their relationship and the rest of the tale treads the predictable movie line of many a backstage musical with no inspiration from the screenwriter.
It doesn't help that Hunt's age make-up is as artificial as the thin plot that is supposed to hold all of this music together. WILLIAM PRINCE as her son makes almost no impression and MARTHA O'DRISCOLL is merely eye candy as the girlfriend who becomes his wife.
If only the producers had a script worthy of all this music. RISE STEVENS does a nice job on an aria from "Carmen" and LILY PONS gets to do her famous "Bell Song," but neither of these acts are staged as more than "get up to the mike and sing." EZIO PINZA and JAN PEERCE are a bit luckier in the staging of their arias.
Music lovers will certainly appreciate all the musical bits, some of which go on for quite a lengthy time while what little plot there is comes to a complete standstill.
A feast for the ears, but not much can be said about the film itself which is more like a test of endurance over two hours and sixteen minutes of running time.
Trivia note: All of the performing scenes were actually filmed at the newly refurbished Carnegie Hall.
Slight story in no way spoils beauty and brilliance
morrisonhimself9 May 2009
"Carnegie Hall" really deserves a 20 out of 10 stars simply because it is such a brilliant record of some of the greatest musical performers from about 1890 to about 1950.
Most people reading this comment will not have had any other opportunity to see or hear in live performance such giants as Jan Peerce or Jascha Heifetz or, especially, the likes of Walter ("Good morning, my dear children") Damrosch.
It would be easy to fill several paragraphs just listing and raving about those giants, those icons of great music, including Harry James and Vaughn Monroe, but I urge you to look at each name, follow the IMDb link and then Google each to learn about them.
I must, though, mention the marvelous Marsha Hunt. For some function I don't remember, I was in her home when she was the Honorary Mayor of Sherman Oaks, around 1980, and have been an idolatrous fan ever since.
She is recognized as a fine actress, but she deserved even more. She was also a beautiful woman, and probably never looked lovelier than in "Carnegie Hall." As her character ages, she goes gray, and her step slows and she dodders just a bit, just enough.
It is, in short, a spell-binding characterization, a magnificent performance.
I try not to be envious of people with more ability (which is most people) or more luck (which is nearly everyone) but I do envy Marsha Hunt for her opportunity, in this role, to interact with such musical heroes as Ezio Pinza and Artur Rodzinski.
By the way, look for a very young Leonard Rose, who went on to well-deserved fame as one of the world's greatest cellists.
One final note: The story was by the magnificent Seena Owen, probably best known for her role in "Intolerance." Maybe I shouldn't admit it, but I will: I applauded and cheered and, yes, cried at the beauty of this film, at the glory of it.
I urge, strenuously urge you not to miss this "Carnegie Hall."
Added 19 June 2015: "Carnegie Hall" is available at YouTube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruvljAjzscg
Most people reading this comment will not have had any other opportunity to see or hear in live performance such giants as Jan Peerce or Jascha Heifetz or, especially, the likes of Walter ("Good morning, my dear children") Damrosch.
It would be easy to fill several paragraphs just listing and raving about those giants, those icons of great music, including Harry James and Vaughn Monroe, but I urge you to look at each name, follow the IMDb link and then Google each to learn about them.
I must, though, mention the marvelous Marsha Hunt. For some function I don't remember, I was in her home when she was the Honorary Mayor of Sherman Oaks, around 1980, and have been an idolatrous fan ever since.
She is recognized as a fine actress, but she deserved even more. She was also a beautiful woman, and probably never looked lovelier than in "Carnegie Hall." As her character ages, she goes gray, and her step slows and she dodders just a bit, just enough.
It is, in short, a spell-binding characterization, a magnificent performance.
I try not to be envious of people with more ability (which is most people) or more luck (which is nearly everyone) but I do envy Marsha Hunt for her opportunity, in this role, to interact with such musical heroes as Ezio Pinza and Artur Rodzinski.
By the way, look for a very young Leonard Rose, who went on to well-deserved fame as one of the world's greatest cellists.
One final note: The story was by the magnificent Seena Owen, probably best known for her role in "Intolerance." Maybe I shouldn't admit it, but I will: I applauded and cheered and, yes, cried at the beauty of this film, at the glory of it.
I urge, strenuously urge you not to miss this "Carnegie Hall."
Added 19 June 2015: "Carnegie Hall" is available at YouTube.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruvljAjzscg
One hell of a weird film
Elgroovio12 September 2004
I saw this film recently and couldn't quite get the point of it. In a two hour film made up almost entirely of music, a very weird and decidedly irrelevant plot can be found. But I'm not here to bin this film, some of the music is very engaging especially Arthur Rubinstein's energetic virtuoso piano playing, and it is interesting to see some classical music maestros perform. I recorded this film because I had heard that the fantastic trumpeter Harry James and his orchestra were in it, but what this review failed to mention was the fact that you have to wait a good two hours before James comes on, only to appear for about three minutes (which are, despite the long wait, quite good). No, "Carnegie Hall" is not a bad film, but you probably have to be well into the type of music played in it to truly enjoy watching this film. 7/10
A clichéd melodrama with some unforgettable musical moments
richard-17879 April 2013
I watched this movie tonight, eight years after I first saw it and wrote my original review. I'll insert my additional comments in the original, below.
--------------------------------------
This is a movie about a young man and his mother. She sacrifices everything so that he can study to be a classical pianist. He falls in love with big band music and decides to pursue that. His mother is heart-broken. In other words, one long, slow cliché that has been done better elsewhere.
If that's all there were to this movie, I would say "forget it." But in between these scenes of melodrama there are live performances by some of the greatest classical musicians of the 1930s and 40s. Their performances, often truly great, are not wedged in in bits and pieces. Rather, we get to watch Arthur Rubinstein perform the entire Chopin Military Polonaise - and then de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance. We get to watch Jascha Heifitz perform the entire last movement of the Beethoven Violin Concerto - and with what fire and richness of tone! We get to wonder as Leopold Stokowski completely distorts the tempo markings for an entire movement of a Tchaikovsky symphony, producing a series of remarkable moments that, for this listener, never came together as a whole - but still, what daring to pull Tchaikovsky apart like that. Stokowski and Rubenstein both remind us of an era when classical musicians were also stage performers. Rubenstein bangs away at the keyboard in the de Falla with fantastic arm gestures. Stokowski is very clearly conscious of the angle from which he is being filmed. These are spectacular musicians devoted to the music, yes, but these are also colossal, theatrical egos. (Note: Rubinstein is much more controlled in the Chopin. A fierce intensity.)
Stokowski''s theatrics contrast very clearly with Fritz Reiner conducting Heifetz. He just stands there and waves his baton, but oh what music he and Heifetz make!
The same goes for Artur Rodzinski conducting Beethoven's Fifth. No, he does not look dramatic on the podium, but boy is that one powerful performance.
Risë Stevens sings a beautifully executed number from "Carmen". Lily Pons, however, does a very sloppy job with the "Bell Song" from "Lakmé", one of her staples.
We get to see Ezio Pinza stand there in a costume that would be grounds for a law suit, yet sing Don Giovanni's Brindisi like no one else - and the opening recitative of Il lascerato spirto, from Verdi's Simon Bocanegra. They are both brilliant performances, notable among other things for Pinza's crystal clear diction.
It's available on DVD. I hope the DVD recognizes the dual nature of the movie and has the tracks arranged so that one can skip over the melodrama, which is really very bad, and just enjoy the remarkable musical performances. It's a very long movie - almost two and a half hours - and the drama is really slow going.
It's also unfortunate that it ends on a weak note, a pseudo-Gershwin jazz rhapsody that is by far the weakest number in the movie.
It's worth watching for the great performances of great music, but there is a LOT of uninteresting drama between those highlights.
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This is a movie about a young man and his mother. She sacrifices everything so that he can study to be a classical pianist. He falls in love with big band music and decides to pursue that. His mother is heart-broken. In other words, one long, slow cliché that has been done better elsewhere.
If that's all there were to this movie, I would say "forget it." But in between these scenes of melodrama there are live performances by some of the greatest classical musicians of the 1930s and 40s. Their performances, often truly great, are not wedged in in bits and pieces. Rather, we get to watch Arthur Rubinstein perform the entire Chopin Military Polonaise - and then de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance. We get to watch Jascha Heifitz perform the entire last movement of the Beethoven Violin Concerto - and with what fire and richness of tone! We get to wonder as Leopold Stokowski completely distorts the tempo markings for an entire movement of a Tchaikovsky symphony, producing a series of remarkable moments that, for this listener, never came together as a whole - but still, what daring to pull Tchaikovsky apart like that. Stokowski and Rubenstein both remind us of an era when classical musicians were also stage performers. Rubenstein bangs away at the keyboard in the de Falla with fantastic arm gestures. Stokowski is very clearly conscious of the angle from which he is being filmed. These are spectacular musicians devoted to the music, yes, but these are also colossal, theatrical egos. (Note: Rubinstein is much more controlled in the Chopin. A fierce intensity.)
Stokowski''s theatrics contrast very clearly with Fritz Reiner conducting Heifetz. He just stands there and waves his baton, but oh what music he and Heifetz make!
The same goes for Artur Rodzinski conducting Beethoven's Fifth. No, he does not look dramatic on the podium, but boy is that one powerful performance.
Risë Stevens sings a beautifully executed number from "Carmen". Lily Pons, however, does a very sloppy job with the "Bell Song" from "Lakmé", one of her staples.
We get to see Ezio Pinza stand there in a costume that would be grounds for a law suit, yet sing Don Giovanni's Brindisi like no one else - and the opening recitative of Il lascerato spirto, from Verdi's Simon Bocanegra. They are both brilliant performances, notable among other things for Pinza's crystal clear diction.
It's available on DVD. I hope the DVD recognizes the dual nature of the movie and has the tracks arranged so that one can skip over the melodrama, which is really very bad, and just enjoy the remarkable musical performances. It's a very long movie - almost two and a half hours - and the drama is really slow going.
It's also unfortunate that it ends on a weak note, a pseudo-Gershwin jazz rhapsody that is by far the weakest number in the movie.
It's worth watching for the great performances of great music, but there is a LOT of uninteresting drama between those highlights.
THE classical movie
bkoganbing27 July 2013
Long before Carnegie Hall came to the big screen, modern swing music arrived there with Benny Goodman and his clarinet with that famous concert in the late Thirties. So the idea behind the film was already quite dated.
But the rather hokey plot of this film only serves as a frame for numbers by more classical artists than ever gathered on one movie at the same time. If you love classical music and the great artists who are no longer with us from the past than this is your movie and no review good or bad will have anything to do with whether you see it or not.
Such as it is the story revolves around Marsha Hunt whose mother was a charwoman at Carnegie Hall and she started there as well and worked her way up to part of the management. She married and had a son who grew up to be William Prince who listening to the greatest classical artists around got a real musical education. But all Prince wants to do is play piano with Vaughn Monroe.
Without giving too much away, let's say that the education was not in vain after all.
With people like Walter Damrosch and Leopold Stakowski conducting symphonies and such artists as Lily Pons, Rise Stevens, Jan Peerce and my favorite Ezio Pinza on the screen, if you're a classical music fan this movie is a must for you. The story is easy to take as well and there's a nice performance by Frank McHugh as Carnegie Hall's eternal doorman.
But the rather hokey plot of this film only serves as a frame for numbers by more classical artists than ever gathered on one movie at the same time. If you love classical music and the great artists who are no longer with us from the past than this is your movie and no review good or bad will have anything to do with whether you see it or not.
Such as it is the story revolves around Marsha Hunt whose mother was a charwoman at Carnegie Hall and she started there as well and worked her way up to part of the management. She married and had a son who grew up to be William Prince who listening to the greatest classical artists around got a real musical education. But all Prince wants to do is play piano with Vaughn Monroe.
Without giving too much away, let's say that the education was not in vain after all.
With people like Walter Damrosch and Leopold Stakowski conducting symphonies and such artists as Lily Pons, Rise Stevens, Jan Peerce and my favorite Ezio Pinza on the screen, if you're a classical music fan this movie is a must for you. The story is easy to take as well and there's a nice performance by Frank McHugh as Carnegie Hall's eternal doorman.
often brilliant music performances but rather awful drama
standardmetal12 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The dramatic part of the film is really rather dismal. When you have the mother in the cast played by a woman (Marsha Hunt, a later victim of the Hollywood blacklist, still alive at 95!) who, in real life was younger than her "son" (William Prince), it strains credibility even with Miss Hunt's "old" makeup.
And the usual device of the hero's desire to play "modern"-music-rather-than-classical device is one that surely had whiskers even then! See "The Jazz Singer" for example. In this case, he wants to perform with the rather wooden singer, band leader and trumpeter Vaughn Monroe.
Mr. Prince's character, Tony Salerno finally gets his predicable "big chance" at the end of the film when he "conducts", "plays" his own composition with trumpeter Harry James. It isn't clear who really wrote the music from the listed credits but the anonymity of the author is quite understandable. (Charles Previn?) And none of the other composers suffers from the competition, I have to say.
However, the actual musical performances are as well done as possible with Rubenstein and Heifetz at somewhere near their peaks even with Rubenstein's inevitable Polonaise in Ab (Chopin). And their interactions with the actors is also very well done with, for example, Pinza's "prima donna" temper tantrum about his costume probably not exaggerated at all.
Walter Damrosch's association with the actual opening of Carnegie Hall at which Tchaikovsky also conducted is another welcome reminder of the authenticity of the film as well as the actual hall being used rather than a studio fake and that right after its 1940's renovation.
Though my last piano teacher, Nadia Reisenberg was also in the film in an ensemble, I turned it on too late to see her.
A unique film for the music even with the cringe-making back story!
And the usual device of the hero's desire to play "modern"-music-rather-than-classical device is one that surely had whiskers even then! See "The Jazz Singer" for example. In this case, he wants to perform with the rather wooden singer, band leader and trumpeter Vaughn Monroe.
Mr. Prince's character, Tony Salerno finally gets his predicable "big chance" at the end of the film when he "conducts", "plays" his own composition with trumpeter Harry James. It isn't clear who really wrote the music from the listed credits but the anonymity of the author is quite understandable. (Charles Previn?) And none of the other composers suffers from the competition, I have to say.
However, the actual musical performances are as well done as possible with Rubenstein and Heifetz at somewhere near their peaks even with Rubenstein's inevitable Polonaise in Ab (Chopin). And their interactions with the actors is also very well done with, for example, Pinza's "prima donna" temper tantrum about his costume probably not exaggerated at all.
Walter Damrosch's association with the actual opening of Carnegie Hall at which Tchaikovsky also conducted is another welcome reminder of the authenticity of the film as well as the actual hall being used rather than a studio fake and that right after its 1940's renovation.
Though my last piano teacher, Nadia Reisenberg was also in the film in an ensemble, I turned it on too late to see her.
A unique film for the music even with the cringe-making back story!
Ulmer at Carnegie Hall
EdgarST14 April 2024
A sort of feature-length institutional commercial, it mixes long stretches of performances by top artist of the day on the Carnegie Hall stage, with a finely handled melodrama, about an obssessive Irish mother who practically raises her son in the hall, where she works. She wants him to become a pianist performing the classical music he grew up listening to, but the young man has other plans. In the DVD released by Bel Canto it is evident the copy was reconstructed from different sources: the worst images come from sections that seem to have been cut to reduce the feature to less than two hours. One of the few opportunities Ulmer had to work with a larger budget.
Great Music Found Only in Carnegie Hall!
JLRMovieReviews1 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Marsha Hunt is trying to make a classical pianist out of her son in this film, "Carnegie Hall." William Prince plays her grown-up son, who wants to join a popular jazz band, against her wishes. But the plot is secondary to the performances seen here by classical stars of the time. Hightlights (at least to me) include a too short performance by opera singer Rise Stevens, Ezio Pinza's performance, a classical piece conducted Artur Rubenstein, and a violin concerto. Probably only fans of this style of music would watch this and would consider the performances worth "the price of admission" alone. The music aside, the plot is rather flimsy, but Marsha Hunt is very good. Her scene during the violin concerto was very moving. She has never really been given much credit in movies, despite her consistently good performances in her films. William Prince, on the other hand, tends to get a little overboard in his theatrics. The film ends rather abruptly with no real closure, except that one assumes everything is forgiven because of her son playing at Carnegie Hall. While one may find the plot lacking, you can't complain about the outstanding musical performances. This is arguably the best compilation of classical music seen in film. This is pure heaven for classical music lovers, who won't even care about anything else. Marsha Hunt shines as Carnegie Hall lives on through its music!
Music Lovers, Celebrate
atlasmb17 October 2022
Marsha Hunt stars as the wife of a pianist whose son studies classical piano with hopes of playing at Carnegie Hall. She works at the performance hall and, over the years, becomes a fixture there. The story of her life, and the life of her son, is interspersed with Carnegie Hall performances of some great musicians and vocalists.
In fact, the performances are the best part of the film They are wonderful snapshots of contemporary talents. They are so great that they overshadow the dramatic narrative, but a music lover will forgive this imbalance because the final result is so rewarding.
Marsh Hunt deserves credit for her performance, which spans the years and requires her to display some real emotions, which complement the emotional content of the musical numbers. Lovers of music will find much to enjoy, whether it's the rousing performance of Jascha Heifetz or Jan Peerce's "O sole mio."
In fact, the performances are the best part of the film They are wonderful snapshots of contemporary talents. They are so great that they overshadow the dramatic narrative, but a music lover will forgive this imbalance because the final result is so rewarding.
Marsh Hunt deserves credit for her performance, which spans the years and requires her to display some real emotions, which complement the emotional content of the musical numbers. Lovers of music will find much to enjoy, whether it's the rousing performance of Jascha Heifetz or Jan Peerce's "O sole mio."
If you adore classical style music, you'll adore it...otherwise it might be tough to enjoy.
planktonrules14 October 2022
"Carnegie Hall" is a film that, in hindsight, seems a bit wrongheaded. This is because when it was made, it only appealed to a narrow group of people. And, when seen today, it's likely to find an even smaller audience.
The story is actually secondary in this movie. What seems much more important is the music...which consists of a lot of classical style music. In fact, instead of showing clips. The film shows long, long performances in their entirety. So, again, if you adore this style music, you'll be in heaven...as well as your being able to see some of the most famous names in music of the era. But, if you don't...then it will be very tough going.
As for the story, it's a tad like "The Jazz Singer". Marsha Hunt plays a woman who marries a VERY temperamental and talented concert pianist. But he soon dies...leaving her with a son who she tries to mold into a concert pianist like his father. But as the boy grows, he finds other types of music to his liking...creating a rift between him and his mom.
The quality of the music is second to none and the acting isn't bad at all. But the story is WAY underdeveloped. Had the film used a bit less music and concentrated on the characters, it would have been much, much more interesting.
The story is actually secondary in this movie. What seems much more important is the music...which consists of a lot of classical style music. In fact, instead of showing clips. The film shows long, long performances in their entirety. So, again, if you adore this style music, you'll be in heaven...as well as your being able to see some of the most famous names in music of the era. But, if you don't...then it will be very tough going.
As for the story, it's a tad like "The Jazz Singer". Marsha Hunt plays a woman who marries a VERY temperamental and talented concert pianist. But he soon dies...leaving her with a son who she tries to mold into a concert pianist like his father. But as the boy grows, he finds other types of music to his liking...creating a rift between him and his mom.
The quality of the music is second to none and the acting isn't bad at all. But the story is WAY underdeveloped. Had the film used a bit less music and concentrated on the characters, it would have been much, much more interesting.
***1/2
edwagreen13 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Marsha Hunt turns in a strong performance as a young girl who marries a very temperamental musician and that marriage which produced a son ends in tragedy.
The film is set as the world's famous Carnegie Hall and we hear all the opera singers, conductors and famous period that the great hall gave us.
Hunt, who works at the Hall, only wants her son to become a concert pianist, but as he grows up, swing music is much more appealing to him and this leads to conflict between the two. How the two eventually reconcile was engaging to watch.
A beautifully done film with memorable music.
The film is set as the world's famous Carnegie Hall and we hear all the opera singers, conductors and famous period that the great hall gave us.
Hunt, who works at the Hall, only wants her son to become a concert pianist, but as he grows up, swing music is much more appealing to him and this leads to conflict between the two. How the two eventually reconcile was engaging to watch.
A beautifully done film with memorable music.
Loved the Music, Hated the Movie
tarmcgator6 June 2009
WARNING: Do NOT show this film to anyone in whom you're trying to stimulate an interest in classical music. That's what audio recordings are for.
CARNEGIE HALL is an interesting relic that allows us a few glimpses of some great musicians in action, performing their signature works. If you already enjoy the music and want to see what Heifetz, Rubinstein, Piatigorsky, Peerce, Pinza, Stevens et al. looked like in their heyday (as well as some lesser-known but significant talents such as John Corigliano, Leonard Rose and Nadia Reisenberg), you can probably bear to sit through this film.
But Lord!, the non-musical scenes (and even the mediocre "57th Street Rhapsody" that closes the film) are just dreadful. Marsha Hunt was an able journeywoman actress and does as credible a job as can be expected, but she has little to work with in the way of story and dialog. The other actors (as opposed to musicians playing themselves or other musicians) range from adequate to awful. All the clichés about artistic temperaments and a child straying from the career path chosen by the parent are on display, and they were stale long before CARNEGIE HALL was made. The efforts to "humanize" Heifetz, Reiner and Rubinstein also are trite (not that they shouldn't be portrayed as actual human beings, as opposed to Hollywood stereotypes of classical demigods. Heifetz was more fun a few years earlier in THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC.) Other than the documentary aspect of CARNEGIE HALL's musical segments, I can see no reason to see this film more than once. And unless you really care about classical music and the people who make it, even a single viewing is excessive.
Idle question: Can anyone explain why -- in the scene in which the kindly Nora arranges for the young performer "Mary" to use the hall for her debut -- that Mary is shot from the rear, and we never see her face? Rather strange.
CARNEGIE HALL is an interesting relic that allows us a few glimpses of some great musicians in action, performing their signature works. If you already enjoy the music and want to see what Heifetz, Rubinstein, Piatigorsky, Peerce, Pinza, Stevens et al. looked like in their heyday (as well as some lesser-known but significant talents such as John Corigliano, Leonard Rose and Nadia Reisenberg), you can probably bear to sit through this film.
But Lord!, the non-musical scenes (and even the mediocre "57th Street Rhapsody" that closes the film) are just dreadful. Marsha Hunt was an able journeywoman actress and does as credible a job as can be expected, but she has little to work with in the way of story and dialog. The other actors (as opposed to musicians playing themselves or other musicians) range from adequate to awful. All the clichés about artistic temperaments and a child straying from the career path chosen by the parent are on display, and they were stale long before CARNEGIE HALL was made. The efforts to "humanize" Heifetz, Reiner and Rubinstein also are trite (not that they shouldn't be portrayed as actual human beings, as opposed to Hollywood stereotypes of classical demigods. Heifetz was more fun a few years earlier in THEY SHALL HAVE MUSIC.) Other than the documentary aspect of CARNEGIE HALL's musical segments, I can see no reason to see this film more than once. And unless you really care about classical music and the people who make it, even a single viewing is excessive.
Idle question: Can anyone explain why -- in the scene in which the kindly Nora arranges for the young performer "Mary" to use the hall for her debut -- that Mary is shot from the rear, and we never see her face? Rather strange.
When Hollywood Cared about Classical Music
LeonardKniffel1 May 2020
The film is a classical music field day. Some of the geat performers of the time are seen in concert-Leopold Stokowski conducting Tchaikovsky's "Symphony in E Minor," Artur Rubenstein doing Chopin's "Polonaise" and "The Ritual Fire Dance" at the piano keyboard, Jascha Heifetz on the violin for Tchaikovsky's "Concerto for Violin," all performed brilliantly and making for a memorable soundtrack. It is interesting to see how this film tried to manipulate public taste with a mawkish love affair plot that carries the performances along. Opera great Lily Pons, Rise Stevens, Enzio Pinza, and Jan Peerce are featured in great arias. The performing scenes were filmed at the then newly refurbished Carnegie Hall.
The problems of musical professionalism interestingly revealed
clanciai12 November 2015
The meaning of the film gets drowned in the overwhelmingly good performances of the artists, and there are any number of them: they are all there, Artur Rubinstein, Jasha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky, Leopold Stokowski, Bruno Walter, Artur Rodzinski, Fritz Reiner, Ezio Pinza, Lily Pons and even Tchaikovsky (vaguely discerned from some distance, impersonated, of course,) and although Marsha Hunt makes a good and touching performance as the mother who loses first her husband and then her son in the same way - getting lost making their own ways - the superficial acting of that story must drag the film down from the top levels of the performances. The key scene to the whole thing is however Jasha Heifetz' communication with Marsha, when he eloquently comforts her for all her grief better than anyone could have done.
The personality of Jasha Heifetz is somehow the key to the whole problem, which is the alienation of the artist from an ordinary human life, which is what both the father and the son can't bear and rebel against. Jasha Heifetz was often considered inhuman in his seemingly callous attitude, and even in his acting here he gives a rather stiff and almost robot-like impression, but his words couldn't be warmer, and they could but come from the heart, which still beats down there under all the layers of superhuman professionalism and completely reconciles Marsha (Nora) with her fate.
Edgar G. Ulmer made some very odd films in extremely different directions, there is one film about tuberculosis and another horror film with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, which could be their best - and here he films music, and as a music film of music and about music it will certainly endure for all ages and continue to impress all lovers of real music.
The personality of Jasha Heifetz is somehow the key to the whole problem, which is the alienation of the artist from an ordinary human life, which is what both the father and the son can't bear and rebel against. Jasha Heifetz was often considered inhuman in his seemingly callous attitude, and even in his acting here he gives a rather stiff and almost robot-like impression, but his words couldn't be warmer, and they could but come from the heart, which still beats down there under all the layers of superhuman professionalism and completely reconciles Marsha (Nora) with her fate.
Edgar G. Ulmer made some very odd films in extremely different directions, there is one film about tuberculosis and another horror film with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, which could be their best - and here he films music, and as a music film of music and about music it will certainly endure for all ages and continue to impress all lovers of real music.
One of the best musicals
sb-47-60873720 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
One of the best musicals that I have watched - but of course in this aspects opinions would be divided - that is if one is an aficionado of classical, only then it would be true.
It has seamlessly woven some great music - both instrumental and vocal into a plot. I have watched a few - where the abundance of the music has made the plot either insignificant or in fact in many case non-existent. But here it isn't so. There is a strong plot - and the central figure Nora Ryan Salerno (Marsha Hunt) had played the role very well. It is in fact very unfortunate - may be not so much for her, but definitely for the audience, that she, at the peak of her career and loveliness, was black-listed by the infamous Mccarthy regime. This movie, revolving around her, could be one of the showcases, where she looked every bit the teenager that her role demanded. In fact I would say that when she played the aged role, she didn't look that - except for the grey hair. The skin was as smooth as a teenager - and she was all of about thirty then.
The reason it lost some marks from me was due to my misogynist outlook - well I didn't like the way it ended, or the moral of it all.
The story is simple - a young Irish girl (probably orphan, but I missed that declaration) lands up in NY, and straight at the newly constructed Carnegie hall, where her aunt is a cleaning lady. While waiting for the aunt, she is spotted by Symphony Orchestra's famous conductor, Walter Johannes Damrosch, who takes her to listen to the concert, Tchaikovsky was conducting. It was love at first sight - for the music - and a lifelong (avuncular) association with Damrosch. She stayed back at the Hall, and later (probably), got the job of her aunt. On the process she fell in love with a young, brilliant but nonconformist pianist Salerno, and after marriage had a baby, Salermo Jr. The rebel streak would make Salermo get regularly fired by the Met Conductor (Damrosch) and would be back, thanks to the chemistry between Norah and the conductor. During one of these occasions, after getting fired, and fully drunk, they had an altercation, and he dies after an accident. The dream of Norah, to get her man to lead the Met was shattered, but she took up a job, improved herself, to give the best training to her baby, to live her dream. The boy, once grown falls in love with a pop-girl and walks out on the mother, shattering her dreams, going 'Pop'. The married life isn't very smooth, due to artistic ego clash between the two, and the girl comes to her mother in law for help in putting the marriage back in rail. For which there is another of her mother's platonic friend is handy, Frank McHugh (as John Donovan), who probably was in love with Norah, till she married the other, and stayed close but platonic friend. Norah's dream did come true, but not the way I wanted, so I deduct the marks here, all the deductions are for the last few minutes.
The beauty of the movie is, as I mentioned, the seamless merging of the great music with the mood of the scene. For example, when Salerno Jr takes his girl-friend Ruth to the great Ezio Pinza's room, he, with a few more girls in audience sings 'Fin ch'han dal vino' - admirably suited if we take Ruth as Zerlina and Salerno as Masetto, and the maestro as Don. And this isn't the only case. The whole movie, may be three fourth of it, is full of exquisite music, and none of them had been censored (i.e. scissored off)
Coming back to why did I reduce the mark. This had a underlying psychological angle - the obsessive determination of Norah to get her beloved (first her man, and then her son) with the baton at the Phil. I agree that this type of obsessive disorder is bad for the objects of her affection.
But she wasn't too hard on her husband, in fact whatever has happened was entirely his fault. he was pianist in an orchestra, he can't play to his wish, unmindful of the conductor, Conductor was justifiably outraged, and still he regularly took him back, thanks to Norah. There was no determination on his part to go solo, which he only talked at the end, and that too in bars, not in a regular venue. naturally any mother of an infant would be outraged at the irresponsible act of the husband, but she still wasn't. I really don't fault Norah on her behavior with husband (but she said in the end that it was).
Then with the son, yes she was insistent, but not really in villainous way. It was still motherly, though with absolute control. There is no doubt that the son will rebel, and I don't fault him, here at least he had some reason. But his treatment of the mother, when he walked out on her, for his girl, left a bad taste in the mouth. More so, as he totally cut off all connections. That though does happen in real life, but in those cases, the son becomes the villain. In this case too, the mother accepted the whole responsibility, and in fact made the daughter in law too to accept her (DIL's) guilt in their domestic quarrel. This is where I disagree, this man too was not free of guilt, may be less guilty than the father, but still. And in fact the way the mother carried on, trying to live her dream through other's children, made her a heroine (the movie did that, despite her own admission of otherwise).
And third thing that disappointed me is the son's continuing with the modern music, and the mother's falling for it. With her love with the master's that won't do. She might compromise to her fate, but she won't call it her dream came true.
It has seamlessly woven some great music - both instrumental and vocal into a plot. I have watched a few - where the abundance of the music has made the plot either insignificant or in fact in many case non-existent. But here it isn't so. There is a strong plot - and the central figure Nora Ryan Salerno (Marsha Hunt) had played the role very well. It is in fact very unfortunate - may be not so much for her, but definitely for the audience, that she, at the peak of her career and loveliness, was black-listed by the infamous Mccarthy regime. This movie, revolving around her, could be one of the showcases, where she looked every bit the teenager that her role demanded. In fact I would say that when she played the aged role, she didn't look that - except for the grey hair. The skin was as smooth as a teenager - and she was all of about thirty then.
The reason it lost some marks from me was due to my misogynist outlook - well I didn't like the way it ended, or the moral of it all.
The story is simple - a young Irish girl (probably orphan, but I missed that declaration) lands up in NY, and straight at the newly constructed Carnegie hall, where her aunt is a cleaning lady. While waiting for the aunt, she is spotted by Symphony Orchestra's famous conductor, Walter Johannes Damrosch, who takes her to listen to the concert, Tchaikovsky was conducting. It was love at first sight - for the music - and a lifelong (avuncular) association with Damrosch. She stayed back at the Hall, and later (probably), got the job of her aunt. On the process she fell in love with a young, brilliant but nonconformist pianist Salerno, and after marriage had a baby, Salermo Jr. The rebel streak would make Salermo get regularly fired by the Met Conductor (Damrosch) and would be back, thanks to the chemistry between Norah and the conductor. During one of these occasions, after getting fired, and fully drunk, they had an altercation, and he dies after an accident. The dream of Norah, to get her man to lead the Met was shattered, but she took up a job, improved herself, to give the best training to her baby, to live her dream. The boy, once grown falls in love with a pop-girl and walks out on the mother, shattering her dreams, going 'Pop'. The married life isn't very smooth, due to artistic ego clash between the two, and the girl comes to her mother in law for help in putting the marriage back in rail. For which there is another of her mother's platonic friend is handy, Frank McHugh (as John Donovan), who probably was in love with Norah, till she married the other, and stayed close but platonic friend. Norah's dream did come true, but not the way I wanted, so I deduct the marks here, all the deductions are for the last few minutes.
The beauty of the movie is, as I mentioned, the seamless merging of the great music with the mood of the scene. For example, when Salerno Jr takes his girl-friend Ruth to the great Ezio Pinza's room, he, with a few more girls in audience sings 'Fin ch'han dal vino' - admirably suited if we take Ruth as Zerlina and Salerno as Masetto, and the maestro as Don. And this isn't the only case. The whole movie, may be three fourth of it, is full of exquisite music, and none of them had been censored (i.e. scissored off)
Coming back to why did I reduce the mark. This had a underlying psychological angle - the obsessive determination of Norah to get her beloved (first her man, and then her son) with the baton at the Phil. I agree that this type of obsessive disorder is bad for the objects of her affection.
But she wasn't too hard on her husband, in fact whatever has happened was entirely his fault. he was pianist in an orchestra, he can't play to his wish, unmindful of the conductor, Conductor was justifiably outraged, and still he regularly took him back, thanks to Norah. There was no determination on his part to go solo, which he only talked at the end, and that too in bars, not in a regular venue. naturally any mother of an infant would be outraged at the irresponsible act of the husband, but she still wasn't. I really don't fault Norah on her behavior with husband (but she said in the end that it was).
Then with the son, yes she was insistent, but not really in villainous way. It was still motherly, though with absolute control. There is no doubt that the son will rebel, and I don't fault him, here at least he had some reason. But his treatment of the mother, when he walked out on her, for his girl, left a bad taste in the mouth. More so, as he totally cut off all connections. That though does happen in real life, but in those cases, the son becomes the villain. In this case too, the mother accepted the whole responsibility, and in fact made the daughter in law too to accept her (DIL's) guilt in their domestic quarrel. This is where I disagree, this man too was not free of guilt, may be less guilty than the father, but still. And in fact the way the mother carried on, trying to live her dream through other's children, made her a heroine (the movie did that, despite her own admission of otherwise).
And third thing that disappointed me is the son's continuing with the modern music, and the mother's falling for it. With her love with the master's that won't do. She might compromise to her fate, but she won't call it her dream came true.
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