Music For Millions (1944)

The women of a touring symphonic orchestra are a tightly knit group. They collectively decide to wait until the orchestra's fragile pregnant bassist (June Allyson) has her baby before letting her know her husband is missing in action. Directed by Henry Koster (THE ROBE). Oy! Does this piece of treacle lay the sentimental slop on doubly thick. The film is schizophrenic. Part musical, part comedy, part weepie, part WWII morale booster but all turkey! Normally I like MGM's premier child actress Margaret O'Brien but she's too cloying here and there were times I just wanted to smack her one. The film is padded out with the contributions of Jose Iturbi who plays the orchestra's leader and he serves us generous doses of Debussy, Grieg, Dvorak, Chopin and Handel in between the hoke. WWII audiences lapped it up and it turned a profit but bizarrely, the film's screenplay was nominated for an original screenplay Oscar! Go figure! With Jimmy Durante, Marsha Hunt, Marie Wilson, Madeleine LeBeau, Ethel Griffies, Hugh Herbert and Connie Gilchrist.