Melody de la Jeunesse

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Fossy
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Joined: April 29th, 2010, 8:13 pm
Location: Cairns, Qld., Australia

Melody de la Jeunesse

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Melodie de la Jeunesse aka They Shall Have Music (1939)

Frankie (Gene Reynolds) is an unmanageable teenager. His stepfather decides to send him to reform school, despite the pleas from his mother ( Marjorie Main). Frankie flees, and eventually ends up at the Lawson School of music.

Absent minded Professor Lawson (Walter Brennan) runs the school with the aid of his daughter Ann (Andrea Leeds) and her fiance Peter (Joel McCrea). The school is in deep financial trouble following the death of their main benefactor. During a concert all the musical instruments are repossessed.

Jascha Heifetz, at the last minute comes to the rescue, and the school is saved. The performances of Heifetz include Tchaikovsky, Saint Saens, Dinicu,Ponce, Rossini and Mendelsohn.

The Peter Merenblum California Junior Orchestra supplied the students.

Diana Lynn, at the time a piano prodigy, and in her movie debut, played Waltz in D Flat (Chopin) and Nocturne in B Flat Minor (Chopin).

Jacqueline Nash, a 10 year old soprano, sang Cara Nome from Rigoletto, and Casta Diva from Norma. Jacqueline later became Gale Sherwood, who partnered Nelson Eddy in film, TV, and on stage for some fourteen years until his death.
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