Music for Millions(1944)

Music for Millions (1944). Musical/comedy. Directed by Henry Koster. Cast:Margaret O'Brien, José Iturbi as Himself, Jimmy Durante, June Allyson and Marsha Hunt. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1946.

When seven-year-old "Mike" travels to New York from Connecticut by train, she is worried when she is not met by her sister, Barbara Ainsworth. Mike is soon cornered by a policeman, who takes her to Symphony Hall, where Babs, a bassist, is performing. Mike runs onto the stage and annoys conductor José Iturbi, in the middle of the concert. Iturbi, wants to fire Babs, until his stage manager, "Andy" Andrews, reminds him that with so many of the male players gone because of the war, he cannot afford to fire Babs. Babs, who was unaware that Mike was coming for a visit, is thrilled to see her. Babs and the female orchestra members, sneak Mike into their "no children" boardinghouse. After Babs faints the doctor shares a secret with Mike, telling her that Babs is pregnant.

Although Mike and her roommates have tried to keep it a secret about Babs's condition, their obvious concern alerts Iturbi, who is sympathetic.

Just before the orchestra leaves for Florida on a tour, a telegram arrives for Babs at the boardinghouse. Rosalind, one of Babs's roommates, reads the message herself. As feared, the telegram has bad news about her husband Joe, and Rosalind and the other girls decide not to tell Babs anything about it until after the baby is born.

Even though Music for Millions, is called a musical comedy, you will need plenty of "hankies". Jimmy Durante's comedy, provides the smiles. You will also enjoy the beautiful classical concertos played by Jose Iturbi, and his mostly female orchestra. Giving their support to the boys in uniform.

Blue Hawaii (1961).

Another one of my favorite beach movies is the film, Blue Hawaii (1961) a musical filmed in Hawaii. Cast: Elvis Presley. After two years in the Army, Chad Gates returns home to Hawaii, happy to be back with his surfboard and beach buddies.

He rebels against his wealthy and domineering parents by not going to work for the family pineapple business. Chad decides to go to work as a guide for the same tourist agency where Maile, his Hawaiian girl friend works. His first job is to show school teacher Abigail Prentace and four teen aged girls around the Hawaiian Island..


At a luau, Chad gets into a fight with a drunken tourist who is making inappropriate moves on one of the teenage girls. He is arrested and thrown in jail. Chad's mother blames the fight on Maile's bad influence. Maile is worried about Abigail's interest in Chad.

FUN FACTS:
The closing scene, was shot at the Coco Palms Resort on Kauai, where Elvis was staying when filming the movie. Cameo: (Hal B. Wallis) walking down the street.

The soundtrack for this movie is Elvis' most successful chart album, but it is also the number one album for (1961). "Blue Hawaii" spent 20 weeks at the #1 spot of the Billboard Top LP's chart in 1961-1962 (a record to be broken in (1977) by Fleetwood Macs "Rumors" album), which stayed on the charts for 79 weeks.

About seven minutes before the end of the film. Maile is peeking through the blinds, you will see a couple paddling a canoe. The blond woman seated up front, is singer Patti Page. Patti was then married to Charles O'Curran, a choreographer for many films produced by Hal B. Wallis, including "Blue Hawaii."

What I liked most about this fun film was the location and Angela Lansbury's performance as Elvis's crazy Southern Belle mama.