Main Cast: Emile Boreo, Marsha Hunt, Joseph Buloff, William Prince, Frank McHugh, Walter Damrosch, Martha O'Driscoll, Hans Yaray, Olin Downes
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 136 minutes
Plot
Auteur theorists who've charted the career of "cult" director Edgar G. Ulmer have seldom mentioned Carnegie Hall, simply because it was more expensive than most of Ulmer's films and thus can't be regarded a "low-budget masterpiece." The wafer-thin plotline concerns a young immigrant woman (Marsha Hunt) who takes a job as a Carnegie Hall cleaning woman. Her love of music leads her to a better job in the Hall, and after several years she rises to the position of concert organizer. The woman uses her clout to promote her own son's career as a pianist. Carnegie Hall showcases a number of celebrated musicians. Selections include: Arthur Rubinstein performing Chopin's Polonaise in A Flat, Jascha Heifetz performing Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G Major by Tchaikovsky, Ezio Pinza singing both the drinking song from Don Giovanni and one of the arias from Simon di Boccanegra, Lily Pons singing The Bell Song from Lakme by Delibes, and Jan Peerce singing O Sole Mio.The film also includes musical performances by Bruno Walter,Rise Stevens, Gregor Piatagorsky, Harry James, Vaughn Monroe, Leopold Stokowski, and others. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
If you can forget the silly story that Carnegie Hall has been saddled with and just concentrate on the musical performances, chances are you will have a pretty good time. It helps, of course, if you are not averse to classical music, for the scales are heavily tilted in that direction, despite the film's "swing and classics are both good stuff" resolution. In between the performances, you have to put up with a lot of nonsense that you've seen in plenty of other pictures, stuff about a son breaking his mother's heart by playing "low" music when she's been grooming him for the heights. You also have to be willing to believe that the titular musical establishment has a very liberal attitude toward career advancement among its employees and that the biggest names in classical music are pretty much just "reg'lar fellas." But stick with it, so that you can thrill to Bruno Walter (in a lovingly shot sequence), Artur Rubinstein's incredible artistry, the unique Leopold Stokowski, Lily Pons' scintillating coloratura, and many other classical giants of the day. The jazz musicians come off less well, with neither Vaughn Monroe nor Harry James seen at his best. Of the non-musicians, Mary O'Driscoll comes off well in a nothing part, and Marsha Hunt as the thread that ties it all together is generally effective. Edgar G. Ulmer's direction is a little staid for him, although he does make good use of the environment afforded by the Hall. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Walter Damrosch - Director, Edgar G. Ulmer - Director, Olin Downes - Director, Fred R. Feitshans, Jr. - Editor, Russell Bennett - Composer (Music Score), Sigmund Krumgold - Composer (Music Score), Hal Borne - Songwriter, Sam Coslow - Songwriter, Wilton Moore - Songwriter, M. Portnoff & W. - Songwriter, Frank Ryerson - Songwriter, Gregory Stone - Songwriter, William J. Miller - Cinematographer, William Le Baron - Producer, Boris Morros - Producer, Seena Owen - Screen Story, Karl Kamb - Screenwriter
