1h 42min | Music, Drama, Family | 18 August 1939
Director: Archie Mayo
Stars: Jascha Heifetz, Joel McCrea, Andrea Leeds, Gene Reynolds, Walter Brennan
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032023/
bootleg copy, gray and fuzzy.
Really a joy to hear and watch Heifetz play, and to watch troubled teen Gene Reynolds (b. 1923, looks younger, future producer of TV, including M*A*S*H) soften and be inspired by his playing. I particularly liked the overhead shots from behind Heifetz, where you can see the fingers of his left hand on the strings. Just watching him move the bow is magical: so light and deft. But his neck skin looks like he's really clamped down on that violin. He has only 1 other actor credit, but his name is far down the cast list; it's among his soundtrack performances, so he does play there. Most surprising: only 5 other Soundtrack credits, and 4 were after his death ('87).
The acting is very good, as is the story. I would have sought this bootleg because I remembered seeing this on TV when I was young. (Bootleg purchases were usually star-motivated. I suppose this one was too, but the star was Heifetz.) Well, it's just as good as I remembered.
Goldwyn, dir. Mayo; 7
