Why so much hype?

Well Deserved Praise

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Sadly Over-hyped

In sunny Santa Rita, a Southern California town, school-aged soprano Gloria Warren (as Victoria "Vicky" Scott) fancies herself a singer. She is not happy that fashion-conscious mother Kay Francis (as Marjorie "Mudge" Scott) is considering a second marriage, although it could help send Ms. Warren to an expensive professional school. Before her wedding, Ms. Francis visits ex-husband Walter Huston (as MacKenzie "Mac" Scott) in Chicago. That he is a musician and songwriter should tell you something about the film's progression. MacKenzie's "Peyton Place"-like secret is that Mr. Huston is in prison. The couple agreed to divorce after Huston was (falsely) convicted, so Francis could raise the children without shame...Then Huston receives a sudden pardon...In the higher octaves, this film can cause mental anguish. But the title song is catchy; "Always in My Heart" became a big sheet music and record hit in 1942. There is good support from Warren's cute teenage brother Frankie Thomas (as Martin "Marty" Scott), their blustery maid Una O'Connor (as Angie) and her pert preteen Patti Hale (as Booley). Huston's competition is wealthy Sidney Blackmer (as Philip Ames), while sexy Armida (as Lolita) causes trouble for young Thomas. Interesting to note Montgomery Clift played the part in Thomas Mitchell's 1935 Broadway comedy, then titled "Fly Away Home". Director Joseph "Jo" Graham does well with the street scenes, especially a rousing variation of the title that likely sent harmonica sales rising.****** Always in My Heart (3/14/42) Jo Graham ~ Gloria Warren, Kay Francis, Walter Huston, Frankie Thomas

What a supple, burnished soprano for a twenty-or-whatever-year old, what range! - Do you tin-ears (sorry; I can't resist) realise she just held a HIGH F (that's UNGODLY high) for a long time at the end of "Una Voce Poca Fa?" - and that whole harmonica / soft shoe number just performed by the company was adorable, accomplished and fun. FUN! - No fighting Ninjas, no hugely amplified, droning electroid muzack. The movie's about half through (am watching it on TCM just now) and I think it's a gas. Well done, lovely Gloria Warren, Walter Huston and co. A human story, told with feeling and class. Who knew. --- Oh rats, that's all I want to say, and this dang IMDb thing won't accept this review unless I make it much more verbose. Ho hum. What shalt I say here: well, Una What's her-Face (Olivia de Havilland / Maid Marian's chaperone in 1939) just played a tiny comic scene TO PERFECTION: "Dinner is served in the breakfast nook" - hilarious accent; perfect, light timing. - Those Brits sure perfected comic chops. - OK, is that 10 lines now?? I hope so. - I shalt now re-submit this scholarly, authoritative tome. LET'S HEAR IT FOR WARNER BROTHERS!

Walter Huston, Kay Francis and Gloria Warren star in "Always in My Heart," a 1942 film featuring Sidney Blackmer, Frankie Thomas and Una O'Connor. Francis plays "Mudge," a woman whose ex-husband (Huston) is in prison. She is getting ready to marry again, this time to a wealthy man, Philip (Blackmer). Her daughter Vicky (Warren) doesn't care for him, but her son (Marty (Thomas) likes his money. Mudge goes to see her former husband, a talented musician, in prison to tell him that if there's any chance of a pardon, she'll wait for him; he lies and says there's no chance, although he already has one (he was innocently involved in a shady business deal; a fight broke out, and a man died). He wants her to remarry and the kids to be taken care of. The children have been told he's dead. When he's released, he goes into their home town to get a look at the kids and ends up staying in "Fish Town," an Italian community, where he works and plays his music. It's through music that he bonds with Vicky, who wants to be a singer. Meanwhile, he watches his son, who is dating a street smart woman who's a little older than he is and becomes concerned.This is a very sweet film with some enjoyable music and operatic singing by Warren. With the success of Deanna Durbin, the studios apparently all scrambled for their own version. Warren had a well-trained, small coloratura voice that had a very high sound to it (everything she sang sounded as if it started about an octave higher than anyone else's music), the kind of voice very popular back in the days of the French soprano, Lily Pons. She was dark and pretty with a certain appeal, but the voice didn't have the versatility of Durbin's, nor was she as charismatic. Huston, of course, does a beautiful job as her father. Francis looks fantastic and gives a lovely performance. Warner Brothers was just about to dump her. Una O'Connor is very funny as the housekeeper, and while some may have found her annoying, I thought Patti Hale, who played O'Connor's granddaughter, was adorable.If you're a Kay Francis fan, a Walter Huston fan, or an opera fan, you should enjoy "Always in my Heart."

I watched this on cable TV, and was delighted with the characters and their bonds of love. The love and understanding of "Munch" for "Mac" made it an uplifting story of how love transcends the years and rough times. I thoroughly enjoyed the contrast of Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals with the otherwise serious elements of the movie. It reminded me of the contrast between John Denver and Placido Domingo singing "Perhaps Love", two beautifully competent musicians of different genres and cultures coming together to make beautiful music! It made the movie interesting, and I enjoyed the humor and music of Borrah and those harmonicas! If I could find it, I'd purchase the DVD for myself and one for my mother, who also loved it!