Music in My Heart (1940) User Reviews

Monkey business

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 23 October 2004]

Music In My Heart was another step up the ladder in the career of Rita Hayworth to when she became the number one sex goddess of the American cinema. For this one, Harry Cohn borrowed Tony Martin from Darryl Zanuck at Fox for her leading man. The song writing team of Robert Wright and Chet Forrest wrote some nice songs for Martin, one of which, It's a Blue World was nominated for an Oscar in 1940.

Tony Martin is an actor/understudy who gets his first break on Broadway just as he's being deported. In full costume as a Ruritanian guardsman, he jumps in a cab. The cab is racing to the Hudson river pier when it collides with another cab in a fender bender. Who should be in that cab, but Rita Hayworth (Martin, you lucky dog). She's racing to the pier to be with Alan Mowbray, a millionaire she's planning to marry.

I think everyone can guess the rest. That's what it was like in Hollywood back then, silly plots, but oh so charmingly presented.

The supporting cast was pretty good for a B film. Alan Mowbray and Eric Blore as the millionaire and his factotum butler have some very funny moments. So does George Tobias as a phony Russian aristocrat.

In his joint memoirs with wife Cyd Charisse, Martin describes a hilarious incident while shooting this. Martin has a song Punchinello to sing to an organ grinder's monkey named same. The monkey had a mind of his own and started up to the roof of the sound stage and wouldn't come down. Martin says Harry Cohn went into an apoplectic rage over this and got no sympathy from his human employees who enjoyed seeing this monkey make a monkey out of Cohn while costing him thousands of dollars while cast and crew sat around getting paid by the hour.

A nice enjoyable film and a step up in the career ladder of Margaret Carmen Cansino.

Tony Martin & Rita Hayworth make beautiful music together

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 1 May 2007]

Tony Martin has "Music in My Heart," a 1940 B movie also starring Rita Hayworth, Edith Fellows, Alan Mowbray, Eric Blore and George Tobias. Martin is singer Bob Gregory, who is about to be deported. We never get the full story, except his parents never applied for citizenship. Presumably he was born elsewhere but raised in the U.S. On his way to the boat to leave the country, his cab collides with the one carrying gorgeous Patricia O'Malley (Hayworth) who is on her way to the boat, too, so she can marry a rich man (Mowbray). They both miss the boat, and Bob ends up not only staying with Patricia's family but falling in love with her as well.

The film is filled with music and some great singing by Martin, who by the time I was a child, wasn't doing this type of singing any longer. He had a fantastic tenor voice. Rita's hair looks black here but she's no less beautiful. She only has one dance, but it's basically hip movement - we don't get to see much else. She and Martin make a handsome team and give relaxed performances.

"Music in My Heart" is probably a cut above a B, considering the cast. Since Cohn was grooming Rita for stardom, he surrounded her with good talent. Not that she needed anyone else around her - she always glittered like gold.

Rita and Tony

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 23 August 2006]

Rita Hayworth was one of the busiest women in the business in the late thirties and forties. "Music in My Heart" is one of the five releases she participated in 1940. Her ascent into the stratosphere was obvious. Unfortunately, this movie, while pleasant, didn't quite show her at her best. Paired with Tony Martin, who was borrowed for this film, paid off because both leading stars make a nice couple.

The film's weak plot can't hide its obvious faults, but the amazing cast that was assembled for this production make up for the silliness of the premise. We are asked to believe that Bob Gregory, an aspiring singer who has just made a last minute splash substituting for the star of a Broadway show, is going to be deported by Immigration. It shows how sadly dated the idea is judging by the massive influx of illegal immigrants to this country and nobody is sent home!

Tony Martin had one of the most melodious voices of his generation. He has an excellent opportunity as he sings a few songs. His rendition of "Pulcinello", and "It's a Grey World", are wonderful examples of what he could do with his voice. He also cast a fine figure opposite the leading lady.

The supporting cast does a great job in the picture. The sweet Edith Fellows, is seen as Mary, the loyal sister. Eric Blore, George Tobias and Alan Mowbray, make the film better by their contributions. Joseph Stanley directed.

Pleasant Little Programmer!

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 6 September 2018]

"Music In My Heart" was a vehicle for popular singer Tony Martin with Rita Hayworth thrown in in one for good measure. While she had been in movies since the mid thirties, Hayworth was still being developed by Columbia Pictures with whom she had recently signed. They are also given an "A" list of supporting actors to help out.

Robert Gregory (Martin) is about to be deported to some unknown country. Before he leaves he is given a chance to sing the leading role in a Broadway production. After the show he hops into a cab and heads for the pier where a ship is waiting to take him to God knows where. On the way his taxi collides with another carrying, you guessed it, the lovely Patricia O'Malley (Hayworth). It seems that she too was on her way to the same location to get married. They both arrive late and a warrant is issued for Robert's arrest.

The two go to Patricia's home which is housed with a small restaurant run by Sascha (George Tobias). Patricia's young sister Mary (Edith Fellows) thinks that Robert is just right for her older sister. Accordian playing Luigi (George Humbert) is late with the rent as usual. Patricia's intended husband, millionaire Charles Gardner (Alan Mowbray) did not sail off with the ship as thought.

Incredibly, Robert and Patricia fall in love overnight and become engaged. Gardner's valet Griggs (Eric Blore concocts a scheme where he gets his employer's newspaper to print a one copy edition of the paper showing Robert as being married with three children. Patricia sees the paper and returns to Gardner with the intention of marrying him. Of course this will never happen and Gardner sees that she is still in love with Robert...awwwwww. Edith Fellows practically steals the picture as the scheming little sister.

Any way Robert somehow manages to appear on a radio program with the massive Andre Kostelanitz orchestra and sing a couple of songs and...............................................................................

Martin gets all of the attention here, singing a number of songs. He never really made it in the movies as an "A" list star. Rita gets to do a little dance around the kitchen but does not get to sing. She would soon be dancing with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in future movies and the rest as they say...is history.

A light comedy romance and musical, early in WW II

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 14 December 2021]

"Music in My Heart" is a light comedy and musical romance. Columbia Pictures wasn't yet among the top studios in Hollywood, but it was beginning to compete well with the Big Five in comedies, musicals, and dramas. This film came out while World War II was underway, but a full year before the U. S. would enter the war. Rita Hayworth had been in films for six years, but her star was just beginning to rise after the 1939 smash hit with Cary Grant, "Only Angels Have Wings" Sill, she had second billing here to Tony Martin who was a popular singer and actor at the time.

Both Martin (as Robert Gregory) and Hayworth (as Patricia O'Malley) sing in this picture, and while it's not billed as a comedy, the comedy carries much of the film. It has a fine supporting cast of some top comedy actors of the period -- Eric Blore, Alan Mowbray, and George Tobias. Andre Kostelanetz and his Orchestra add to the music. A better screenplay could have made more use of Blore and Mowbray.

The plot is fair and has a very unusual, but funny and happy ending. Martin, by the way, was a very accomplished musician on a couple of instruments as well. Here are some favorite lines from the film.

Robert Gregory, "You don't mean Charles Gardner, the millionaire publisher?" Patricia O'Malley " Uh huh." Gregory, "Say, he's got lots of money." O'Malley, "Most millionaires have."

Robert Gregory, "If you don't mind me saying so, you don't sound very much in love with him." Patricia O'Malley, "I do mind." Gregory, "Well, then, I won't say it."

Griggs (Eric Bore), "Shall we try some more bicarbonate, sir?" Charles Gardner (Alan Mowbray), "No, the bicarbonate interferes with the brandy."

There is Music in My Heart But Not Much Else **1/2

[edwagreen · 5/10 · 23 August 2006]

Rita Hayworth stars in a film that would have been better served by having Ginger Rogers in it.

Rita misses the boat and therefore an opportunity to wed wealthy boyfriend Alan Mowbray who has a contentious butler, played by the usual witty Eric Blore. In a taxi-cab mishap, she meets up with Tony Martin, who is about to be deported.

The rest of the film is devoted to hiding Tony out from immigration authorities. George Tobias plays a Russian chef whose major claim to fame was that he was honored by the tsar for his blintzes!

The gags are predictable and we can all guess what the plot shall bring. We needed Tony to be singing more. The film ends with him singing the title song. Hayworth has a one scene fling at dancing which is great but more of this was needed.

Formula fluff is a showcase for Tony Martin's singing voice...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 15 August 2008]

MUSIC IN MY HEART is the kind of predictable little programmer that Columbia churned out on a regular basis during the late '30s and early '40s. It's not exactly an A-film--more like a classy B flick--but it's strictly formula stuff all the way with a predictable plot based on the boy meets girl--boy loses girl--boy wins girl idea.

TONY MARTIN, looking great and in good voice, gets a chance to dominate the proceedings with his strong vocal abilities, especially on a little number called "It's A Blue World." RITA HAYWORTH, with dark hair and low hairline, is attractive and fetching as his girlfriend, but she barely gets a chance to do more than shake her hips in her one dance number. It's easy to see that she was photogenic in all of her close-ups and on the verge of becoming a big star.

The supporting cast is a good one, including ALAN MOBRAY, ERIC BLORE and GEORGE TOBIAS. I'm not keen about EDITH FELLOWS (as Rita's younger sister), sorry to say.

It's pleasant, light entertainment with a silly story and some humor that is only mildly amusing, involving a rascal of a monkey.

An underrated gem

[calvertfan · 9/10 · 1 November 2001]

This has to be one of the most underrated of Rita's films, yet is up there with the best. A very short runtime of just 69 minutes, it still manages to dish up a delightful 'boy meets girl' tale - when their cabs collide, of course changing both their destinies. A simple little musical, it gives Rita just the one dance, which is not photographed all that well, but shows what will be in years to come. Any Rita fans out there, you will thoroughly enjoy this I guarantee it. I almost didn't buy it when I had the chance due to not being able to find reviews anywhere, so I feel I have to write this to save someone else from passing it up!

Gosh oh Gee

[toyguy-31519 · 3/10 · 11 August 2021]

This movie can be summed up by the two taxi cabs in the beginning, a wreck, and even that was ridiculous. The one saving grace is Rita Hayworth. Watching the grossly over animated Tony Martin go through the absurd acts of kindness of strangers and others while trying to out do Nelson Eddy in a wide mouth bass singing performance is more than a person can take. The monkey did a good cameo. Predictable, silly and disappointing.

Meet Tony Martin, the Italian Cinderella man.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 13 November 2015]

Operetta star today, deported tomorrow. or at least that's how it's supposed to be, but thanks to a class with Russian restaurant waitress Rita Hayworth, he ends up missing the boat that she was supposed to leave New York on. Ending up on the East side of Manhattan disguised as a Russian waiter, Martin has to deal with the man Hayworth was engaged to, Alan Mowbray, and his overly efficient valet, Eric Blore. But the friendly Russian immigrants keep Martin protected, when Hayworth's younger sister, Edith Fellowes does everything to keep Mowbray away and Martin and Hayworth together.

A couple of decent songs make this a passable time filler with a rather absurd plot but some fun character performances especially the effete Blore and an over the top George Tobias. There's also an adorable spider monkey who gets a song dedicated to her. Hayworth is under- done with her makeup at a minimum. Martin gives an exuberant performance that could be his best.

One of the many things I love about this type movie is the musical entertainment

[jfarms1956 · 3/10 · 3 December 2013]

Music In My Heart is a movie that is geared towards the baby-boomer generation. The movie has many musical numbers within it. One of the many things I love about this type movie is the musical entertainment within the movie. This alone makes the movie worth watching. I really like listening the music (singing and orchestral compositions). I miss this in todays movies. The acting and storyline are okay and really do not matter to me. The actors/actresses in the 1940s and 1950s always seem to perform their roles so well that you really believe that they are who they play --not like most of those today. The movie is light in story and plot. It is a good movie to watch in the late afternoon or for a late night movie. By the time you wake up the next morning, all you will remember is the wonderful music. Good entertainment for just a little over an hour. Bring your coffee or wine out to enjoy with the movie along with some cold veggies.

Excellent and Cute Little Picture

[stareyes24 · 8/10 · 2 March 2006]

I have this movie on DVD and I have to say that I truly enjoy this film. It's too bad that Tony Martin and Rita Hayworth didn't do another film together. They compliment each other perfectly. The songs are great and even though this film isn't exactly a "B" movie, nor is it an "A" movie, it's considered an "A-" film, the production values are really good, the cast is great, and the songs are excellent. The only complaint that I have about this film is that it isn't longer. Had the length been a little longer and been directed by a more famous director, this film could have been a movie musical classic. Besides that, I really enjoyed this film and it's interesting to see Rita in one of her early film roles. Definitely a must see movie for any Rita Hayworth or Tony Martin fans.

Tony Martin's singing is so good, it really doesn't matter about the plot!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 21 January 2014]

Robert (Tony Martin) is due to be deported and so he is rushing to the harbor to board the boat. Sharing his cab is Patricia (Rita Hayworth) is a woman rushing to marry a rich guy (Alan Mowbray). However, when there is a wreck and the cab is delayed, both miss the boat and it changes the rest of their lives.

It's strange. For years, I haven't liked singing in most movies and hated that so many classic Hollywood films have songs planted right in the middle of them for no apparent reason. However, recently I have noticed that this doesn't bother me as much as it used to--particularly when the singer has such a beautiful voice. This is definitely the case with Tony Martin. While he didn't make a ton of movies, when he did, his singing was just amazing--among the best you could find. So, as I watched "Music in My Heart", I enjoyed the musical interludes, as Martin's crooning was quite nice.

So, apart from Martin's singing, is there anything else that could make this movie worth your time? Well, it might be worth seeing just to see Rita Hayworth in one of her films before her HUGE make-over. This is because she was a favorite actress of studio head Roy Cohn and he personally groomed both her career and her face. He ordered her hairline to be adjusted (owch!), her skin to be lightened and her hairstyle and color changed. Here in this film, she's about midway through her makeover--not as ethnic as she had been but definitely not the glamor girl she soon was to become.

Another reason to watch the film is the nice little touches. Lots of wonderful supporting actors are in this one--such as Eric Blore and George Tobias. And, more importantly, their dialog is excellent--providing the sort of clever and cute colorful touches that make a film memorable.

So, despite this being a B-movie (due to its short running time and budget), it's very, very good B--almost like a 'B+' film! Enjoyable, fun and well worth your time. And while I'll admit that the ending is hokey, it sure is fun!

Very enjoyable if minor musical.

[billintucson3 · 8/10 · 27 December 2007]

It's good to see a very young Rita Hayworth (before her Columbia make-over) looking terrific and having a lot of fun along with young and handsome Tony Martin who's in excellent voice singing pleasant songs including the Oscar nominated IT'S A BLUE WORLD. They give delightful performances and work well together.

A fine supporting cast is headed by the charming, underrated Edith Fellows who assists Martin in two numbers. While Alan Mowbray, Eric Blore, George Tobias and George Humbert all do well in the kind of parts they had played many times before but which was welcomed with glee by audiences of the thirties and forties.

Rita gets a chance to dance a little but her exceptional terpsichorean talents are wasted here.

A most enjoyable way to pass an hour.

Hayworth is Fine, but This is Tony Martin's Film from Beginning to End

[joe-pearce-1 · 9/10 · 10 June 2021]

Back around 1958 or 1959, this film was shown on either The Late Show or The Late Late Show. I had only recently gotten a tape recorder, and I recorded all the musical numbers, and then played them over and over again for about the next ten years. Although Martin had some pretty good opportunities in movies over a few decades, this is the one that catches him, and especially that glorious voice, at his absolute best throughout. Although he never sang opera (except a couple of "doctored" pieces in later films), I've always thought that this was a voice that, with a change in the direction of his voice training, could have served very well in opera, and as a tenor, not a baritone! (I have an unpublished Victor of him doing "E lucevan le stelle" from TOSCA, and he sings it very well indeed.) Anyway, he is showcased here in several very good numbers - "It's a Blue World" (an Academy Award nominated song), "Poor Punchinello" (which would be heard in the background, especially in carnival settings, of many more Columbia films of the 1940s), and most especially the title song of the film, "Music in My Heart", which he sings in the closing moments of the film and which is downright thrilling in its vocal freedom, so much so that although I collected his records at least through the mid-1950s (there's a great DESERT SONG on Victor with Kathryn Grayson who had just filmed the Romberg operetta with Gordon MacRae), I never heard him sound any better than in this film's concluding moments; indeed, I can't think of a single non-classical singer who ever sounded as good in a movie as does Tony Martin here. And the film itself is really an enjoyable piece of fluff from beginning to end, and maybe your only chance to ever see Andre Kostelanetz on the screen. (If you don't remember him, in addition to his huge classical output, he was issuing albums of "Opera for Orchestra" and loads and loads of top-selling LPs devoted to the great American songwriters from the late 1940s into the mid-1960s, all for Columbia Records, and was also married to diva Lily Pons for about two decades.)