On Sunday, Turner Classic Movies ran the movie "Always in My Heart"
(1942), starring Walter Huston and Kay Francis.  Huston portrays a
concert pianist/piano tuner who gets mixed up with the wrong crowd and
is sent to prison.  (A piano tuner who goes to prison?!  Oh my!  Think
of the jokes we could make!)

Years later, Huston is pardoned and makes his way across the country
to California.  Along the way, he stops in a restaurant where a
nickelodeon-type player piano is playing.  "Hey, why don't you let me
tune that thing?" asks Huston, showing the restaurant owner his tuning
kit.  The owner declines the offer, saying that he could use some
dishwashing help instead.  (Huston accepts the job.)

A little later, he actually does some work on an old grand piano.
"They don't make them like this any more," he comments about the piano.
Hey, we're still saying the same thing today!  Question to ponder: If
they don't make pianos like they used to in 1999, and they didn't make
pianos "like they used to" in 1942, then when exactly did they make
good pianos?

Another aspect of the movie that I found rather interesting was the
inclusion of a band comprised entirely of harmonica players.  Every
variety and shape of harmonica was used to deliver a very different
musical sound.

"Always in My Heart" is a sentimental little movie with a musical
theme.  I found it rather amusing and entertaining.

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/