Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
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The Glenn Miller Story was made by Universal International Pictures in 1954 just ten years after his tragic and mysterious death. The film is a biopic of the bandleaders life, focusing on his musical career. Starting from his early aspirations to become a musician as a travelling trombone player, the film progresses through Miller’s quest to find his own distinctive signature sound, his marriage, his meteoric success as America's favourite bandleader to his patriotic sacrifice by enlisting in the army to entertain the troops and boulster morale.
This Film has been digitally remastered for DVD to improve picture and sound qualities with a Anamorphic WideScreen that automatically adjust to your tv picture size. The DVD was released on 4th March 2004 and runs for 115 minutes. There are no extras.
The film is completely enjoyable. Miller is portrayed as thoroughly nice man. His courtship and marriage are presented as a traditional love story. The film places the music in their contexts
within his marriage; "Pennsylvania 6-5000", his phone number when he proposed to his wife is played as a surprise for her at their 10th anniversary part; “String of Pearls”, his engagement gift to his wife and the sad ending when she breaks down while listening to Miller's arrangement of her favourite song, "Little Brown Jug."
The music not only provides an insight into Miller’s love for his wife but also shows his ambituous determination to find his own sound and follows his career moves. Miller stumbles upon his sound, a front clarinet backed by four saxophones, when one of his musicians accidentally splits his lip during rehearsal. His arrangement of the melancholy ballad, Moonlight Serenade into "a hoochie coochie number" is indictitive of this resultant sound. “Tuxedo Junction” is Millers first song used in film.
James Stewart stars as Glenn Miller. Stewart was at the height of his career and was a major factor in the film's success. Stewart and Miller appear to have similar qualities with a humble personality, wit and charm. Stewart really wanted this part and was keen to do justice to the film. He had some musical understanding and ability from childhood piano. Stewart initially insisted on playing the trombone himself as wanted this to appear genuine on the film. However, it soon clear he was not proficient enough in playing the instrument and so agreed to plug up his mouthpiece and instead learn the correct hand positions. He was dubbed by the musician Joe Yukl who would stand to one side of the camera while Stewart watched and copied the position of his trombone.
June Allyson stars as Miller’s wife, Helen Berger Miller. June Allyson, also at the height of success often billed American’s sweetheart, played the chirpy and patience wife. There was an evident chemistry between Stewart and Allyson that helped the portrayal of this fairy-tale love story and domestic bliss. This was the second of three films in which the couple would star together. The previous film, The Stratton Story was made in 1949.
Harry Morgan stars as Chummy MacGregor, Miller’s best friend and piano player.
The Director, Anthony Mann, is better known for westerns many also starring James Stewart. This was the fourth film in which the two worked together. The biopic was somewhat of a risk for Mann as other musical biographies like The Fabulous Dorseys of 1947 were box office flops. Mann never really wanted to take on the film, accepting the job as director as a favour to Stewart. He moves the story onward gently and gracefully
The music for the film was ironically arranged by Henry Mancini who also wrote the title theme. At 19 years old, Mancini auditioned for the part of piano player in Miller’s Army Air Force Band but was rejected by Miller. Glenn Miller classics fill the soundtrack with "Moonlight Serenade," "A String of Pearls," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo", "In the Mood". Louie Armstrong and Gene Krupa provide a great jazz number with “Basin Street Blues”. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Score, but lost to Adolph Deutsch and Saul Chaplin for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
The cast and musical cameos by Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack and Gene Krupa contribute to making this film a joy to watch: a feel-good film, that makes Glenn Miller into a legend and hero.
Enjoy the film for the romantic love-story, the music or both.
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Great review, always like Glenn Miller, thanks to my parents, and this film was a brilliant representation of his life, extremely moving and fun.
Tea65 29.03.2005 11:36
I love this film...I've had a video of this film since I was 8 and have got lots of Glenn Miller's stuff that I've collected over the years. This film is definately one that you have to have a box of tissues withy you to watch it.
Great review :o) Tea xx
Elainebaba 18.08.2004 10:15
Now that is what I call music to my ears! I thought the players acted very well in th film, you could just see his life befire you
avril
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fame during the swing era.The Glenn Miller Storymay be a whitewashed version of Miller's life, but it certainly is a pleasant example of the feel-good Hollywood biop...
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Advantages: Innocent look at a famous musician, James Stewart is brilliant Disadvantages: Dull due to the story being to sanitized
christianfilmcritic 05.01.2008 (05.01.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Glenn Miller Story (DVD)
Advantages: Innocent look at a famous musician, James Stewart is brilliant Disadvantages: Dull due to the story being to sanitized
christianfilmcritic 05.01.2008 (05.01.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Glenn Miller Story (DVD)
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![The Glenn Miller Story [DVD] [1953]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/89911356.jpg "The Glenn Miller Story [DVD] [1953]")
Jun 30th, 2004
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