Rating: Summary: The man who invented big band! Review: "The Glenn Miller Story" can be enjoyed even by someone who's not a fan of big band or jazz music. It's for everyone especially music lovers of all tastes. Jimmy Stewart is cast superbly here and at times you're thinking you're watching the actual Glenn Miller himself and not the actor. The music of Glenn Miller is brought to life so magically with its captivating soundtrack filled with his most memorable tunes and melodies like "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and the one everyone knows: "Moonlight Serenade." The colors on this film are vivid and make you wish you'd want to be there. It was indeed tragic to lose such a great musician all too soon. You still hear his music in movies, nightclubs, theaters and more. All in all, it is a neat movie to look at and to hear remembering the trombonist who became the leader of the band: Glenn Miller.
Rating: Summary: The man who invented big band! Review: "The Glenn Miller Story" can be enjoyed even by someone who's not a fan of big band or jazz music. It's for everyone especially music lovers of all tastes. Jimmy Stewart is cast superbly here and at times you're thinking you're watching the actual Glenn Miller himself and not the actor. The music of Glenn Miller is brought to life so magically with its captivating soundtrack filled with his most memorable tunes and melodies like "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and the one everyone knows: "Moonlight Serenade." The colors on this film are vivid and make you wish you'd want to be there. It was indeed tragic to lose such a great musician all too soon. You still hear his music in movies, nightclubs, theaters and more. All in all, it is a neat movie to look at and to hear remembering the trombonist who became the leader of the band: Glenn Miller.
Rating: Summary: SWINGING BACK IN TIME TO MARVELOUS MILLER! Review: "The Glenn Miller Story" is one of those glossy, over fictionalized life stories that Hollywood still enjoys making from time to time. It's full of schmaltz, charm, camp and gushy romance that is infectious on the big screen. James Stewart is the band leader in question. June Allyson plays his loving, devoted girlfriend-wife. There's not much in the way of plot but oh, that music - that inescapably captivating sound of swing that sets the heart a flutter and the toes a tapping!Universal's transfer leaves something to be desired. It's widescreen and anamorphic - that's a start! But the colors have badly faded. Certain scenes can appear quite sharp while others look slightly out of focus. Fine details are quite often lost. Flesh tones are too pink. Pixelization is evident in many of the scenes. The audio is stereo but just barely. At times it appears scratchy and strident. The music is well represented but somehow overpowering. There's nothing natural sounding about the levels that either it or the dialogue have been recorded at. NO EXTRA FEATURES - not even a trailer! Really! For good ol' Glenn - more should have been done!
Rating: Summary: Inaccurate, but absolutely entertaining! Review: Another reviewer commented on the innaccuracies of this film, and I have to concur. But who cares? This is an absolutely enjoyable, old fashioned, biopic love story, and I don't normally enjoy love stories (though my wife does). In fact, this is one of my favorite movies. You can watch it several times, and still be engaged by the characters and the story. The on-screen chemistry between Allyson (Helen Miller) and Stewart (Glenn Miller) is first rate, and Harry Morgan's "Chummy MacGregor" characterization is the ideal sidekick for this type of movie (highly inaccurate, but flattering to his subject). Big Band fans will enjoy cameos by the likes of the great Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack (playing some driving drums, too briefly in my opinion), and others. Stewart's Miller is as likeable as any Stewart character, so if you want to know how Glenn really was, then read George T. Simon's book "Glenn Miller and His Orchestra." If you are a big band fan, you'll positively love this movie with all of its factual flaws, because it is positively pro-Miller, and pro-Big Band music all the way. The actors and the director clearly liked their subject, and it is said that Stewart very much wanted this role. This movie is way too good to miss.
Rating: Summary: The Heart of Big Band! Review: Anyone who loves Big Band deserves to see The Glenn Miller Story. Presented with an undoubtedly Hollywood slant, it still presents current viewers with a picture of earlier times and life in America. What could be better than a movie that brings "Moonlight Serenade" to life?
Rating: Summary: They don¿t make stories (or men for that matter) like this a Review: As portrayed, Glenn Miller is an inspiration of hard work and dedication, a gentleman with enough self-doubt and humility to make us love him even more. Who better to entrust with this overwhelming role of unabashed American Hero than the man who inspires that feeling in all of us merely through his presence? James Stewart. Universal knew they had magic in a bottle when they paired June Allyson with Stewart as Miller's wife, Helen. They had seen it in Metro's 'The Stratton Story", five years earlier. Allyson is marvelous here as a woman who's dogged determination kept Miller on track, whose support and inspiration may have counted as much for his success, as his God-given talent. (After the success of 'The Glenn Miller Story', Paramount would take its turn with the Stewart-Allyson (and director Anthony Mann) pairing the following year with 'Strategic Air Command') With 100 plus channels of television, and wonderful biographical outlets such as A&E's 'Biography' available today, movie studios tend to make less and less of this fare. Maybe they just don't have as many wonderful subjects as Glenn Miller, or as many talented actors to fill the roles. A nice companion piece to 'The Benny Goodman Story' starring Steve Allen-you might want to make it a big band bio afternoon some weekend.
Rating: Summary: Not the real Miller, but that's okay. Review: By all accounts, Glenn Miller was not nearly so engaging and charming a personality as that portrayed by Jimmy Stewart. The problem with that fact is that it's hard to make a movie about a guy who was just a hard-working, hard-nosed, but bland bandleader. Solution: create a work of extreme fiction, centered around a search for "the sound" that would make Miller and his band famous. Of course that's nonsense; he had the basic clarinet/saxophone sound well before he became famous. But no matter; even though the plot is a fabrication, it still makes an enjoyable movie. Stewart and Allison are likeable, and the music is excellent. Highlights: the scene where Miller arranges "Moonlight Serenade" using "the sound" and the instruments are added one by one, as he writes down the notes, until the full, beautiful score fills the soundtrack; and the wartime performance of "In the Mood" punctuated by the buzz bomb attack. Great stuff.
Rating: Summary: What a classic! Review: Even though I'm 25 I share an interest in all music...whether that's classical, christian, country, rock, rap, heavy metal or big band! This video is worthy of every penny you spend for it! The story line is well thought out and the details are as accurate as they could be. This is a must for everyone to watch! I would recommend this movie for anyone on a week night, weekend or a holiday so sit back, put your feet up, relax and let Glenn Miller take you away!
Rating: Summary: One of Hollywoods Best now on Anamorphic WideScreen DVD! Review: Hollywoods 1954 version of "The Glenn Miller Story" is a great story, with outstanding music & WideScreen gorgeous Technicolor. Starring James Stewart as an outstanding Glenn Miller and June Allison as his devoted wife/fan. This Universals Movie has been digitally remastered picture and sound. With a Anamorphic WideScreen (automatically adjust to your tv picture size) & enhanced for 16:9 HDTV's. This TECHNICOLOR Cinamscope picture is beautiful to watch. Summary: The story covers his early years as struggling musician & musical arranger, his obsession with finding the unique Miller Band sound and marrying his favorite girl, Helen (Allison). With an AllStar cast and numerous cameos by Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, Frances Langford and more this music based life story is a pure joy. Millers songs include: Little Brown Jug (his wifes favorite song), Pennsylvania 6 - 5000 (His phone number when he proposed to his wife), String 0f Pearls (his engagement gift to his wife - the necklace!! not the song), Moonlight Serenade (the song that launched his career), Tuxedo Junction (his first movie song), In the Mood, and Chatanooga Choo Choo (World War II song sung by Frances Langford). There are no extras on this DVD, but the movie says it all. This delightful film is worth an encore family viewing. Stewart & Allison have genuine screen chemistry and the music is awesome. Swing at its best. Get out the popcorn for you'll be "IN THE MOOD" for "The Glenn Miller Story" Hollywood style. Enjoy.
Rating: Summary: One of Hollywoods Best now on Anamorphic WideScreen DVD! Review: Hollywoods 1954 version of "The Glenn Miller Story" is a great story, with outstanding music & WideScreen gorgeous Technicolor. Starring James Stewart as an outstanding Glenn Miller and June Allison as his devoted wife/fan. This Universals Movie has been digitally remastered picture and sound. With a Anamorphic WideScreen (automatically adjust to your tv picture size) & enhanced for 16:9 HDTV's. This TECHNICOLOR Cinamscope picture is beautiful to watch. Summary: The story covers his early years as struggling musician & musical arranger, his obsession with finding the unique Miller Band sound and marrying his favorite girl, Helen (Allison). With an AllStar cast and numerous cameos by Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, Frances Langford and more this music based life story is a pure joy. Millers songs include: Little Brown Jug (his wifes favorite song), Pennsylvania 6 - 5000 (His phone number when he proposed to his wife), String 0f Pearls (his engagement gift to his wife - the necklace!! not the song), Moonlight Serenade (the song that launched his career), Tuxedo Junction (his first movie song), In the Mood, and Chatanooga Choo Choo (World War II song sung by Frances Langford). There are no extras on this DVD, but the movie says it all. This delightful film is worth an encore family viewing. Stewart & Allison have genuine screen chemistry and the music is awesome. Swing at its best. Get out the popcorn for you'll be "IN THE MOOD" for "The Glenn Miller Story" Hollywood style. Enjoy.
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