User reviews

Produced nine years after his death this is Hollywood's obituary of swing era legend Glenn Miller. Essentially a musical told around the story of his struggle to achieve musical stardom. A film that will appeal to all lovers of 1930s swing music and Glenn Miller in particular. A film also for James Stewart fans. Casting the gangling Stewart as Miller was a huge gamble that succeeded; if it had failed so would have the film. This success was due to Anthony Mann's undoubted ability as a director. The Mann-Stewart combination had already proved itself but here both were on unfamiliar territory. Mann's forté was the outdoor adventure while Stewart was a pre-war light comedy star still trying to find a new identity. Mann had earlier directed Stewart in Winchester '73(1950)and the two were to go on to further success with The Far Country (1954) and The Man from Larramie (1955). He excels himself in bringing out previously unknown talents in Stewart that make this a career best for the Actor. Clad simply in a military raincoat, a trombone to his lips and sporting a USAAF officer's peaked cap he requires no further make-up to pass himself off as the wartime Miller. Among the lesser credits is the name of an unknown Henry Mancini but this was to be his big break as at the young age of 22 he was to become an Oscar nominee (jointly with Joseph Gershenson) for musical scoring. Before joining Universal Mancini had been a piano player and arranger with the post-war "Glenn Miller Orchestra", by using musicians from this band, made up mainly of sidesmen from Miller's own bands, Mancini ensured an authentic re-creation of the seductive Miller sound that had enchanted teenagers in the years leading up to the war. Regrettably an argument with the Miller Estate prevented the participation of saxophonist Ted Beneke, who had earlier led the post-war band and was renowned for his performance of Chattanoga Choo-Choo in"SunValley Serenade" (1941). The fidelity of the sound track of Miller's music won the film an Oscar for best sound recording of a musical. After a ponderous start the film picks up pace in apparent tune with Miller's success until the last reel is a non-stop performance of Miller standards. Miller was supported throughout by his wife, Helen, sympathetically played by a cuddlesome June Allyson, who ceaselessly encouraged him when all seemed to have failed. When news of his death reaches her one immediately feels her sadness in her loss and spontaneously grieves with her. Get your hankies out! A few minor lapses mar an otherwise competent production; Miller is incongruously seen in his army raincoat an a glorious summer's day conducting his wartime band at an outdoor concert in England just after D-day while the audience and band are in standard military attire; a continuity lapse shows a German flying bomb attack taking place before D-day, 6th June, whereas the first one did not reach England until the following week. Miller's loss at the peak of popularity, flying in advance of his band to make arrangements in Paris for his Christmas concert, ensured his enduring fame. As his plane and body were never recovered the mystery of his death has added to the legend. Only in the last decade have military historians been able to piece together his last moments and pinpoint where the plane came down. Whilst crossing the English Channel in dense fog the plane, which relied entirely on a compass for navigation, wandered off course and entered a prohibited area reserved for returning Allied bombers to drop any left over bombs; it was one of these that hit the plane so bringing to its end the life of one Glenn Alton Miller. Anthony Mann's deliberately abrupt end to the film comes as a jolt and dramatically conveys the unexpected loss of the patriotic Miller in his prime - the touch of the Master. A film that has stood the test of time; part fact, part fiction, it will remain the definitive tribute to the man and his music. Good wholesome entertainment for the whole family and a must for Stewart and Miller fans.

This warm movie deals with Music of the Big Band Era living again thanks to the legendary and popular musician Glenn Miller : James Stewart who looks exactly every inch the trombonist. Concerning his emotive life from his poor starts as a humble trombonist and subsequently bandleader , his intimate love story , marriage to June Allyson, until his early death by a plane crash during WWII .Being one of the best and charming musical biographies ever to come out of the classic Hollywood . See it and hear it as never before !. It was a time that changed the world and one man put it to music.! . Their love made such wonderful music !.

An enjoyable and really attractive biography whose music had all of American tapping its feets. It results to be an agreeable drama with emotion, romance, well shot musical stage and packed to the gills with a clutch of successful tunes. Main and support cast are frankly wonderful . Stewart is terrific and even fakes the trombone playing well under score by Henry Mancini. While June Allyson as his beloved wife is awesome and sympathetic. Along with a nice plethora of secondaries such as : George Tobias, Harry Morgan, Charles Drake, Barton McLane, James Bell, and guest appearances from Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack and Gene Krupa.

Of course, Glenn's music is the highlight of the movie, including the wonderful hit tunes as "Little Brown Jug" , "Chattanoga Choo Choo" , "In the Mood", "Moonlight Serenade" , "String of Pearls" , "Pennsylvania 6-5000". The picture colorfully photographed by William H Daniels was competently directed by Anthony Mann, delivering convincing portrayals of the characters. Mann was a Western expert as proved in "Bend the River, A Far Country, The Man From Laramie, The Naked Spur, Tin Star Winchester 73" . But Mann also directed other genres as wartime : "Men in War , Strategic Air Command" , Noir Film : "T-Men, Railroad" and Historical : "El Cid, Fall of the Roman Empire" , and Musical : "The Glenn Miller story", among others. Rating : 7.5/10. Notable, better than average.

Were Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson made for the movie,or what?!

Great movie,lovely music!One of those movies that make you feel good all over,with a beautiful blend if wit,emotion and the Blues!What is even more impressive is the use of African American actors,considering the movie was made in 1954.The Jimmy and June combination evokes the chemistry of a Kate and Spencer movie.A true classic in every way,I'd watch it again in a heartbeat!

Easygoing biopic of the titular bandleader, played with charm by the great Jimmy Stewart and directed by his frequent collaborator Anthony Mann. This is unlike any of their other films together, mostly westerns. It's a biopic like they used to make them - uplifting, positive, entertaining. If made today it would almost certainly focus on whatever scandalous lies they could think up about the subject, often spread decades later. In this particular case it would likely be exclusively about his tragic death and the many conspiracy theories surrounding it.

Anyway this is thankfully not that kind of picture. Made in a different time, as they say. The music is exceptional, of course. The romantic story is perfect as well. Stewart and June Allyson had great chemistry. It's a leisurely paced film, perhaps too much so for some. But I enjoyed it.

At the time of its release, everyone in the audience knew what to expect from The Glenn Miller Story. But watching it decades later, even with a love of the early 20th century, I didn't know anything about his life. Needless to say, I was pretty surprised by certain events in the movie.

Many musician biopics blend together, but they have a good reason for them: most musicians have a similar characteristic. Music consumes their lives, often at the expense of other basic needs. In this movie, you'll see James Stewart losing focus of his surroundings when he hears music in his head. He prioritizes concerts over his love for June Allyson, and he's seen time and again hocking his instruments for rent money only to buy them back again when he gets another gig in a band. This one does stand out among some of the others because it's set during a specific time period, the years before WWII.

With his long face, grey in the temples, and round glasses, James Stewart is a great choice for the famed bandleader. Plus, it was a great compliment for Hollywood to cast their favorite everyman as Miller. His longtime pal is played by Harry Morgan, and his sweet, devoted wife is June Allyson. Normally, I can't abide June, so realize my praise for her in this movie is quite rare and precious. Her scenes with Jimmy were very cute, especially the proposal and wedding scenes. Even her dramatics in the film were convincing. She wore a particularly effective expression in her final scene that actually brought a lump to my throat.

You're going to have to be a music lover to like this movie. You'll hear tons of old big band standards, and you'll be taken back to a golden era. Plus, you'll see a classic movie of James Stewart, and that's always fun!

THE GLENN MILLER STORY is a classic biopic starring Jimmy Stewart. The acting and storytelling are both great. The story is very well told. It is entertaining for the duration and very interesting as well.

That being said, the acting and filmmaking techniques here are quite dated. Some viewers might not appreciate them. If you're not used to watching older films, it might take a little while to get used to it. It's still a great movie though. Recommend.

Anthony Mann and James Stewart temporarily left the trail to make this highly romanticised life of Glenn Miller, an appropriate piece of casting since Miller and Stewart both served with distinction in the air force and Stewart later played a mean trumpet in 'Anatomy of a Murder'.

Stewart had a more mellow personality and in reality was a good head than Miller; the presence of June Allyson as his wife considerably helping to soften his image.

It's a biopic of legendary band leader Glenn Miller (1904-1944) (James Stewart). Chummy (Harry Morgan) is his buddy. His girlfriend Helen Burger (June Allyson) grows tired of his long absences.

Glenn Miller has a very good reputation and no one is any better at playing the everyman nice guy than Jimmy Stewart. Their commonality is nothing less than perfect. This has his brand of the great big band music as well as other music of the era. Love the music. Glenn Miller's heroic goodness probably led to the participation of many musicians and the military in this film. Certainly, he's well before my time and I don't know the details of his life. I didn't know about the circumstances of his death. It's great to learn about his life although it's not the most dramatic.

A 1954 biopic on the famed musician & arranger starring James Stewart. Tracing his lean days when he was struggling, Stewart is very friendly w/the local pawn shop owner because he's always putting his trombone up for hawk while also stringing along his girl, June Allyson, for a promised date which seems to never come. Finally getting some traction w/his brand of swing (more down tempo'd than other musicians of the time) he starts seeing some rewards, marries Alyson & then when the war is on, goes overseas to oversee the military band (angering the higher ups when he applies his brand of swing on traditional marching music) but undeniably at film's end, although the film takes liberties w/historical accuracy, the music, which you may or may not know, is fantastic given credence by the inclusion of other luminaries of the time like Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa & others to send the message home, Miller was the real deal. Also starring Harry Morgan as Stewart's right hand man.

Director Anthony Mann Contributed 2 Great Things to the Evolution of the Most Popular Art-Form of the 20th Century..."The Movies" or "The Cinema".

His Film-Noir Style Developed with the Writers and Cinematographers Embedded the Emerging "Phantom-Genre" that Wouldn't Become a Label or Title...Film-Noir...Until "After the Fact",

When French Film Critics Wrote Essays About Discovering a "New" Trend and Style in American Films Starting in the Early 40's.

Anthony Mann Films Such as "Raw Deal" (1948) and T-Men" (1947) were Spontaneously Creating a Leap in the Presentation of Films that was an Unacknowledged Unrecognized Trend During the Zeitgeist that was Forming.

Anthony Mann will be Forever Linked to Film-Noir in the Most Profound.

Director Mann's 2nd Great Contribution is, along with Budd Boetticher, Reshaping, Redefining, and Refreshing the "Western".

To a More Deep and Mature Template Relating to Psychology, Sociology, and Grit Inserted into a Format that was Lacking these Relevant and Important Presentation to the Uniquely American Tales of the "Old West'.

Starting with "Winchester 73 (1950) and Continuing through the Decade with Films Like "The Man From Laramie" (1955), "The Naked Spur" (1953), and Others.

Again He Applies His Creative Talent to the "Art" of Movie-Making in Profound and Eternal Ways that are Still being Felt Today.

That Brings Us to "The Glenn Miller Story", where This Film and "Strategic Air Command" (1955) and Others were Foreshadowing the Directors Swing...

Toward More Big-Budget Behemoths that Continued Throughout the Rest of Anthony Mann's Career.

Such as "El Cid" (1961), and "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964).

The Fact is that His "Western-Revisionist" Films and the Film-Noirs of the 40's are the Ones He Made His Mark.

He will Forever be Acknowledged as a Ground-Breaking, Rule-Changing Director of the "Art-Form" in Important and Influential Paths.

While "The Glenn Miller Story" is a Popular, Well-Done Tribute,

to the Influential and Commercial Enormity of "Big Band" Music and is Well-Known and Often Sighted as Such.

Along with a Slick and Dominate Technicolor Gloss of the Mid-50's, a Good Cast and Mann's Gifts as a Craftsman,

Presents this Rather Pedestrian Picture that is Good Box-Office and Fine Workmanship All Around.

But the Truth is, it Lacks the "Thing" that is Often Repeated from Miller in the Film, "It's a sound like every other sound, it's a Band like every other band, I want my own "Sound".

Well, that was Lost on the Director. Because this is a Film like all those Other Films, it's a Style Like All of those Others.

It Would be Stretching to Call This an "Anthony Mann" Film,It's Like All the Others, just Made with a Little More Talent than Most.

A Very Good Film, but Hardly a Great Film.

Worth a Watch.

Glenn Miller suffered from the same criticisms that jazz musicians (Hancock, Turrentine, Hubbard) I listened to in the 70's suffered: he is too commercial. Jazz is supposed to allow for improvisation according to the "purists." Miller's heavily orchestrated music left little room for that.

No matter, he dominated the charts and jukeboxes of the 40's just as Elvis and the Beatles would in the following decades because he developed a new sound that the kids went for.

This film, starring the great James Stewart (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Philadelphia Story, It's a Wonderful Life) and June Allyson (Too Young to Kiss, The Stratton Story), with superb support by Harry Morgan ("M*A*S*H", "Dragnet") shows the struggles Miller went through to achieve his sound and his final success as a band leader up to his death in a plane crash (a la Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Jiles Perry Richardson).

The film not only has great music by Miller, but some of the big stars of the day in Frances Langford, Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, and Ben Pollack.

A well deserved Oscar for Sound, and nominations for the musical score and the screenplay.

Trivia: Like Amelia Earhart, Miller has never been found.

Were Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson made for the movie,or what?!

Great movie,lovely music!One of those movies that make you feel good all over, with a beautiful blend if wit, emotion and the Blues! What is even more impressive is the use of African American actors,considering the movie was made in 1954.The Jimmy and June combination evokes the chemistry of a Kate and Spencer movie.A true classic in every way, I'd watch it again in a heartbeat!