The Glenn Miller Story

This chocolate box account of Swing-era maestro Glenn Miller is typical 1950s M-O-R fare, soft-centred mush with your all-American nice guy, Jimmy Stewart, lending his aw-shucks laconicism to the Miller myth. Harry Morgan, best known for his television work and then named "Henry" plays his good buddy (every American screen hero’s got to have one), Chummy, whilst June Allyson plays Helen his devoted wife (every American screen hero’s got to have one).

There are brief guest appearances by Frances Langford, Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack, Gene Krupa, The Modernaires, The Archie Savage Dancers, Barney Bigard, James Young, Marty Napoleon, Arvell Shaw, Cozy Cole, and Babe Russin and most of Miller’s best-known songs get an airing including Moonlight Serenade, String of Pearls, In the Mood, Pennsylvania 6-5000, and Chattanooga Choo Choo, although it is only the Louis Armstrong rendition of Basin Street complete with spinning colored gel that offers any respite to the honeyed smoothness of Miller’s music and Mann’s direction..

 

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