Product Description

The jazz trombonist marries his sweetheart forms a band and creates his signature sound. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 01/06/2004 Starring: James Stewart Harry Morgan Run time: 115 minutes Rating: G Director: Anthony Mann

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7479 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 2003-03-04
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
James Stewart, at his warmest and most avuncular, plays the bandleader who rocketed to fame during the swing era. The Glenn Miller Story may be a whitewashed version of Miller's life, but it certainly is a pleasant example of the feel-good Hollywood biopic, with the usual conventions: early struggles, loyal wife (June Allyson at her chirpiest), personal sacrifice--Miller joins the Army when war breaks out, although he doesn't have to--and ultimate tragedy. All the Glenn Miller classics filling the soundtrack make the film pretty easy to take, too: "Moonlight Serenade," "A String of Pearls," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo." Miller plays the great "In the Mood" with his military band during a World War II air-raid warning. Pure corn, but it works. Director Anthony Mann, better known for his superb series of hard-bitten fifties westerns with Stewart, keeps the story moving gently and gracefully. A hot jazz interlude features Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

One of Hollywoods Best now on Anamorphic WideScreen DVD!
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.

Star Power, Great Music, Nostalgia for All
First I must take gentle exception to the post below stating that there were no widescreen (anamorphic) movies in the US prior to 1955. Uh-uhh! Fox imported a French anamorphic system, christened it CinemaScope, and used it beginning in 1953 (How to Marry a Millionaire and the Robe, for example). By 1954 'scope was spreading to other studios, as witness MGM's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Brigadoon. OK, the transfer onto DVD of THE GLENN MILLER STORY is a little flat--but blame that on the production standards of 1954, when Technicolor and the other colors were still quite picky--often to the point where cinematographer and director had to use compromise lenses to make sure the film wasn't underexposed.

That having been said, and all technical stuff aside, THE GLENN MILLER STORY is a fine movie. Jimmy Stewart brings his patented aw-shucks manner to a bandleader who was firmly in control of himself and knew what he wanted--to the point of proposing to his belle if that isn't too elevated a word--after they had had only one real date! June Allyson is charming and fun and the film, especially in the last reel, gives her the chance to dig in and act. While Allyson wasn't the most talented dancer out of MGM, and her breath control when singing was a sometimes thing, she remains beguiling, a fully fleshed-out figure well beyond "cute" or "fresh."

The film covers the period from the early depression until the waning days of World War II. Glenn Miller's rise as a player, later bandleader, even later composer/arrangement, was not swift. I think of this as a kind of "rags to rags to riches story," of the kind that were so sadly numerous during the 1930s.

My only real gripe about this tuneful and well-crafted film is that it has a bad case of Eureka-itis. I mean, the songs that the fictional Glenn would be writing in the future are telegraphed to us, the audience, way ahead of time and usually not subtly, either. (The first scene in the movie has Stewart in an L.A. pawn shop enquiring about the cost of a string of pearls; later on he complains that the really hot swing is worth playing only when people are in the mood. That sort of thing.)

Nonetheless, at this low price I think most people will be happy to overlook the occasional bits of staginess and enjoy this musical biopic for what it is. By the way, the music for the movie was re-recorded by the postwar incarnation of Miller's band, and not only is the playing excellent the sound reproduction is not bad considering the film's Fifties origin.

Great music, enjoy watching the movie over and over.
My parents grew up in the Glenn Miller era. I grew up in the 70's, but have grown very fond of the music my parents enjoyed. After the death of Jimmy Stewart a local television station aired his movies all weekend honoring such a fine actor. One of the movies I watched was the Glenn Miller Story. Not only did I love the story, but thoroughly enjoyed the music. I am now hooked on the Big-Band music and have been keeping an eye out for this particular movie. This is one I would like to add to my movie library. Glad to find it here. Do rent or purchase the movie-- you'll really enjoy. I've even ordered a Glenn Miller cd. I think my parents would be very surprised!