The Glenn Miller Story
"Their Love Made Such Wonderful Music!"
A vibrant tribute to one of America's legendary bandleaders, charting Glenn Miller's rise from obscurity and poverty to fame and wealth in the early 1940s.
"Their Love Made Such Wonderful Music!"
A vibrant tribute to one of America's legendary bandleaders, charting Glenn Miller's rise from obscurity and poverty to fame and wealth in the early 1940s.
James Stewart
Glenn Miller
June Allyson
Helen Burger Miller
Harry Morgan
Chummy MacGregor
Charles Drake
Don Haynes
George Tobias
Si Schribman
Barton MacLane
General Arnold
Sig Ruman
W. Kranz
Irving Bacon
Mr. Miller
James Bell
Mr. Burger
A vibrant tribute to one of America's legendary bandleaders, charting Glenn Miller's rise from obscurity and poverty to fame and wealth in the early 1940s.
James Stewart is on engaging form in this biopic of acclaimed American composer and band leader Glenn Miller. A talented trombonist, when he hasn’t got it pawned, he makes his money working in bars and clubs whilst trying to set up a band with his friends. A chance audition sees him fall on his feet and together with pianist Chummy (Harry Morgan) they start to make some inroads into a market place that’s still to experience “popular” music on record. All the while, he’s rekindling a romance with “Helen” (June Allyson) and then “Moonlight Serenade” changes everyone’s life for good. So, however, does WWII and when he is called up, he suggests to General Arnold (Barton MacLane) that his skills could be put to better use if he, and many of his musical cohorts, were to establish a band that could travel to Europe and cheer the troops. It’s an history, so we know that he lost his life in the Channel in late 1944, but along the way here we have a few personable efforts from Allyson and Morgan and lots of his music. What I enjoyed more than in many a musical retrospective, is that we do actually get a decent amount of his tunes played all the way through. “Pennsylvania 6-5000”; “Little Brown Jug” and “In The Mood” are amongst the staples that remind us not just of how popular he was on vinyl (a very nice home from 3c a disc suggests sales in the millions) but just how effective nostalgia was at boosting morale for troops overseas facing the Nazis. Sure, it can be a bit sentimental - but Stewart always managed to present that with a glint in his eye, and together together with the always smiling Allyson they keep it just the right side of cheesy whilst emanating a feel-good factor that’s easy to watch.
A musical biopic of the Four Seasons—the rise, the tough times and personal clashes, and the ultimate triumph of a group of friends whose music became symbolic of a generation. Far from a mere tribute concert, it gets to the heart of the relationships at the centre of the group, with a special focus on frontman Frankie Valli, the small kid with the big falsetto.
Inside the Blue Note nightclub one night in 1959 Paris, an aged, ailing jazzman coaxes an eloquent wail from his tenor sax. Outside, a young Parisian too broke to buy a glass of wine strains to hear those notes. Soon they will form a friendship that sparks a final burst of genius.
At the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, sideshow barker Florenz Ziegfeld turns the tables on his more-successful neighbor Billings, and also steals his girlfriend. This pattern repeats throughout their lives, as Ziegfeld makes and loses many fortunes putting on ever-bigger, more spectacular shows
The rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom.
Based on the true story of Robin, a handsome, brilliant and adventurous man whose life takes a dramatic turn when polio leaves him paralyzed.
An egotistical saxophone player and a young singer meet on V-J Day and embark upon a strained and rocky romance, even as their careers begin a long uphill climb.
The life story of Elvis Presley as seen through the complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Singer and songwriter Hank Williams rises to fame in the 1940s, but alcohol abuse and infidelity take a toll on his career and marriage to fellow musician Audrey Mae Williams.
Three angels bestow the gift of song to a young girl, who must follow a series of rules in order hold on to it during her rise to fame and fortune.
Dusty Chandler is a super star in the country music world, but his shows have the style of a '70s rock concert. One day he takes a walk - out of his overdone concerts to find his real country roots. He's helped and hindered by friends and staff, but pushes on in his search for a real music style as well as a real romance.