The Glenn Miller Story

• Directed by Anthony Mann
• January 19, 1954 (Miami)

The life of trombonist and bandleader Glenn Miller from his early career to his untimely death.

Some movies like The Glenn Miller Story have sat in my collection never watched longer than others. This one in particular baffles me since I have yet to watch a truly awful Jimmy Stewart film. After viewing it may not have been Stewart’s best but did not deserve the seven year wait it had.

Glenn Miller was a bandleader whose cultural impact lasts to this day. While still talked about in music, at the time of this film he was extremely relevant to pop culture. Stewart’s patented everyman persona helps to make this feel like you are reliving memories of an old friend while listening to some of the best music of a generation. He is an earnest dreamer though always one setback away from giving up.

How big of a deal was Glenn Miller? In an episode of the classic sitcom The Golden Girls his death and the conspiracy theories that surrounded it are referenced when Dorothy (Bea Arthur) in the Season 5 episode Dancing in the Dark exclaims he is still alive and she was part of the search party. It was probably one of the funniest moments in the whole series. In a way Miller was the Elvis of his day.

Anthony Mann was a frequent collaborator with Jimmy Stewart, and they could work magic together. Between Stewart’s performance, Mann’s direction, and the beautiful colors, this is a wonderful film simply to view. As a film the story swings from almost accurate to highly dramatized meaning my frequent guidance of using movies as a starting point but never as an info source applies. One example is that he never met one of his children but here he gets to know both.

The Glenn Miller Story has many of the beats and aesthetics that you would expect from a work of fiction. Humorous, almost jokey, supporting characters and a strong focus on romance. I would say it is closer to a romcom than drama without any wild misunderstandings. Too much of the feeling and nostalgia gets muted. There should be more sadness or joy or whatever but it can border on dispassionate.

This is a look at his life shortly after getting into music all the way to his military career and mysterious death. It’s more of an overview of his life than a detailed portrait largely powered by great music and fantastic acting of the very talented and recognizable cast. We have the likes of Harry Morgan as Chummy MacGregor (billed as Henry Morgan), Charles Drake as Don Haynes, George Tobias as Si Shribman, and Marion Mrs. Cunningham Ross as Polly Haynes

Miller (Stewart) spends most of his story trying to find his sound while for all intents and purposes stringing along his future wife Helen Burger Miller (June Allyson). Based on events and dialogue before they marry one can guess he breezed in and out of her life while dangling a relationship. Not sure about real life but they marry in the film while she is engaged to another man.

Helen is portrayed as the driver of his success. Not because she is always pushing him but she is his guiding star. He is willing to settle rather than continue chasing a dream. She gets him on the right path rather than the easy path. Allyson was good enough for a lasting acting career but was outclassed/outshined by Stewart. The two personalities did not mesh well as a couple.

When it does manage to get emotional it works but I think there’s no sense of tragic finality when we last see Glenn Miller. Anybody with a little bit of knowledge and especially anybody from the time of release would’ve known it was happening so maybe that explains why it didn’t seem appropriately done for a viewer from today.

There is almost a wake that closes out the film as the cast has learned what happened before the public. A sweet remembrance that is perhaps the most sentimental scene of the film as the characters look back on Glenn with the finest work there coming from June Allyson and Harry Morgan.

The Glenn Miller Story is a great sampling of music but an emotionally muted film. Not bad but missing a little magic.