The Glenn Miller Story

Starring:James Stewart, June Allyson, Harry Morgan, Charles Drake, George Tobias, Barton MacLane, Sig Ruman, Irving Bacon, James Bell, Kathleen Lockhart, Katherine Warren, Frances Langford, Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack, Gene Krupa, Barney Bigard, James Young (VI), Marty Napoleon, Arvell Shaw, Cozy Cole
Director: Anthony Mann
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

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:

Glenn Miller's music still lives.......2007-06-11

The music of Glenn Miller defined the music of the WWII generation. If you remember the music or just really like the "Big Band" sound of that time (like I do) this is a great DVD to have. Jimmy Stewart is believable as the lanky Miller. The photos of the young GIs marching in review before the commanding general with smiles on their faces and a swagger in their steps are priceless to see. I love those young men of the Greatest Generation. My dad, mom, aunts, uncles, father and mother-in-law were a part of them. When I look at the young faces of the GIs I want to cry for them. A great movie to watch and to get to hear some really rousing big band sound from your TV again. We have lost a lot of great musicians to plane crashes. Miller's plane was hit by a bomb from a bomber flying back to base with bombs still on board who was told to drop them in the ocean. A terrible shame, a waste, and a loss.

Delightful!.......2007-05-12

Generational, touching and the music speaks for itself. What a loss of a talent!

The Glenn Miller Story.......2007-04-25

If you like Glenn Miller, you will love this movie. I first saw it when it first came out in 1954. It is a great story about the man who wanted to develope his own sound. Jimmy Stewart and June Allison play very believeable parts, depicting the early life and final days of a great love and a great musician. The band in the movie includes many original Glenn Miller Orchestra members. Also interesting to see was a young Harry Morgan.

Timeless story for musicians.......2007-04-15

My sons are musicians who have experienced setbacks and success and then setbacks again, and the fact that Glen Miller pressed on to find his sound always inspires us to keep at it! We realize that Jimmy Stewart played Jimmy Stewart, and June Allyson played June Allyson, but it's still a feel good movie, even tho you know the end. Definitely a good one for encouraging us to keep at it, no matter what our struggle.

i love glen millers music.......2007-04-13

i was so happy to recieve this movie,its very rarely shown on tv,i own my own thanks to amazon. the music in this movie is magnificent it's something to treasure for a life time .glen miller was a great composer ,one of my favorites is moonlight serenade ,they just cant make music like this any more ,this is a great movie to add to your collection. thank you amazon

James Stewart: Screen Legend Collection (Shenandoah / The Glenn Miller Story / Thunder Bay / You Gotta Stay Happy / Next Time, We Love)

Average customer rating:

A great collection of James Stewart movies
very good value even considering the duplication....4+stars

James Stewart: Screen Legend Collection (Shenandoah / The Glenn Miller Story / Thunder Bay / You Gotta Stay Happy / Next Time, We Love)
Starring: James Stewart , Katharine Ross , June Allyson , Joan Fontaine , and Roland Young
Director: Anthony Mann
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Katharine Hepburn Collection (Morning Glory / Undercurrent / Sylvia Scarlett / Without Love / Dragon Seed / The Corn Is Green [1979])
The John Wayne Film Collection (Without Reservations / Allegheny Uprising / Tycoon / Reunion in France / Big Jim McLain / Trouble Along the Way)
Tyrone Power: The Swashbuckler Box Set (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
John Wayne: Screen Legend Collection (Reap the Wild Wind / Rooster Cogburn / The Hellfighters / The War Wagon / The Spoilers)
Pirates of the Golden Age Movie Collection (Against All Flags / Buccaneer's Girl / Yankee Buccaneer / Double Crossbones)

ASIN: B000NNUWYS
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Description

James Stewart is one of America's favorite leading men and a true icon in cinema history. Join this beloved actor as he shines in five of the most versatile roles of his career in the James Stewart: Screen Legend Collection. Sharing the screen with such Hollywood sensations as Joan Fontaine, Margaret Sullavan, June Allyson and Ray Milland, these classic films showcase the sincere, easygoing charm of a screen legend who continues to entertain audiences around the world. Next Time We Love When an ambitious newsman (James Stewart) marries an aspiring actress (Margaret Sullavan), their love is put to the test as their careers move them in different directions. You Gotta Stay Happy A runaway heiress (Joan Fontaine) hooks up with a struggling pilot (James Stewart) for a wild cross-country ride in his cargo plane with a group of wacky passengers. Thunder Bay A pair of oil trouble-shooters (James Stewart and Dan Duryea) attempt to strike it rich despite devastating hurricanes, dangerous love affairs and a hostile town of Cajun fishermen. The Glenn Miller Story James Stewart and June Allyson star in a tribute to one of America's legendary bandleaders, charting Glenn Miller's rise from obscurity and poverty to fame and wealth in the early 1940's. Shenandoah A wealthy Virginia landowner (James Stewart) refuses to participate in the Civil War until an attack on his family forces him to take a stand.

Customer Reviews:

A great collection of James Stewart movies.......2007-06-14

This is a great collection of James Stewart's finest non-Hitchcock performances in films under the control of Universal Studios that span thirty years in his career. The price is excellent, but the trade-off is that you don't get much in the way of extras. In fact, all you get are theatrical trailers on a couple of the movies.

Shenandoah (1965) is a film about the Anderson family of Virginia, which is living a happy life on their family farm when the Civil War breaks out. They are convinced this skirmish has nothing to do with them, but they are soon to find out otherwise. Stewart certainly gives one of the performances of his career in this one.

The Glenn Miller Story (1953) reteams James Stewart with June Allyson, who were so good in "The Stratton Story", in a similar film about a man with great talent whose career was cut short by tragedy. Miller has always been ranked as one of the great swing bandleaders of the late thirties to middle forties era, and this film is a great tribute to his life and work. A great performance from all involved.

Thunder Bay (1953) is set in the post-World War II era, but in many ways it is another James Stewart western. Stewart portrays ex-Navy engineer Steve Martin who wants to design a safe off-shore oil drilling platform. Instead of the cattlemen versus the sheepherders, in this film we have the oil drillers versus the fishermen who see their way of life threatened. Stewart seems a less sympathetic figure here than he does in most of his films, but he handles the role wonderfully.

You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) is the lighter side of Stewart. This one is "It Happened One Night" meets "The Bride Came C.O.D" as a wealthy girl hides aboard Stewart's plane when she gets a case of the immediate post-wedding jitters. What results is a screwball comedy that predictably ends in the wealthy girl (Joan Fontaine) and Stewart's character falling in love. The plot is not that intriguing, but Stewart is charming as always. This is probably the weakest of the five films.

Next Time, We Love (1936) is a very early Stewart film that really gave him his first big break with a leading role. In this film he was teamed with Margaret Sullivan, and together they play a couple that marries on impulse and then begin pursuing their own individual careers - she is an actress, he is a journalist. Conflict develops when her career takes off and his does not. This film is very typical of those melodramas that were so common in the 1930's, but it is still interesting to see what Stewart does with this early role in his career. Stewart and Sullivan have a better chance to show off their chemistry in 1938's "Shopworn Angel", but that film was made by MGM and is therefore not in this collection.

very good value even considering the duplication....4+stars.......2007-06-13

5 Jimmy Stewart films for about $4 each is hard to not give a 5 star rating to. 3 of these films are seeing their DVD debut (unlike the John Wayne set that came out today with all 5 already being available individually). I am already owner of The GLenn Miller Story and SHenandoah as many Jimmy STewart fans must and still consider this a good purchase. The three movies new to DVD all have merit and span a 20 year range from his first leading role in 1936 ("Next TIme We Love" where he mentions lindberghs flight to Paris in his first lines)to "Thunder Bay" in 1953. This was Universals first widescreen film and directed by Anthony Mann. I am a big fan of all the Mann/Stewart films and this one is terrific.

Bottom line...if you don't own any and are a Jimmy Stewart fan...whopeee!
If you do own a couple...its still a good deal.
PS..these 5 films are on 3 DVDs but NO FLIPPERS...one sided dual layers!

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

CBS Evening News (July 10, 2001)

Great People of the Bible: Apostle Paul : DVD

Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe [2 Discs] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: East Side Kids - Let's Get Tough!

Stargate Kommando SG 1 Folge 63