Search - Orchestra Wives on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1942 DVD Release: 11/01/2005 Format: DVD - Black and White - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 37 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Drama, Musical, Romantic Drama, Musical Drama, Backstage Musical

In his last screen appearance, bandleader Glenn Miller plays--are you sitting down?--a bandleader. The film's main plot involves small-town girl Ann Rutherford, who impulsively marries George Montgomery, a trumpeter in the Miller band. Rutherford soon finds that she isn't particularly suited for life on the road, nor is she prepared for the petty jealousies and backstabbings prevalent among the other orchestra wives (Lynn Bari, Carole Landis et. al.) She eventually leaves Montgomery, an event which coincides with the breakup of the band. But both the band and the marriage are salvaged through the benign conspiratorial schemes of Glenn Miller and a repentant Rutherford. Those who aren't interested in the various plots and subplots in Orchestra Wives will be captivated by the endless supply of blue-ribbon tunes, including I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo, At Last, and Serenade in Blue. Guest stars include Tex Beneke, The Modernaires and the Nicholas Brothers. Watch for an uncredited Jackie Gleason as a bass player and Dale Evans as Ann Rutherford's friend in the soda-fountain scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Montgomery - Bill Abbott
Ann Rutherford - Connie Ward
Glenn Miller - Gene Morrison
Cesar Romero - Sinjin
Lynn Bari - Jaynie
Jackie Gleason - Beck

Fox Video has finally issued Orchestra Wives, one of the two major starring vehicles of legendary bandleader Glenn Miller. While Miller might not be everyone's cup of tea musically, the movie is worth seeing for the staging of the musical numbers, beginning with the opening shot of the orchestra at work in the studio -- and if that doesn't do it for you, then the Nicholas Brothers' dancing on "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" will. The camera moves, the sound, and the arrangements practically make Miller an extra in his own movie. And just in case the movie's own virtues (which include the presence of Jackie Gleason as Beck, the band's bassist) aren't enough, then Fox has given us a priceless audio commentary track by Fayard Nicholas and Ann Rutherford, both of whom were in the movie and share their reminiscences of the shoot and the era, and that's worth double what Fox is asking for this DVD. Between them, Rutherford remembers everything and Nicholas recalls everything else, and their talk is delightful, informative, and deeply evocative of the film's era -- when Rutherford recalls George Montgomery as "the handsomest man in the world" and launches into his later work as a sculptor and designer of furniture, you can't buy or fake the enthusiasm and honesty of the recollection. Similarly, Nicholas gives us priceless information -- that "At Last," a Miller hit that is a highlight of this movie in its staging, had originally been intended for Sun Valley Serenade but was cut there. His description of the relationship between the Nicholas brothers and dance director Nick Castle is fascinating (Castle reveled in finally having a team that could realize his greatest creations). The film transfer itself looks gorgeous, the black-and-white full-screen image (1.33:1) glittering with silver sprayed on black, and the sound is more than a match. One of the best recorded musical films of the '40s, it's been transferred to DVD with the audio at full volume and awash in rich detail, which is especially welcomed on the performance numbers, but also allows the dialogue to stand out. This is a great showcase for the band as well, as the close-ups and the panning shots of the group in action give every member a good moment onscreen, and those who didn't previously know it can appreciate the beauty and power of the big bands. The 98-minute movie has been given a very generous 28 chapters, which allows each song to get its own chapter designation and to break down the plot properly. There's also a trailer for this movie and four trailers for earlier releases in the Fox Studio Classics series: Anna and the King of Siam, A Letter to Three Wives, Alexander's Ragtime Band, and Desk Set. All are accessible through an easy-to-use multi-layer menu that opens automatically on start-up. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide