Orchestra Wives (1942)

Simply Perfect

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The only reasons to see "Orchestra Wives" is to see and hear some great musical acts. Unfortunately, this film sinks when it comes to the plot and is not especially enjoyable overall.The film is about a fictional band led by Gene Morrison. Why they called the guy Gene Morrison is beyond me, as the guy was actually Glenn Miller. Why not just say this is Glenn Miller?! Plus, I loved being able to not only see and hear Miller and his music but also see him act. Unfortunately, despite being billed third, he was really only a supporting actor--in support of a very weak story. In addition to seeing him, I was THRILLED to see the Nicholas Brothers near the end-- and the film is worth seeing just for them. They were, perhaps, the greatest tap dancers ever--and when you see them, at first, you might not believe it. Just watch--as the routine heats up, their acrobatics become INSANE!!As for the story,..well, it stank. One the band members (George Montgomery) meets and marries a woman (Ann Rutherford) he barely even knows. However, soon he dumps her back home with the other orchestra wives and the catty wives do their best to make the wife doubt her new husband's faithfulness--and they do a great job of it. However, she really DID have reason to suspect him, as the hubby seemed like a total jerk. Yet, after she catches him in a hotel room with another woman, HE behaves as is SHE is a nagging wife and should have trusted him. It makes absolutely no sense at all--and infuriated me. He was hopelessly unlikable and frankly the whole notion of 'love at first sight' is pretty stupid. As a retired psychotherapist, I must point out that marriages based on this are generally doomed! All in all, a sticky story that seemed pretty unimportant and poorly written. But at least the music was very nice. And, if you do choose to see the film, look for Jackie Gleason, Caesar Romero, Harry Morgan and Dale Evans in various supporting roles.

The music in the original VHS version of this film was in true Stereo. Yes I know that the film was made long before stereo was common, but it was discovered that the music tracks were indeed recorded in stereo & in the VHS release they were included. I know because I have the tape (and also Sun Valley Serenade) & the music is really in stereo. Now, the problem with the DVD release of this film is that the music is not in true stereo but FAKE stereo. You have a choice of the 2 audio tracks, MONO or Stereo, but the stereo is fake stereo. Very disappointing. BTW, the stereo was achieved by actually recording with 2 microphones in 2 different locations recording on to 2 different discs & then played at the same time to create the stereo effect. What a wonderful revelation to hear the Miller band in real stereo.

Ann Rutherford was a bright, vivacious actress, who found her niche playing snooty Polly Benedict in the Andy Hardy series. She also went on to play Red Skelton's harassed fiancé in his comedy mystery series starting with "Whistling in the Dark".This super little film is a showcase for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, opening with a patriotic song "People Like You and Me", featuring vocalist Ray Eberle. Jeannie (Lynn Bari) is the singing "diva" who sashays in late as usual and after a few wisecracks - "I'm the girl who knows all the answers" - announces the news that they are going on tour. Gene Morrison (Glenn Miller - it helps to have the same initials) has to convince them that it is a good idea - the married musicians are not keen. He wants to tour America's heartland - to give concerts to the kids that buy the records.During the tour Bill Ablet (George Montgomery) star trumpet player meets star struck Connie (Ann Rutherford). After a whirlwind courtship (24 hours!!!) they get married and Connie becomes an "orchestra wife". Many of them are mean and catty - especially Bill's ex flame Jeannie and also Natalie (Carole Landis). The one friend Connie has is "Becksey" (Tamara Geva), wife of Ben Beck (Jackie Gleason, in an early role). They are an old married couple and she takes Connie under her wing.Jeannie is on a mission to win Bill back and she tries by becoming Connie's best friend. During a game of bridge when the wives are left behind, Connie hears that Jeannie had been going with Bill for a year before he married Connie. So she decides to pay a midnight visit to her husband who is playing in another city. Of course the girls ring Jeannie to tell her the news - so she sets a scheme of her own going. She entices Bill to her room so Connie will find them together. She does and there is a scene - Connie then loses Bill's trust. Connie then turns the tables, telling bits of gossip she has heard about the other girls. There is a huge cat fight and the band breaks up. Connie goes back to her hometown and the remains of the band try to carry on. She (in cahoots with "Sinjin" Smith (Cesare Romero) then sends telegrams to every band member and they settle their differences, still not knowing who got them together.There are some wonderful songs, "At Last", "Serenade in Blue" but the highlight for me are the fabulous Nicholas Brothers. They perform "I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" and with splits, leaps and walking up walls they are just fantastic.Highly Recommended.

"Roses are red, violets are blue, we're not going on a tour with you!" But this is exactly what takes place in the exciting motion picture "Orchestra Wives," directed by Archie Mayo and starring the wonderful Glenn Miller Orchestra during the heyday of the Big Band Era! Glenn Miller's character name is Gene Morrison, presumably to maintain the G.M. initials. As Gene's band reluctantly embarks on its thirty-day tour, trumpet star Bill Abbott (George Montgomery) instantly falls in love with one of the band's most ardent admirers, the beautiful Connie Ward (Ann Rutherford), and after a WHIRLWIND courtship, they get married! Over the course of the tour, the naive & innocent Connie inadvertently ends up dissolving the entire band, forcing her to devise a clever scheme in order to bring the band back together again.The cast of "Orchestra Wives" is a great one indeed. I have a feeling that George Montgomery was not a musician, since his trumpet playing is obviously faked, but never mind; he fits the role of Bill Abbott quite well. The pretty Ann Rutherford was a fine choice for the sad-faced, naive Connie Ward. Glenn Miller might not have been the greatest actor or trombonist, but his was a tightly-swinging big band, with one of its star performers being saxophonist/vocalist Tex Beneke as Phil. Watch also for the handsome Cesar Romero as pianist/skirt chaser St. John "Sinjin" Smith, Jackie Gleason as the happily-married bassist Ben Beck, and Henry Morgan as Connie's jilted soda-jerk boyfriend Cully. Not to mention Lynn Bari as vocalist Jaynie Stevens, the scheming former girlfriend of Bill Abbott. And don't forget the Modernaires and the Nicholas Brothers.Highlights: The film opens with Gene & his orchestra recording a fine arrangement of "People Like You and Me," featuring some great harmonizing by the Modernaires; the band then learns about the tour, and when everyone shares his/her disgust, Gene calms them down by explaining why the tour is happening. The film closes with a nice arrangement of "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo," featuring some fine singing & acrobatic dancing by the Nicholas Brothers. When Connie weeps and tells her father (Grant Mitchell) that she has made a mess out of things, he reassures her in his own way that she is not alone and that everything will work out fine. Connie arrives in Elgin to see Gene's band perform, but because she has no escort, she is forced to watch the band from a window outside while they play a really driving swing arrangement with great choreography. After the gossiping wives fight, Connie calls room service and asks the attendant to pick up some "dirty dishes"; Phil and Buddy (the drummer) soon afterward pull out of the band, and when Gene tells Bill to congratulate his wife for unintentionally breaking up the band, Bill responds, "Well, you got MY two weeks notice." With wonderful songs by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren, "Orchestra Wives" is a real treat for those who love the music of all the famous big bands, like I do. As Glenn Miller/Gene Morrison says at the beginning of the recording session, "Okay, let's hit it, boys!"