George Montgomery, Anne Rutherford, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, Lynn Barrie, Cesar Romero, Carole Landis, Mary Beth Hughes, Harry Morgan, Jackie Gleason, and the Nicholas Brothers all star in "Orchestra Wives," a 1942 musical film.
Montgomery plays Bill Abbott, and one night, he meets a fan, Connie Ward, and invites her to see the orchestra the next night. She can't get into the concert because she doesn't have an escort, but he spots her when he comes outside. Her bus is about to arrive, and to keep her from leaving so soon, he proposes. She accepts. The next day, the band goes on tour, and Connie accompanies him.
Connie's a nice, sweet young woman and isn't prepared for the other wives, who are pretty horrid. The worst isn't a wife, she's the group's singer, Jaynie (Lynn Bari), who used to date Bill and is determined to get him back. She befriends Connie. One evening, the orchestra has a concert in a nearby town, and all the wives stay back. One of the wives lets it slip that Jaynie and Bill used to date. Connie leaves in tears, and the wives call Jaynie to tell her that Connie is en route. Jaynie arranges to have Bill come to her room and lend her some money.
When Connie arrives, she sees what looks like a compromising scene. She and Bill fight, and Connie leaves. As a result of a fight Connie has with the other women, in which she reveals how they all talk behind each other's backs, the entire orchestra breaks up, and Connie goes home.
Very slight story with some wonderful music and singing. Miller's orchestra is interspersed with actors Gleason, Montgomery, and Romero. This was my parents' era and made me think of them -- the film was released in 1942 and made before Pearl Harbor, so the music and dancing has a joyous feel to it. Interesting that in those days the audience wasn't a passive one attending a concert. They got up and danced! Really delightful, with a lovely performance by the pretty Rutherford. Montgomery made mostly westerns; it's nice to see him out of the western garb. At the end of the film, the Nicholas Brothers do a spectacular number. (Once I asked my father if he'd ever heard of them and he said, "No, I couldn't afford the musicals.")
A final thought: was M*A*S*H's Harry Morgan ever really that young? Guess so.
Montgomery plays Bill Abbott, and one night, he meets a fan, Connie Ward, and invites her to see the orchestra the next night. She can't get into the concert because she doesn't have an escort, but he spots her when he comes outside. Her bus is about to arrive, and to keep her from leaving so soon, he proposes. She accepts. The next day, the band goes on tour, and Connie accompanies him.
Connie's a nice, sweet young woman and isn't prepared for the other wives, who are pretty horrid. The worst isn't a wife, she's the group's singer, Jaynie (Lynn Bari), who used to date Bill and is determined to get him back. She befriends Connie. One evening, the orchestra has a concert in a nearby town, and all the wives stay back. One of the wives lets it slip that Jaynie and Bill used to date. Connie leaves in tears, and the wives call Jaynie to tell her that Connie is en route. Jaynie arranges to have Bill come to her room and lend her some money.
When Connie arrives, she sees what looks like a compromising scene. She and Bill fight, and Connie leaves. As a result of a fight Connie has with the other women, in which she reveals how they all talk behind each other's backs, the entire orchestra breaks up, and Connie goes home.
Very slight story with some wonderful music and singing. Miller's orchestra is interspersed with actors Gleason, Montgomery, and Romero. This was my parents' era and made me think of them -- the film was released in 1942 and made before Pearl Harbor, so the music and dancing has a joyous feel to it. Interesting that in those days the audience wasn't a passive one attending a concert. They got up and danced! Really delightful, with a lovely performance by the pretty Rutherford. Montgomery made mostly westerns; it's nice to see him out of the western garb. At the end of the film, the Nicholas Brothers do a spectacular number. (Once I asked my father if he'd ever heard of them and he said, "No, I couldn't afford the musicals.")
A final thought: was M*A*S*H's Harry Morgan ever really that young? Guess so.