Huievest
Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Billy Ollie
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
JohnHowardReid
Copyright 1956 by Universal-International. New York opening at the Capitol: 21 February 1956. U.S. release: February 1956. U.K. release: 20 February 1956. Australian release: 23 February 1956. Sydney opening at the Lyric. 10,458 feet. 116 minutes.NOTES: Despite its long running time, Universal sold this film as a "B" in many overseas locations, including Australia and New Zealand. The reason: Aside from Donna Reed, absolutely no star power. COMMENT: The script is mediocre and distorts the truth in a dull way. The musical numbers are tied together with a feeble romance that wastes the only interesting player in the cast, Donna Reed. Still, if you like swing — and whose feet don't start tapping to such numbers as "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "One O'Clock Jump"? — this film is a must-see, despite its tired plot by Valentine Davies and its equally tired direction by the same gentleman. Mr. Davies wrote the screenplay for "The Glenn Miller Story", but he obviously had more dramatic material to work with there. Furthermore, Miller was not in a position to sue the film's producers if the story they came up with was not to his liking; whereas Benny Goodman is still very much alive. This could account for his life story emerging as a very bland and inoffensive vehicle, especially as Goodman himself recorded this film's soundtrack. The film is a joy to hear but a bore to watch. OTHER VIEWS: The bland story is the usual tale of the slum kid who makes good. At least it's inoffensive, though the script is remarkably coy as to why Mrs. Goodman doesn't want her Benny to marry a non- Jewish girl. Still, Miss Reed wears a new gown in every scene and looks absolutely stunning. I suppose that's reason enough. Aside from the jazzy start, Davies the director is wearisomely over-indulgent to Davies the scriptwriter, the pace sluggish, the delivery slow so that not a word of silver dialogue be lost. Luckily, it's the sound track that matters and it's in good hands!
ianlouisiana
Benny Goodman is respected in jazz circles not only as the first virtuoso clarinetist in the field,but,more importantly and influentially,leading the first band to have both black and white musicians on the stage at the same time.In Ken Burns' epic TV series "Jazz" BG is one of the few white musicians to get much more than a token mention - his importance in the social history not only of jazz but of the very fabric of life in America cannot be overstated.After the success of "The Glenn Miller Story" it was inevitable that Miller's more talented contemporary would become the subject of a biopic - the major difference being BG was still alive. Although respected by his peers BG was not liked,he was not a tolerant man and was very conscious of his "star" status,if any of his sidemen got more applause than he did he would go into a sulk and cut the solo out the next night.Of necessity,the portrayal of him by Mr. Steve Allen was not very accurate,although there was a remarkable physical similarity. Mr Allen,a great jazz lover and a fine pianist,taught himself to play the clarinet for the role and made BG seem a bit like an absent-minded professor,until he picked up his horn. Miss Donna Reed,beautiful,talented and,sadly,rarely mentioned nowadays in film literature adds style and class as the future Mrs BG. The music is wonderful,as it should be with the cream of former Goodman alumni to choose from.There are featured roles for Mr Teddy Wilson,Mr Lionel Hampton and Mr Gene Krupa(soon to have his own biopic with Sal Mineo in the lead).Of the older generation Mr Ben Pollack and Mr Edward "Kid" Ory are particularly welcome. The climax to the film is the legendary Carnegie Hall concert of 1938. The movie led to a welcome resurgence of interest in BG's music and a lot of British jazzmen went into the recording studios with "hommage" Benny Goodman quartets which must have helped to pay the mortgage. With the aforementioned "Drum Crazy - The Gene Krupa Story",the jazz biopic craze fizzled out,although W.C.Handy got a look in with "St. Louis Blues - The Story of W.C.Handy",but it was dire and failed to put bums on seats. Not until Clint Eastwood's "Bird" did the genre revive,however temporarily.By then both the movies and their audience had changed irrevocably. I suspect if "The Benny Goodman Story" was to be remade today it would be less adulatory in tone.The one story that I think sums him up most accurately and not unpleasingly concerns a rehearsal conducted in an unheated room.One after the other,band members complained about the cold until BG finally looked up from his music stand and said"You're right,it is cold".He put his clarinet down and went out of the room.The musicians cheered up,thinking he had gone to arrange for some heating.Three minutes later he came back wearing a thick pullover.
mattieboyinaz2003
I loved this film. Huge Donna Reed fan, and I think this is one of her best films aside from "From Here To Eternity" that she did in the 1950's. Finally a movie about someones life made in the 1950's without June Allyson. The close up's Donna has in this film make you melt, she is and always was even in her 60's breath taking! And this movie shows that. Her and Steve Allen who plays Benny Goodman have great chemistry, and I have read that Donna & Steve look very much like Mr. & Mrs. Goodman but didn't act like them. According to Steve Benny Goodman was brilliant but wasn't a very nice man. And surprisingly this film didn't do as well as the previous "Glen Miller Story". Which I found to be alittle dull. Anyways great film a recommend it to everyone!
randy_lejeune
Although in general, Jazz is one of my most unfavourite types of music, I was captivated by the story. I couldn't get up once I had started watching it. Donna Reed and Steve Allen really brought the story (partly fictional by the way) of Benny Goodman out and intrigued me enough to want to learn more about his life and the sort of music he played. The musical numbers in the film are among Goodman's best, and really liven the film up. A great film.
