Kalamazoo

SUN VALLEY SERENADE was a surprise and a big success when it came to Europe, and I don't understand why ORCHESTRA WIVES did not travel well over the Atlantic (to my knowledge). The musical numbers are quite a few, and Lucien Ballard did a tremendous work at filming them. The Nicholas Brothers are even better than in the former Miller movie (and they were at their climax the year after, in STORMY WEATHER). The plot is unessential, as in most of the musicals, but the "wives" are all good looking and the players are credible too. Special mention to singer Marion Hutton, sax player Tex Benneke and drummer Moe Purtill, all uncredited.henry caraso

I love this movie! It has the great Glen Miller band and features Tex Beneke. It also has the fabulous Nicholas Brothers in a WONDERFUL finale! In addition, the costumes that the "wives" wear should be in a time capsule; they are really great and perfectly reflect the best fashions of the day. The plot is to be tolerated as it creates a framework for music, dance and beauty that lifts the soul!!! Thumbs up!! What a treat to see Jackie Gleason playing the bass. Also, Tex Beneke was a voice I had only heard on records. It is delightful to see him try his hand at acting. Ann Rutherford is so lovely, and I just find the whole film a fluffy treat. The music is just the best and I always delight in the Nicholas Brothers.

Orchestra Wives is a refreshing swingers movie. Glenn Miller is excellent and Ann Rutherford is beautiful. The music is very well done by the great one (Glenn Miller). We should embrace this type of movie for its gentle music and great acting. Movies like Orchestra Wives are coming Back.

It's Glenn Miller and his orchestra all right, even though the producers called him Gene Morris or something like that, and there is lots of music played by them. This movie seems to be almost unknown, yet it should by on the top of the list of every Glenn Miller fan. The sound is not bad for a 1942 recording.

The story line ... is not worse than those of hundred other movies, past and present, without redeeming musical numbers. It's about the few wives or girl friends traveling with the band, who do not necessarily make the musicians' hardships on the road any easier. In the style of these older movies, things are happening at a good clip and are never too melodramatic.

Glenn Miller plays "Glenn Miller" pretty well in a low-key manner and looks quite realistic. How could they make such great music with the smoking and the bad food at odd hours?

Lively mix of mellow sounds and backstage back-biting. I could have used more of the band, but the signature I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo fills a lot of musical space. Wow, the title really means it. The wives and girl friends are a catty lot, scheming and conniving, especially a brunette Carol Landis (Natalie). She and her two cohorts Gilmore and Hughes should wear big black hats and stir a steaming black kettle as they plague poor, sweet Connie (Rutherford). Then there's the jealous Janie (Bari) in her drop-dead revealing gowns. No wonder Bill is having trouble with wife Connie.

It's a fine cast. Note how well Rutherford acts with her big, expressive eyes-- hard not to put a protective arm around her. Surprisingly, it's a sleek and lively George Montgomery a few years before he made a sober-sided career of the six-gun and horse. Landis also scores well showing what a fine, versatile actress she was before her untimely death. And catch future TV stars Jackie Gleason and Harry Morgan in bit parts, along with a bobbie-soxer Dale Evans before her frontier team-up with Roy and Trigger.

Credit director Mayo with blending things together in pleasing fashion, something of a challenge given the sometimes salty wrinkles in the plot. It's a good look at Miller the man and a sampling of his celebrated band, along with the swinging Modernaires. And, despite a conventional happy ending, the narrative appears a more revealing look at traveling bands than I, for one, expected from a big studio production.