Orchestra Wives
| Orchestra Wives | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Archie Mayo |
| Written by | Karl Tunberg (screenplay), Darrell Ware (screenplay), James Prindle (story) |
| Produced by | William LeBaron |
| Starring | George Montgomery, Ann Rutherford, Lynn Bari and Cesar Romero |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox |
Release date | 1942 |
Running time | 98 min |
| Language | English |
Orchestra Wives was the second and last film to feature The Glenn Miller Orchestra. The film is notable among the many Swing Era musicals because its plot is more serious and realistic than the insubstantial story lines that were typical of the genre. Ann Rutherford plays Connie Ward, a young woman who marries Bill Abbott, (George Montgomery), a trumpet player in Gene Morrison's (Glenn Miller) swing band. She soon finds herself at odds with the cattiness and petty jealousies of the other band members' spouses. Her discomfort is exacerbated by a flirtation between Abbott and Jaynie {Lynn Bari), the band's female vocalist. When Ward eventually walks out on Abbott their split releases so many other tensions among the musicians that leader Morrison is forced to break up the orchestra. Morrison and the band's pianist Sinjin (Cesar Romero) then work behind the scenes to reunite both the band and the two newlyweds. The re-formed band has a series of hit recordings and all ends happily.
Songs
Orchestra Wives features a treasure-trove of songs by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren, the same team responsible for the hits featured in Miller's first film, Sun Valley Serenade (1941). The main production number is "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo", an analogue of "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" from the first film that features a folksy vocal and some gutsy tenor sax work by Tex Beneke, backup singing by the Modernaires, and a gravity-defying dance sequence by the Nicholas Brothers. Other songs include the period piece "People Like You and Me", a breakneck performance of "Bugle Call Rag" and the still-popular romantic ballads "At Last" and "Serenade in Blue".
Awards
"I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" received a 1942 Oscars nomination as Best Song.
Cast listing
| Actor/Actress | Role |
|---|---|
| Ann Rutherford | Connie Ward / Connie Abbott |
| George Montgomery | Bill Abbott |
| Lynn Bari | Jaynie |
| Glenn Miller | Gene Morrison |
| Cesar Romero | Sinjin |
| Virginia Gilmore | Elsie |
| The Nicholas Brothers | Themselves |
| Glenn Miller Orchestra | Themselves |
| The Modernaires | Themselves |
Trivia
- "At Last" was originally composed and recorded for Sun Valley Serenade but was cut from that film's theatrical release. A new arrangement and recording were made for Orchestra Wives. Both versions are now available on CD.
- Glenn Miller's character was named with matching initials so that the band could use their monogrammed stainless-steel bandstands.
- Three future stars have uncredited appearances: Jackie Gleason portrays the band's bass player, and in the soda fountain scene, Harry Morgan is the soda-jerk and Dale Evans plays Ann Rutherford's friend.
- Pat Friday dubbed Lynn Bari's singing, as she had done in Sun Valley Serenade.