This project by Valentine Davies (who also wrote but did not direct the more famous but IMHO inferior "Glenn Miller Story") rises somewhat above the usual level of musical biographies largely due to the fact that it puts most of the emphasis on music (as opposed to the standard romantic melodrama, which is present but less important than usual) and contains many original musicians from the "big band" period who along with Goodman revolutionized jazz music.
Steve Allen plays Goodman, and IMHO he did a superior job to most actors who try to play an instrumental musician. He truly seemed to have respect and love for the instrument. Barry Truex actually also did a very good job in the scenes as the teenaged Goodman. Donna Reed puts in a competent but unexceptional performance as his blue blooded love interest. Although the word "jew" is never mentioned in this film, the central component of the melodrama seems to be that Benny's mother disapproves of his marrying a high born gentile woman. I thought the early parts were interesting, in the sense that Goodman had to basically convince Alice (Reed) that swing music was musically respectable.
Other characters weave themselves in and out of the thread of Goodman's life with reasonable proximity to truthfulness. Some of these represent the names of some of his greatest collaborators -- appearing in most cases with rather unconvincing wigs and/or dye jobs. These include Harry James, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Ben Pollack, Ziggy Elman, and Martha Tilton. At one point we're even treated to a partial recreation of the famed Carnegie Hall concert, which represents both the musical and dramatic finale of the film. But my favorite scene was when the guys in Goodman's band met Lionel Hampton -- working in a cafe as the waiter, cook, and entertainment. Benny can't resist the urge to get his instrument out and jam with him; the film's honest depiction of "jam sessions" featuring artists like Hampton and Wilson is one of its brightest points.
A solid musical bio-pic with just the right amount of story and plenty of solid music.
Steve Allen plays Goodman, and IMHO he did a superior job to most actors who try to play an instrumental musician. He truly seemed to have respect and love for the instrument. Barry Truex actually also did a very good job in the scenes as the teenaged Goodman. Donna Reed puts in a competent but unexceptional performance as his blue blooded love interest. Although the word "jew" is never mentioned in this film, the central component of the melodrama seems to be that Benny's mother disapproves of his marrying a high born gentile woman. I thought the early parts were interesting, in the sense that Goodman had to basically convince Alice (Reed) that swing music was musically respectable.
Other characters weave themselves in and out of the thread of Goodman's life with reasonable proximity to truthfulness. Some of these represent the names of some of his greatest collaborators -- appearing in most cases with rather unconvincing wigs and/or dye jobs. These include Harry James, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Ben Pollack, Ziggy Elman, and Martha Tilton. At one point we're even treated to a partial recreation of the famed Carnegie Hall concert, which represents both the musical and dramatic finale of the film. But my favorite scene was when the guys in Goodman's band met Lionel Hampton -- working in a cafe as the waiter, cook, and entertainment. Benny can't resist the urge to get his instrument out and jam with him; the film's honest depiction of "jam sessions" featuring artists like Hampton and Wilson is one of its brightest points.
A solid musical bio-pic with just the right amount of story and plenty of solid music.