Enjoyed this very entertaining film about Benny Goodman performed by Steve Allen who himself was a great composer, piano player and all around actor and late night show host. This was a very compact Hollywood story detailing the life of the great Jazz King of the 30's. Donna Reed, (Alice Hammond) gave a great supporting role as Benny's girlfriend and then his wife. The film was filled with all great jazz musicians, Gene Krupa, Lional Hampton, Harry James and Sammy Davis Sr. along with many other famous jazz musicians. In the 1950's you were able to go to the Roxy Theater, Paramont and Music Hall in New York City and see these great musicians in between the showing of their feature movies and at very low prices, especially at 10 AM for a price of $1.25 to $2.00. This is a great film and the musical selections will keep you glued to this film from beginning to end.

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!

As biopics go, "The Benney Goodman Story" is seldom seen these days on classic movie channels. The 1956 Universal International picture deserves a look, not only for the story itself, but for the historical events depicted in the film. Directed and written by Valentine Davies, it takes the viewer to one of America's best musician, Benny Goodman, to his humble origins in Chicago and culminating in his milestone January 16th 1938 jazz concert in Carnegie Hall, a venue considered the mecca for classical music until that time.

Benny Goodman was an innovator. He discovered American jazz to be one of the most original forms of music, dedicating his life to what he knew best, giving the public pleasure with his many recordings during his lifetime. He had a talent for surrounding himself with the best musicians, as proved with the people he had in his orchestra. Gene Kruppa, Fletcher Anderson, Ted Ory, Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton, Ziggy Elman, and even his own brother Harry were among the people who either played, arranged music, or just influenced him.

The story involves his romance with Alice Hammond, a rich woman, way out of Benny Goodman's league, who became a fan after a disastrous first encounter. Alice recognized Benny's talent and fell in love with him. Alice and Benny met through her brother John. He was a record producer who recognized Benny's talent from the start. Steve Allen, seen as Goodman, makes an impression for the way he got the essence of the musician. Donna Reed is wonderful as Alice, the sweet lady that was the love of Benny.