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IMDbPro

The Benny Goodman Story

  • 19561956
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Donna Reed and Steve Allen in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
The young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a Chicago music professor. He is advised by bandleader Kid Ory to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band.
Play trailer2:51
1 Video
49 Photos
BiographyDramaMusic
The young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a Chicago music professor. He is advised by bandleader Kid Ory to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins... Read allThe young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a Chicago music professor. He is advised by bandleader Kid Ory to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band.The young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a Chicago music professor. He is advised by bandleader Kid Ory to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
    • Valentine Davies
    • Valentine Davies
  • Stars
    • Steve Allen
    • Donna Reed
    • Berta Gersten
    • Valentine Davies
    • Valentine Davies
  • Stars
    • Steve Allen
    • Donna Reed
    • Berta Gersten
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:51
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos49

    The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Lionel Hampton in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Harry James in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Berta Gersten in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Donna Reed and Shepard Menken in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Donna Reed and Wilton Graff in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Donna Reed in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Steve Allen, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, and Teddy Wilson in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Donna Reed and Herbert Anderson in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Donna Reed in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
    Donna Reed, Hy Averback, and Herbert Anderson in The Benny Goodman Story (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Steve Allen
    Steve Allen
    • Benny Goodman
    Donna Reed
    Donna Reed
    • Alice Hammond
    Berta Gersten
    Berta Gersten
    • Mama Goodman
    Barry Truex
    • Benny Goodman (at 16)
    Herbert Anderson
    Herbert Anderson
    • John Hammond Jr.
    Robert F. Simon
    Robert F. Simon
    • Papa Dave Goodman
    Hy Averback
    • Willard Alexander
    Sammy Davis Sr.
    Sammy Davis Sr.
    • Fletcher Henderson
    Dick Winslow
    Dick Winslow
    • Gil Rodin
    Shepard Menken
    • Harry Goodman
    Jack Kruschen
    Jack Kruschen
    • Murph Podolsky
    Wilton Graff
    Wilton Graff
    • John Hammond Sr.
    Fred Essler
    Fred Essler
    • Prof. Schoepp
    David Kasday
    David Kasday
    • Benny Goodman (at 10)
    John Erman
    John Erman
    • Harry Goodman (at 16)
    • (as John M. Erman)
    George Givot
    George Givot
    • Jake Primo
    Lionel Hampton
    Lionel Hampton
    • Lionel Hampton
    Gene Krupa
    Gene Krupa
    • Gene Krupa
      • Valentine Davies
      • Valentine Davies
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Benny Goodman played all the clarinet music heard on the soundtrack himself, with the exception of the scene where the young Goodman first tried to play the clarinet - the squeaky notes were actually played by Steve Allen.
    • Goofs
      Newspaper article shown that gives Benny Goodman the idea to audition has a typo - "a large baking account" instead of "banking account." This is probably accurate since the company that sponsored the "Let's Dance" show made biscuits.
    • Quotes

      Alice Hammond: I can't remember when I've been so moved.

      Benny Goodman: That wasn't me - that was Mozart.

    • Crazy credits
      Benny Goodman's theme song is played over the appearance of the "Universal International" globe.
    • Connections
      Featured in Count Me In (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      Let's Dance
      Lyrics by Fanny Baldridge

      Music by Josef Bonime and Gregory Stone

      Based on "Invitation to the Dance"

      Music by Carl Maria von Weber

    User reviews30

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    Wonderful music, but otherwise pretty bland
    This film was certainly made in order to give jazz and swing band fans a real fine dose of perhaps the greatest swing music ever recorded, and this it does in abundance and in very fine form.

    However, the story and dramatic part of this film is truly not very well executed, and much inferior to the previous year's "Glen Miller Story".

    And, as a previous commentator stated on this site, why couldn't the producers have put in a little more thought into the costumes of the period, not only for the women, although this is where it is obviously not proper period costume, but also for the men.

    Are 1920's fashions that difficult to reproduce? I don't think so.While Donna Reed certainly looked beautiful in the clothes she did wear in the film, it was a bit "jarring" to know that the story is taking place in the 20's and 30's, and everyone is parading around in mid 50's clothing.

    Otherwise, the film is modestly entertaining, and the music , as mentioned, is superb.
    helpful•4
    0
    • larry-labati
    • Mar 31, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 3, 1956 (Japan)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 56 minutes

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