[Dixielandjazz] Goofs for The Glenn Miller Story (1953)

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Zeke Zarchy 91, played lead trumpet in the Glenn Miller Army Air Force band 
during World War II.  He was Glenn's best friend and the first musician that 
Glenn asked for when organizing the band.  Zeke also played on the 
soundtrack of the film, The Glenn Miller Story, 1953.

Zeke told me that the only two facts in the film that were correct were, 1. 
Glenn Miller played trombone; 2.  Glenn Miller was married.

Below is some interesting facts about the film.

(snip)
Goofs for
The Glenn Miller Story (1953)
Anachronisms: Miller's first band plays "Over the Rainbow" in 1937, two 
years before
it was released.
Audio/visual unsynchronized: There are several instances of musicians being 
out of
sync with the playback.
Anachronisms: Miller's Army Air Force band plays while Negro and Caucasian 
troops
march by side-by-side. The US military was not integrated by unit until 
after WWII.
Anachronisms: Helen's fashions in the thirties and forties were straight out 
of the
early fifties, when the movie was made.
Factual errors: Several facts and dates are tinkered with for the sake of 
the story.
Continuity: In one scene when Glenn and Helen are discussing if he should 
quit his
band job and continue his formal music studies, Glen begins the process of 
tying
his necktie and is not wearing a jacket. The next time we see him - about 6 
seconds
later - his tie is done and he has on a suit jacket.
Audio/visual unsynchronized: The best-known solo on a Miller record, Bobby 
Hackett's
cornet solo on "String of Pearls", is presented as being played on a 
trumpet.
Anachronisms: The British flags (Union Flag) shown in two of the UK scenes 
are missing
the diagonal red cross of Ireland which was added in 1801.
Crew or equipment visible: When Glenn is sitting up all night rewriting 
"Moonlight
Serenade", the camera pulls back too far, revealing the edge of the set and 
a cable
on the floor.
Continuity: Towards the end of the movie, Helen, Si and Chummy are listening 
to the
Glenn Miller Band's radio broadcast. Chummy MacGregor and Si Schribman are 
standing
next to the radio in Helen's living room and Chummy is resting his hand on 
Si's right
shoulder. In the next shot, Chummy's hand is no longer on Si's shoulder - it 
is hanging
down between the two men.
Anachronisms: A V1 bomb is seen falling on London several scenes before the 
announcement
of D-Day. In fact, the first V1s fell on London a week after D-Day.