The Glenn Miller Story Page #4

- Hi.

It's a long movie. We have

two hours before the next stage show.

- Have a good time?

- I like the show. But the music!

Well, you know the music.

- That isn't the way you want to play, is it?

- No, but I like pit work.

It pays well. You get to stay in one place.

Glenn, I've been thinking.

How much does that Dr Schillinger charge?

He's pretty expensive. I don't know exactly.

I haven't worked with him for years.

That's just exactly what I mean. Why not?

I don't know. I...

What happened to that dream of yours?

What about that sound?

Well, I've been working on that, Helen.

It's an uphill grind.

My chance will come one of these days.

To tell you the truth, Glenn,

I've been sort of disappointed.

You mean that?

If I started to study again,

we'd have to make all sorts of sacrifices.

I'd have to give up those record dates.

Darling, I don't want to live in a fancy hotel.

We could get an awfully cute

little apartment.

I just want you to keep on trying.

I've sort of let you down, haven't I?

A little.

I'm sorry, Helen.

You're right. I should start to study again. I...

Why don't I call Schillinger right now?

See if he'll take me back.

I have his phone number here...

It's Trafalgar 7-5-0-9-8.

- 7-5-0-9...

- Eight.

Well... Well...

7-5-0-9-8.

(# Playing romantic tune)

- Helen?

- Yes?

- Where are my glasses?

- Right here! Why don't you put them on?

I'll have to get some glasses

to find my glasses.

What were you playing? It's lovely.

A little exercise I'm working out

for Schillinger. I hope he likes it.

Does that mean you won't be able to use it?

No, that doesn't make any difference.

It's not that good, though.

I think it is.

- You like it as good as Little Brown Jug?

- No.

But I think you should do something with it.

I suppose you could make a song out of it.

Get somebody to write lyrics.

Have to get a title. What's a good title?

Well, it should be soft and romantic.

Sort of like moonlight.

Moonlight. Young lover

under his sweetheart's window.

You wouldn't be thinking

of a certain night in Boulder?

There wasn't any moonlight. Just a shotgun!

I know. And you didn't serenade me either.

I didn't have a chance.

Serenade. There's a title.

- Serenade in the Moonlight.

- How about Moonlight Serenade?

Moonlight Serenade? Not bad.

- It's kinda pretty.

- Moonlight Serenade.

(Up-tempo) # I stand at your gate

# And the song that I sing is of moonlight

# I stand and I wait

# For the touch of your hand

in the June night

# The roses are sighin'

# A moonlight serenade

# Let us stray till the break of day

# In love's valley of dreams

# Just you and I

# The summer sky

# A heavenly breeze kissing the trees

# So don't let me wait

# Come to me tenderly in the June night

# I stand at your gate

# And I sing you a song in the moonlight

# A love song, my darling

# A moonlight serenade #

(Scattered applause)

- What have they done to my tune?

- It wasn't very good.

The song is supposed to be a ballad,

not a hootchy-kootchy dance!

They made a production number out of it.

And that arrangement, Holy Moses!

Why wouldn't he use yours?

Every band leader

wants his own arrangement.

So do you! If you had your own band,

this sort of thing wouldn't happen.

- Of course.

- Let's go. We have a lot to do.

We need an instrument truck, and a car.

That's two down payments.

If we use Chummy's car...

Wait till you see what I got now.

Snappiest job on the road.

It's a big Phaeton. Even got

a separate windshield for the back seat.

You can always be

the first one to arrive in town.

We'll need music stands and a copyist.

We can do the copying. Like the old days,

no food but plenty of manuscript paper.

What do you mean, no food?

- We'll need at least 1,800.

- Then we're all set.

Honey, he means we need $1,800

to start the band.

Yes.

- We don't need anything but good luck.

- What's this?

"The Glenn Miller Band Account"?

$1,842!

Now eat your dinner.

Hey. Did you get all that money

out of my pockets?

Mm-hm.

(# Upbeat swing)

We're late for the job now.

I better go on ahead.

- You fellas get there as quick as you can.

- All right, Glenn.

Practically a new tyre too.

(# Somewhere Over The Rainbow)

Helen, you don't look very well.

I'm just fine. I'm just a little tired.

And poor Glenn is up all night

working on the arrangements

and I have to sort of

take care of the bookkeeping.

Has the business manager

given you the big financial statement yet?

No, but I will. We left New York

with $42 in the bank.

After six months,

we've paid for the truck and the car.

That leaves a balance of 48.

In short, we're making exactly $1 a month.

So in ten years we'll have made $120.

It takes time for a new band to catch on.

It sure does.

I don't know.

One night we pack 'em in and they love us.

The next six dates we die.

We don't seem to be getting anywhere,

and we don't deserve to!

I just haven't been able to hit

the right combination.

I just still haven't got that sound.

Glenn, maybe if you stop playing.

- Touch!

- I'm sorry. I didn't mean...

I know what you mean.

Get a baton and start leading. No.

Once you step out in front of the boys,

you can never be a sideman again.

I'll stick to my trombone.

I've got some good news for a change.

I talked to Si Schribman.

He runs the State Ballroom in Boston.

He's booked you in

for the week of the 22nd.

That means six half-hour air spots.

That's what counts.

- It sure does!

- Imagine! A whole week in one town.

I could even get the washing

and the mending done.

- Let's all drink to Boston!

- I think we should.

Good ol' Boston.

Glenn, why don't you ever use

Moonlight Serenade?

Don't we have enough trouble

without resurrecting that?

- Well, I liked it.

- So did I.

That's two of us.

Now, if we can just find a third.

- How's she look?

- Could be worse. Don't know how.

You need a new axle housing,

an axle shaft,

ring gear and pinion,

differential gear case.

- How long'll it take?

- A few days once I get the parts.

- You don't have 'em here?

- Don't have many calls for ring gears.

Might have to go to Woodstock

soon as it stops snowing.

- It could be worse.

- Yeah.

There's Helen.

Get a hold of Schribman?

No, I couldn't get Boston.

The telephone lines are down.

Chummy, you and Helen

better try and make Boston.

Tell Schribman we'll be there

as soon as we can.

He's probably guessed what happened.

- He wouldn't cancel on us.

- No, we'll get there all right.

We can't lose that week in Boston.

Go ahead. Bye, dear.

- Take care.

- Yeah.

- You Mr Miller?

- Yeah.

Man left a message. Your wife's sick.

They got her to the hospital.

- What hospital?

- Boston Memorial.

Mr Miller, she's a very sick girl.

We gave her a transfusion

but we're lucky this happened when it did.

A few months further along and we might've

lost the mother as well as the child.

I had no idea that she was...

- All right, Doctor.

- Thank you.

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