Jackie Gleason and His Orchestra Revisted

 JACKIE GLEASON

A few years ago, the movie, “Return to Me” came out in theatres.  Minnie Driver and David Duchovny (XFiles) were the main characters.   Bonnie Hunt (who also wrote the story and directed the movie) was in it, Carroll O’Connor and Jim Belushi as well as many others you might recognize.   If you’re in the mood for a sad, cute love story with a happy ending and “all is right with the world”, then please watch this one, you will not regret it.  Needless to say, this movie ranks right up there as one of my top favorite “chic flix”.  I don’t want to give the whole story line away but it’s about this young girl named Grace (Driver), who has a heart transplant and a young widower named Bob (Duchovny).  Grace lives with her beloved uncle, Marty O’Reilly (Carroll O’Connor), who raised her.  They live above an Irish/Italian pub he manages and all the hired help from the cook, Angelo (Robert Loggia) to the waitress are her pseudo uncles and an aunt who at times are very nosy but every bit fun, loving and crazy.  As you may have guessed, as fate would have it, Grace and Bob meet but not without sadness and heartbreak.  Anyways, this wonderful melodious retro music is being played throughout this movie along with a little bit of Frankie here and a little bit of Dean there and I am loving every minute of this movie, including the story line.

The familiar music sound is one I can’t seem to pinpoint.  I knew it wasn’t Benny Goodman or Glenn Miller but sensed that it was retro.    As soon as I got my hands on the CD soundtrack, I couldn’t believe it.  Lo and behold it was the Jackie Gleason Orchestra.   I was puzzled though because the only Jackie Gleason I knew was an overweight pompous grumpy bus driver who was always yelling at his wife and buddy in the TV show called, “The Honeymooners” and to be quite honest, I couldn’t stand that character nor the show – even if it is retro.   But all these years I never knew that he directed an orchestra much less wrote music?!?   I’m almost certain that some time in my young life though, someone had the radio or TV on while his music played.  I can’t pinpoint to when or where but it definitely takes me back and I. AM. LOVING. IT.  I personally do not listen to his music because of it's "romantic" themes.  To me it's just beautiful, soothing music that is very relaxing especially on a lazy day or lounging around the pool.

If you have the opportunity to get your hands on this movie, check out the “Special Features” these DVD’s sometimes have.  Watch the movie with the feature,  “comments” from Bonnie Hunt (director & screenplay writer) and Don Lake (screenplay writer).  It is sooo interesting.  Bonnie is the reason why you hear the Jackie Gleason Orchestra throughout the movie.  She said that as a young girl, her parents played his music on their old Victrola all the time and that’s when she fell in love with the music and knew it would be perfect for this movie.

There are a few movies that I personally believe are perfect, A+. 100%, Gold Medal status..  From the casting  to the music, from the characters to the script, from the screen scenes and do I dare say it again? to the music.  I give this movie my own “OSCAR”.  If you heart retro music, you will enjoy this movie.  If not for the story line, then for the music.  I will end with Jackie Gleason's famous goodbye, "How sweet it is!" 

Listen to:  Moonlight Becomes You

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