After beginning her film career at RKO in 1937, and before settling in as a second lead in MGM musicals of the late 1940s and early 1950s, tap sensation Ann Miller (1923-2004) was under contract at Columbia Pictures, which starred her in a number of low-budget films including the World War II morale boosters True to the Army (1942) and Reveille with Beverly (1943), and the swing musical Jam Session (1944).

Ann Miller's dance highlights in Jam Session are "No Name Jive," accompanied by Glen Gray's orchestra in its best Glenn Miller style; and "Victory Polka," with an uncredited Bill Shawn as her partner. In addition to Gray, the movie boasts a number of other celebrated big-band musicians, including Charlie Barnet's band playing its specialty, "Cherokee"; Louis Armstrong doing "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" with his orchestra; Teddy Powell and company performing "Murder He Says"; Alvino Rey's group handling "St. Louis Blues," Jan Garber's band playing "I Lost My Sugar"; vocalist Nan Wynn singing "Brazil"; and the Pied Pipers (including Jo Stafford) doing "It Started All Over Again."

In a brisk 78 minutes, the movie presents its slender storyline as the connective tissue between the musical cameos and specialty acts. Miller plays Terry Baxter, a small-town girl from Kansas who wins a trip to Hollywood and tries to find a career as a dancer, only to settle for being secretary to screenwriter George Carter Haven (Jess Barker). After mixing up some scripts and getting arrested for trying to break into a residence she mistakenly believes belongs to Haven's boss (Charles D. Brown), Terry manages to prevail, winning not only a film contract but Haven himself.

The New York Times review at the time summed up: "The Columbia Picture which came to the Palace yesterday, starring Ann Miller with a flock of name bands, rolls evenly and amusingly along on an entertaining if somewhat pre-ration story."

Barker, a leading man in many "B" movies of the 1940s and '50s, entered into a stormy 10-year marriage to superstar Susan Hayward the same year that Jam Session was released.

A brief clip from Jam Session was featured in the Monkees film vehicle Head (1968).

Producer: Irving Briskin
Director: Charles Barton
Screenplay: Manuel Seff, from story by Patterson McNutt and Harlan Ware
Cinematography: L. W. O'Connell
Film Editing: Richard Fantl
Original Music: Jule Styne
Art Direction: Lionel Banks, Paul Murphy
Cast: Ann Miller (Terry Baxter), Jess Barker (George Carter Haven), Alvino Rey and his Orchestra (Themselves), Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra (Themselves), Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra (Themselves), Jan Garber and his Orchestra (Themselves), Glen Gray and His Orchestra (Themselves), Teddy Powell and His Orchestra (Themselves), The Pied Pipers (Themselves), Charles D. Brown (Raymond Stuart).
BW-77m.

by Roger Fristoe