Young Man With A Horn - Michael Curtiz - 1950

I had intended to save this until I had read the book but I was in the mood for a good jazz film so I watched it.

The book by Dorothy Baker claims to be the story of Bix Beiderbecke. I've yet to read it so I can't say as to how closely the movie follows but since the names have been changed, presumably the story isn't all that accurate. It's certainly not accurate with what little I know about Bix. Regardless, it's a beautiful movie. Lavish MGM production, gorgeous sets. Kirk Douglas is fun to watch and so is wholesome Doris Day. I must admit, I've never been a fan of Lauren Bacall and she's a perfect bitch here. The ones that really light up the screen are Hoagy Carmichael as Smoke, Rick's best friend and the narrator of the story and Juano Hernandez as Art Hazard, the old jazz man who serves as Rick (Bix's) teacher and mentor. I knew I'd seen him before and after an IMDB search I was reminded of his role in an episode of Johnny Staccato. I was surprised to learn of his humble beginnings as a Brazilian street urchin singing for money. A real rags to riches story, that guy. Well maybe not riches but a far cry from the streets of Rio.

Pretty enjoyable film. You should see it.

"If I had one of those I could carry it around with me and play it any time I wanted."

Plink, Plank, Plunk

"That's the way it started and there was no way of stopping it or changing it. He couldn't see anything but notes and he couldn't here anything but his trumpet."

PAAARRRRRRP!

"They call me Smoke...never could figure out why."

Parp Parp!

Tootlie toot toot

"The Very Thought Of You"

"He's the sheik of Alabam!"

"Jo's interesting isn't she? So simple and uncomplicated. Must be wonderful to wake up each morning and know just which door you're going to walk through. So terribly normal."

"Everything's gonna turn out all right. Don't let anybody worry you."

"You know I'd give anything to have what you've got. To be able to do one thing really well and know that it's worth something. It's the only real security in the world."

All night session

Nobody knows the trouble I seen

"You know who buys records? High school girls. You know why? To learn the words. They only buy the new songs to learn the words. Nobody knows what we're doin' 'cept us. The guys that do it. They don't hear us. They just hear the words."

"I don't want it. I don't want to ever see it again. Give it to some kid who wants to play an instrument. Only tell him not to fall in love with it."

"The truth was the only thing in the world he felt safe with was his trumpet, and when that let him down too, well, he just couldn't take it. He went to pieces, but not in any small way."

"You see, Rick was a pretty hard guy to understand and for a long time he didn't understand himself. But the desire to live is a great teacher."

"Hear that note Jo? It's clean and sweet. Yeah, it's a good note."