"Young Man With A Horn" is a classy, yet very dark film. I was glued to my chair from beginning to end. In a sense, it's a case study of a man obsessed by the only true meaning he has found in life.
Kirk Douglas plays (Rick Martin) who was an orphan left to fend for himself. His mother was an alcoholic. He would roam the streets at night looking for a sense of meaning. One night he came upon a nightclub and was taken back by the music. Through the window he heard the sound that would change his life.
The trumpet player Art Hazzard, played by (Juano Hernandez), Befriended Rick. He taught him to play the trumpet and became a father figure to him. From that point on Rick lived and breathed the trumpet.
As he grew older he put his skills to good use and joined several bands. He never really found meaning in the style of the day. His true love was jazz. He would work all day then play all night in the black Jazz clubs. Along the way he made a few friends.
One girl of interest was Jo Jordan, Played by (Doris Day). She was the lead singer with the swing band he was working for. Jo later introduced Rick to a friend of hers by the name of Amy North, (Lauren Bacall). Rick was fascinated with her. He really couldn't put a finger on it, but there was something about her.
Lauren Bacall was wonderful as a woman born into wealth yet totally empty inside. She is a woman with no direction who starts things in life but is never motivated to finish what she starts. That is a bad recipe for Rick who has found a calling in life but has become obsessed with it. The two are poison for each other. Amy's jealousy leads her to despise Ricks musical gift. The fact that Amy won't respect his obsession, leads Rick to the bottle. Things go from bad to worse.
This was a wonderful film with actors who were at the top of their game. It really doesn't get any better then this. I highly recommend it.
Kirk Douglas plays (Rick Martin) who was an orphan left to fend for himself. His mother was an alcoholic. He would roam the streets at night looking for a sense of meaning. One night he came upon a nightclub and was taken back by the music. Through the window he heard the sound that would change his life.
The trumpet player Art Hazzard, played by (Juano Hernandez), Befriended Rick. He taught him to play the trumpet and became a father figure to him. From that point on Rick lived and breathed the trumpet.
As he grew older he put his skills to good use and joined several bands. He never really found meaning in the style of the day. His true love was jazz. He would work all day then play all night in the black Jazz clubs. Along the way he made a few friends.
One girl of interest was Jo Jordan, Played by (Doris Day). She was the lead singer with the swing band he was working for. Jo later introduced Rick to a friend of hers by the name of Amy North, (Lauren Bacall). Rick was fascinated with her. He really couldn't put a finger on it, but there was something about her.
Lauren Bacall was wonderful as a woman born into wealth yet totally empty inside. She is a woman with no direction who starts things in life but is never motivated to finish what she starts. That is a bad recipe for Rick who has found a calling in life but has become obsessed with it. The two are poison for each other. Amy's jealousy leads her to despise Ricks musical gift. The fact that Amy won't respect his obsession, leads Rick to the bottle. Things go from bad to worse.
This was a wonderful film with actors who were at the top of their game. It really doesn't get any better then this. I highly recommend it.