Young Man with a Horn (1950)

For the most part, when we think of musicals, we think of warm, fuzzy, feel-good stuff; rarely, do we expect a meaty, hard-hitting, incredibly-acted drama to fall within the musical genre. With 1950's Young Man with a Horn, we definitely get it all---powerful drama, fantastic acting, and terrific music.  Starring Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, and Doris Day, this Michael Curtiz film is not only loaded with music, but it has a riveting storyline, brought to life through simply sensational acting, especially that of Kirk Douglas.  Featuring Hoagy Carmichael and Juano Hernandez in supporting roles, Young Man with a Horn is a 4-star film for me.

Rather neglected by the older sister who is raising him, Rick Martin (Orley Lindgren) finds what he's looking for in music.  Fascinated by the piano in a local mission church, Rick teaches himself to play by ear.  Before long, though, needing a more affordable instrument---and one he can carry with him---he transfers his interest to the trumpet, and under the tutelage of blues musician, Art Hazzard (Juano Hernandez), Rick quickly masters the beautiful brass piece.
  

As the years go by and young Rick becomes a man (now played by Kirk Douglas), his love for music becomes his all in all.  He's an intense man, not much interested in having friends or a social life...just in hitting a note that has never been hit before.  Landing a job in a dance orchestra, he has a hard time adhering to the rigid rules of the bandleader, desiring, instead, to shake things up a bit with some jazzier tunes.

The band's singer, Jo Jordan (Doris Day), and piano man, Smoke Willoughby (Hoagy Carmichael) look past Rick's driven, hard-to-get-along-with personality and become good friends.  When Rick's rebellious ways get him fired from the band, Jo helps him land another gig; however, Rick's passion for his music and his desire to do something that's never been done before, continue to consume him.

After getting involved with and marrying a troubled medical student (Lauren Bacall), Rick's life and career spiral downward, ultimately taking him to rock bottom.

Only with the love and support of true friends, Jo and Smoke, will this troubled man be able to pull himself up from the gutter and get his life in order.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.




Young Man with a Horn is a completely riveting film, and it provides an opportunity to hear the lovely voice of Doris Day perform four different numbers.  Kirk Douglas's acting is sensational.  Up until about ten months ago, I would have said that I didn't much care for Mr. Douglas.  Since that time, though, I've seen a few of his films (including two which were among my 5-star film discoveries of 2012), and I have been blown away by the performance he gives. My appreciation for him has grown by leaps and bounds, and I've recently begun including him on my favorite actor list.  Here in Young Man with a Horn, he is so into the role that there are times the obsessive glint in his eyes is positively maniacal---completely intense and in definite keeping with his driven character.  Although Mr. Douglas's trumpet sounds were provided by Harry James, his playing looked authentic to me.

Appropriately hard and cold, Lauren Bacall plays her unlikable character to perfection.  Miss Bacall was 26 years old here---hard to believe...she looked significantly older...like 35 or 40! Doris Day is her usual lovely self and is very solid in her role as well; having a chance to hear her sing is always a delight. And Juano Hernandez is wonderful!  I loved his character, and I think he brought him to life beautifully.  The music of the film is the icing on the cake---there is lots of it, and it is terrific, all made available in a separate soundtrack.

Out on DVD, this film should be easy to track down.  It is also on the TCM schedule for Thursday, May 30th at 3:30 a.m. (ET).  Fans of Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, Doris Day, or jazz music ought to really enjoy this one.

Happy viewing!!

Thoughts About My Casablanca Night

Last week's big-screen experience of the masterpiece, Casablanca, was amazing.  Truly, that film---and all classic films---were meant to be seen that way!  Humphrey Bogart was made for the big screen!!   Oh, I'm thankful for the opportunity to buy DVD's which can be watched on my television and/or computer, but, oh, how incredibly thrilling it was to experience a classic film (and the classic movie stars!) the way audiences of decades past did.

Given that Casablanca is such an iconic film---and one which I have assumed nearly everyone has seen or at least knows about---I have never reviewed it on here.  (In the same way, I've never written about Gone with the Wind, as it is so famous it needs no introduction.)  However, I've come to realize that everyone has NOT seen Casablanca.  While it may be a "famous" film, that doesn't mean it's been seen by all.  Just as there are several "famous" films I've not yet seen (Citizen Kane, The Quiet Man, and Vertigo to name just a few), Casablanca may be one of those films on any number of people's "gotta watch it" list.  With that in mind, I decided that a brief review of this beloved movie is in order.

With the Nazi army conquering Europe, terrified people are fleeing from their countries, and a stopping point for many is Casablanca, French Morocco, where they wait endlessly for exit visas so as to travel further.  With so many visas in demand and so few given, naturally, corruption follows, with those who can pay the highest price receiving the coveted "freedom ticket."  One man with riches on his mind is Ugarte (Peter Lorre), who intends to sell two stolen visas, pocket the money, and hightail it out of Casablanca.

Knowing the Nazi officials are hot on his trail, however, he pleads with American expatriate and cafe owner, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), to safeguard the in-demand documents.  Shortly after entrusting them to Rick, Ugarte is apprehended by Nazi officials and never seen again.

In Casablanca with hopes of acquiring an exit visa for himself and his lady companion is Nazi resistance fighter, Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid).

A thorn in the side of the Nazis, Lazlo had long been imprisoned in a concentration camp, and now that he is free and is continuing his resistance work, he desperately needs to obtain the transit papers Ugarte has entrusted to Rick.  Rick, who has said he "sticks his neck out for nobody" isn't keen on providing the documents to Lazlo, especially when he discovers that Victor's companion is none other than Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman, who is beyond gorgeous in this film), a woman with whom he has some sort of troubled history.  (I won't disclose the nature of relationships, as I don't want to give too much away.)

All the while Mr. Lazlo is seeking to obtain the necessary exit papers from Casablanca, Nazi officials (one of which is wonderfully played by Conrad Veidt) are determined to keep him there.  Knowing Lazlo would continue his resistance efforts if he is able to make his way to parts West, they seek to detain him and get him back into captivity...or to gather from him the names of other resistance members.  Ilsa, meanwhile, calling upon her former relationship with Rick, hopes to obtain the papers as well; in the midst of it all, the local Prefecture of Police (fabulously played by Claude Rains), is loyal to neither side.  How it all works out is the balance of the film.

Casablanca, which won the Academy Awards for best picture, best director, and best writing, is a totally brilliant film in every aspect.  Michael Curtiz's direction was sensational, the casting was completely perfect, and the acting was beyond wonderful.  Next to Treasure of the Sierra Madre, a film for which Humphrey Bogart did not even receive an Academy Award nomination, I think Casablanca is his absolute finest hour!  He is totally fantastic in the role of Rick Blaine---definitely Oscar worthy!!  I need to do a re-watch of Watch on the Rhine to see how in the world Paul Lukas snagged the win that year. Ingrid Bergman was more beautiful than I've ever seen her, and she was perfect  in her role as well.  Already nominated that year for her role in For Whom the Bell Tolls, she did not receive any Academy recognition for her work in Casablanca.  Paul Henreid was wonderful as well.  He was the perfect Victor Lazlo; especially because he hailed from Europe and spoke with a beautiful European accent, he was completely believeable in the role.  Claude Rains did receive a Best Supporting Actor nomination, but he lost out to Charles Coburn for his work in The More the Merrier.  (I do think Coburn was terrific in that role, but Mr. Rains was also completely stellar in his, so he was definitely win-worthy.)







Several famous movie quotes were given to us by Casablanca.  Here are just a few:

"Play it, Sam."  (Ingrid Bergman to Dooley Wilson, as she asks him to play "As Time Goes By" on the piano.)

"Here's looking at you, kid."  (Humphrey Bogart to Ingrid Bergman)

"We'll always have Paris."  (Humphrey Bogart to Ingrid Bergman...one of my favorite movie quotes)

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."  (Humphrey Bogart about Ingrid Bergman)


I first saw Casablanca when I was 19 years old (way back in the early 1980's).  At that time, I hated the film...and I hated the ending.  Now, as a more mature adult, I completely love it and count it as my #2 movie of all time.  Add to that, I love the ending...I think it's the right ending.  Seeing this beloved film on the big screen has only increased my love for it.  It was an experience I will long remember...and one which I could enjoy on a regular basis.  (HINT:  Let's bring a beloved classic to the big screen every single month!!)

There is one aspect of the big-screen showing which I was hoping for which did not pan out, however.  I was hoping for a real stepping back in time.  I was hoping that the attire of the movie-goers would reflect a 1940's flair. I am a dress-up person, and I love seeing people dressed up…men included. People of the 1940′s would no more have gone to the theatre in jeans and a flannel shirt than they would have flown to the moon. The men would have been in suits and ties, the women in dresses. Alas, I was the only woman (at least that I saw) wearing a dress…and I saw no men in suits. To me, dressing the part was an essential part of the experience, so in that aspect, I was disappointed.  (However, the magic of the film itself far outweighed that disappointment!)

While my review of this incredible film and its 70th anniversary celebration really doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of it beauty, I hope that for anyone who has not yet seen this film, you have been intrigued enough to seek it out.  Casablanca is, without question, a must-see film!

Happy viewing!!

The Breaking Point (5 stars)

Ta Da!!  I have a new favorite John Garfield movie!!  From 1950, comes The Breaking Point---the second adaption of Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not.  Said to be more faithful to Mr. Hemingway's story than the Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall film of 1944, The Breaking Point, directed by Michael Curtiz, stars Mr. Garfield---in his next to last film appearance---and Patricia Neal, with Phyllis Thaxter, Wallace Ford, and Juano Hernandez taking on supporting roles.

With his dream of operating a fleet of fishing boats not working out as he had hoped, family man Harry Morgan (Garfield) is having trouble making ends meet.  Instead of a fleet of boats, the former Navy man owns only one boat, which he charters for fishing excursions; with only one craft, and a wife and two young daughters to support, Harry is heavily weighed down with financial burdens.  Although his wife, Lucy (Phyllis Thaxter), suggests that Harry take an agricultural job at her father's ranch, he refuses to do so and is more determined than ever to make a go of things on the sea.

Telling Lucy everything will work out, Harry sets out on an excursion to Mexico with a man named Hannigan and his mistress, Leona Charles (Patricia Neal).

Upon reaching their destination, Harry asks for his payment; although Hannigan promises to pay as soon as the banks open in the morning, he, in fact, skips out on both Harry and Leona.    Left high and dry in Mexico, and needing cash for the return trip, Harry---an honest man, with an honest boat---accepts an illegal job...that of smuggling eight Chinese passengers into the States.  Things don't go as planned, though, and Harry is double-crossed, which leads to a killing and the disembarking of the passengers.

With the Coast Guard alerted to the illegal activity, when Harry returns home, his boat is impounded, then later repossessed for lack of payment. But the loss of his boat and the ongoing financial struggles aren't Harry's only problems---Leona, who has stayed on in Newport, has begun putting the moves on him, and Lucy, knowing a woman was part of the Mexican excursion, is jealous.  Additionally, the shady attorney (Wallace Ford) who arranged the transportation of the illegals is pressuring Harry into taking another job--one he just might take after his pride is hurt when Lucy takes on work to support the family.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.

As always, Mr. Garfield gives a superb performance.  Really, he was completely perfect and totally wonderful in this role...I also really enjoyed the opportunity of seeing a playfully romantic side of him as his character interacted with his wife

and a paternal side as he interacted with his daughters.

While I adore Mr. Garfield in his chip-on-the-shoulder, cynical man roles and think he played them all brilliantly, every now and then it's nice to see a bit of a softer side.  Adding to the slightly more vulnerable side of his character was how incredibly handsome he was at this point in his career.  He aged extremely well, and I think he is even better looking here at 37 than he was when he began his film career at 25.  The ever-so-slight lines in his face give him a gorgeous maturity,

and the captain's cap he wore for much of the film only added to his appeal.

I will watch this film over and over again simply for the eye candy I found him to be!!

The supporting cast of the film was really wonderful as well.  Phyllis Thaxter gave an excellent performance as Harry's wife, and the chemistry between her and Garfield was great.  Patricia Neal (who I absolutely do not like) played her part perfectly as well.  Though I don't care for her, she was really very much a supporting player, so I only had to take her in small doses.  Plus, I was thrilled to pieces that Garfield's character didn't succumb to an extra-marital affair with her!!  Juano Hernandez, who portrayed Harry's friend and first mate, was quite good in his role as well.  And, oh, that final scene, which features Hernandez's character's son is a heartbreaker!

To be honest, I must say that I put off watching this movie because I knew it was based on To Have and Have Not and I really don't care for the Bogart/Bacall film of the same name.  (Dare I say that?)  For me, it's a 2-star film, so I wasn't sure I wanted to try this one; however, in the interest of finding some new-to-me Garfield films in honor of his birthday, I decided to "bite the bullet" and watch this one.  I am so glad I did, because I totally love it!!  In fact, with my viewing of this movie, Dust Be My Destiny has lost its status as my favorite Garfield film; though I still love that sweet film (which I reviewed HERE), I love The Breaking Point even more.  Incidentally, the Hemingway novel also inspired a 1958 remake as well.  Starring Audie Murphy in the lead role, the film is called The Gun Runners.  Since I quite like Mr. Murphy, I intend to watch that one at some point in the future.

This film is out on DVD, so I hope you are able to track it down.  Definitely, if you are a John Garfield admirer (as I am), you will want to see this.  Also, if you are a Hemingway fan, since this adaption was the truest to his story, you may want to take a look at this.  Or if you love the Bogey and Bacall version, you might want to check this one out to see how it compares.

Happy viewing!!

Four Daughters (4 stars)

Four Daughters, from 1938, is a romantic drama starring Claude Rains, Priscilla Lane, and---in his film debut---the sensational John Garfield.  Featuring the supporting talents of Jeffrey Lynn, May Robson, Gale Page, and the Lane sisters, this Michael Curtiz-directed film is the first of three about the Lemp family.  (Four Wives and Four Mothers would follow closely on the heels of this one.)

Claude Rains is Adam Lemp, a widowed music professor who lives with his sister and his four marriage-age daughters (played by Priscilla Lane and her two sisters, Rosemary and Lola, and Gale Page).  One day, Felix Deitz (Jeffrey Lynn), the son of an old friend of Adam's, stops by for a visit, and all of the girls find themselves attracted to him.  Daughter Thea is so attracted that she refuses to set a date for her wedding to Ben, and daughter Emma finds herself virtually ignoring shy Ernest, who is vying for her hand.  Felix, though, has eyes  for daughter Ann (Priscilla Lane), the baby of the family, and before long, they are courting one another.

Enter Micky Borden (John Garfield), a down-on-his-luck friend of Felix, who is supposed to help Felix write some music.  Micky has had a difficult life, beginning with the fact that he was orphaned as a baby.  Nothing seems to work out for him, and he is moody and pessimistic.  Ann, however, isn't deterred by Micky's grumpy moods; she works hard to encourage him to not give up, to not always expect bad things.  Before long, Micky has fallen in love with Ann...but Ann has agreed to marry Felix.

So, which man does Ann choose?  Do things turn around for Micky?  Does he find favor smiling upon him finally?  To find out the answers to those questions, you will have to watch this movie.  I'm almost positive it's out on DVD, so I think it should be fairly easy to track down.



John Garfield, who began his career on the stage, is totally terrific in this, his very first screen role.  From the very moment he appears on screen, he brings with him that fabulous, chip-on-the-shoulder, brooding rebel moodiness which would characterize him throughout the majority of his career.  Before Clift, Brando, or Dean, there was John Garfield---the original brooding rebel.  The rest of the cast is terrific as well, especially Claude Rains and May Robson.  (Incidentally, Mr. Rains, who was also a well-respected stage actor, was quite a mentor to Mr. Garfield as he made the transition from stage to screen.)

This film is the original of 1954's Young at Heart, which stars Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, and Gig Young.  Both films are interesting and enjoyable; however, the Young at Heart remake has a totally different ending than Four Daughters does.  With only a few minor changes, the movies are nearly identical...until the last few minutes.

Four Daughters is very solid and enjoyable, and, of course, for John Garfield fans, it is a must-see, since it's his film debut.  I hope you get a chance to see  it.

Happy viewing to all!!