Young Man of Music (1950)
"Young Man with a Horn" (original title)

Aimless youth Rick Martin learns he has a gift for music and falls in love with the trumpet. Legendary trumpeter Art Hazzard takes Rick under his wing and teaches him all he knows about ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Carl Foreman (screenplay), Edmund H. North (screenplay),

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, Doris Day

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Kirk Douglas	...	Rick Martin
Lauren Bacall	...	Amy North
Doris Day	...	Jo Jordan
Hoagy Carmichael	...	Willie 'Smoke' Willoughby
Juano Hernandez	...	Art Hazzard
Jerome Cowan	...	Phil Morrison
Mary Beth Hughes	...	Marge Martin
Nestor Paiva	...	Louis Galba
Orley Lindgren	...	Rick as a Boy
Walter Reed	...	Jack Chandler

Storyline

Aimless youth Rick Martin learns he has a gift for music and falls in love with the trumpet. Legendary trumpeter Art Hazzard takes Rick under his wing and teaches him all he knows about playing. To the exclusion of anything else in life, Rick becomes a star trumpeter, but his volatile personality and desire to play jazz rather than the restricted tunes of the bands he works for lands him in trouble.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | trumpeter | band | trumpet | jazz | 

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Taglines:

A White-Hot Drama about a Red-Hot Jazzman!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 February 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Jazztrompeter

Filming Locations:

Aragon Ballroom, Lick Pier, Ocean Park, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At least three times, you will see trumpeters in the movie using mutes different from those on the sound track. For example, in the Christmas Eve scene, Rick is shown using a Harmon mute and Harry James' dub of the tune is with a cup mute.

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Goofs

Early in the movie when young Rick Martin is walking on the street, a car pulls up to the intersection. Although it on screen only for a moment, it appears to be late 1940s or early 1950s Hudson. This would match the time that the movie was made but would not be right for a boy who ages 15-20 years to become Rick Martin the man.

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Quotes

Jo Jordan: Can I lend you some money?
Rick Martin: Wouldn't know what to do with it.

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Connections

Referenced in Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence: Richard Gere (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Baby Face"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Akst (1926)
Part played by Kirk Douglas (dubbed by Harry James)

User Reviews

The haunting, melodic sounds of jazz music. Smoky clubs. Beautiful women. A musician's tragic life. And lots and lots of pathos. All the makings of a great film!

This is a great film with three great actors; Kirk Douglas as Rick Martin, Lauren Bacall as Amy North, AND Doris Day as Jo Jordan. Even though the movie was loosely based on the short and sad life of jazz trumpeter Bix Beiderbecke, the ending was written in a more positive light than Bix's tragic real life story. Yet the movie still manages to capture the essence of a tormented musician's existence, the dangers of alcoholism, the deceptions of false love, and the effect Rick Martin's choices have on those around him who love...and hate...him. There's Lauren Bacall and Doris Day...bad girl and good girl...who will he choose? Slinky, seductive, and cat-like Lauren? Or loving, beautiful and wholesome Doris? It's a visual feast with two of Hollywood's most alluring women! And it's an acting tour de force from all involved, including Juano Hernandez as young Rick Martin's African American trumpet mentor, Art Hazzard. It's also a great pathos film, only with an added light-at-the end-of-the-tunnel type of ending. Not necessarily a true to life ending, but it makes for a great story...and an even greater movie. This should definitely be on DVD!