Young Man with a Horn (1950)

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Carl Foreman (screenplay) and
Edmund H. North (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 February 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Aimless youth Rick Martin learns he has a gift for music and falls in love with the trumpet. Legendary...

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Trumpeter | Band | Trumpet | Jazz

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fred Aldrich	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Paul Brinegar	...	Stage Manager (uncredited)
Bridget Brown	...	Dancing Girl (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	First Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Frank Cady	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Hugh Charles	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Dick Cogan	...	Interne at Bellevue (uncredited)
Herschel Daugherty	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Paul Dubov	...	Maxie (uncredited)
David Dunbar	...	Alcoholic Bum (uncredited)
Jay Eaton	...	Café Guest (uncredited)
Ted Eckelberry	...	Elevator Boy (uncredited)
Lewell Enge	...	Moll (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Patron at Galba's (uncredited)
Alex Gerry	...	Dr. Weaver (uncredited)
Everett Glass	...	Mission Song Leader (uncredited)
Helene Heigh	...	Tweedy Woman (uncredited)
Ray Heindorf	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Lou Herbert	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	...	Bouncer (uncredited)
Ivor James	...	Boy Banjoist (uncredited)
Lorna Jordon	...	Moll (uncredited)
Sid Kane	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Katharine Kurasch	...	Miss Carson (uncredited)
Murray Leonard	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Keye Luke	...	Ramundo the Houseboy (uncredited)
Vivian Mallah	...	Moll (uncredited)
Hal March	...	Combative night club employee (uncredited)
Hugh Murray	...	Doctor at Bellevue (uncredited)
George Nardelli	...	Café Guest (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Man at Train Station / Café Guest (uncredited)
William J. O'Brien	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Robert A. O'Neil	...	Bum (uncredited)
Marg Pemberton	...	Checkroom Girl (uncredited)
Dean Riesner	...	Joe (uncredited)
Larry Rio	...	Owner (uncredited)
Dan Seymour	...	Mike (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Nurse at Weaver Sanatarium (uncredited)
Zutty Singleton	...	Musician (uncredited)
Jean Spangler	...	Hula Dancer (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Burk Symon	...	Second Pawnbroker (uncredited)
Bill Walker	...	Black Minister (uncredited)
George Washington	...	Musician (uncredited)
Julius Wechter	...	Boy Drummer (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Young Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Curtiz

Writing credits
Carl Foreman		(screenplay) and
Edmund H. North		(screenplay)
Dorothy Baker		(novel)

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer

Cinematography by
Ted D. McCord		(as Ted McCord)

Film Editing by
Alan Crosland Jr.

Art Direction by
Edward Carrere

Set Decoration by
William Wallace

Costume Design by
Milo Anderson

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Betty Delmont	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
John Wallace	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David C. Gardner	....	second unit director
Sherry Shourds	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Turner	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Everett Alton Brown	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Burnett	....	gaffer (uncredited)
William Classen	....	grip (uncredited)
Ellsworth Fredericks	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Mac Julian	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Wally Meinardus	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Jeanette Storck	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
David C. Gardner	....	montage

Music Department
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director
Harry James	....	musical advisor
Harry James	....	musician: dubbed Kirk Douglas' trumpet playing
Ray Heindorf	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Max Steiner	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Norman Stuart	....	dialogue director
Jimmy Zito	....	trumpet playing: Juano Hernandez
Irva Mae Ross	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:Approved (PCA #14000) | Netherlands:18 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Features one of the earliest references to homosexuality. The character of Amy played by Lauren Bacall is suppose to be a lesbian, which is why Rick, played by Kirk Douglas, walks out on her telling her that she is "a very sick girl".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: 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.

Quotes:

Rick Martin:I don't understand a word you're saying, but I love the sound of your voice.

Movie Connections:

Featured in What a Difference a Day Made: Doris Day Superstar (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

In the Sweet By and By

The Rise and Fall of a Musician Divided between Two Loves

In the 30's, the outcast orphan Rick Martin (Orley Lindgren) is raised by his daughter without any care or love. One day, he overhears a song in a mission and owner of absolute pitch, he is capable to play it on the piano. When he sees a trumpet in a pawnshop, he falls in love with the instrument and works to raise the necessary money to buy it.

One day, he meets the legendary trumpeter Art Hazzard (Juano Hernandez) and Rick (Kirk Douglas) becomes his protégée. Art teaches how to play trumpet to Rick that becomes a well succeeded but rebel trumpeter. Along his career, Rick Martin's friends are Art Hazzard, the piano player Willie 'Smoke' Willoughby (Hoagy Carmichael) and the singer Jo Jordan (Doris Day) and becomes the star of his orchestra. When Jo introduces her friend Amy North (Lauren Bacall), who is a medical student that loves to experience new sensations, Rick falls in love with her in the beginning of his downfall.

"Young Man with a Horn" is a beautiful movie by Michael Curtiz that tells the story of the rise and fall of a musician divided between his two loves: his trumpet and a woman. The story is basically divided in two parts – the first one before Lauren Bacall's character is uplifting, with the story of a boy that becomes a star through his friendship with a great trumpeter and his music, and the second part that is heartbreaking with his unrequited love by a strange woman. The performances are top-notch; the music score is magnificent; and the cinematography in black and white is wonderful. The cast seems to be enlightened and it is almost to highlight a performance - Orley Lindgren, Juano Hernandez, Kirk Douglas, Hoagy Carmichael, Doris Day and Lauren Bacall, they are all fantastic. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Êxito Fugaz" ("Rapid Success")