Young Man with a Horn (1950)

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inhonoredglory
A very, very interesting movie – such complex and compelling characters! It’s not a plot-driven film, which makes it so large in scope and realistic, actually, as we follow Rick Martin from childhood to adult life. The symbolism is quite profound and the theme, very worthwhile. Amy’s (Lauren Bacall) inability to play the piano boldly reflects her inability to find a purpose in life. Rick’s (Kirk Douglas) struggle to reach the high note on his trumpet reflects the impossibility of finding life’s purpose in musical talent alone. Jo’s (Doris Day) simplicity exemplifies the honest, selfless, caring goodness we should all strive for to be truly happy. Art Hazzard’s (Juano Hernandez) words to Rick are also quite didactic when you think about it. A quite inspiring film, I’d say, that wonderfully moves above the genre/cliche summaries it is given on the DVD cover!

And the music, of course, was top-notch. I loved hearing Harry James do his magic! And Doris Day, of course. What a musical feast! The acting, especially by Kirk Douglas, was very good. I actually came into this not caring much for watching Douglas, but in the end, he came off as a very likable guy, the occasional boyish innocence confused by a world that does not make sense. 12 years 6 months ago