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Friday, February 7, 2020

Part 3: A Marathon Movie Tribute to KIRK DOUGLAS

YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN from WARNER BROS. (1950). This is the movie that introduced me to Kirk Douglas. I always rented Classic Films on VHS back in the 1980's.

This movie is based on the book about jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke who had a rare gift to play the trumpet or cornet. He was in love with a black woman, but married a closet lesbian. Bix died young of alcoholism.

The movie censors of 1949 changed the names and the race. Bix Beiderbecke is Rick Martin (Kirk Douglas). Jo Jordan (Doris Day) is the love interest who is a singer. She's also "white" instead of "black." Amy North (Lauren Bacall) is the closet lesbian wife. Her sexuality is implied, but never completely open.

The real "star" here is the jazz music which is fantastic.... Rick is married to his trumpet and nothing else.... Amy (Bacall) steals the movie. She has biting dialogue and it covers up her closet lesbian sexuality. She's also angry because she cannot be who she wants to be. Bacall played her perfectly and probably didn't receive a supporting-actress Oscar nomination because of the lesbian undertones.

(Movie Poster 1950).

(Warner Bros., Publicity photo 1950. Doris Day, Kirk Douglas & Lauren Bacall. They have all passed away as of 2020).

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