Paris Blues (1961)

Directed by Martin Ritt. Starring Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Joanne Woodward, Diahann Carroll, Barbara Laage, Serge Reggiani, André Luguet, Louis Armstrong.

Newman and Poitier are American jazz musicians chasing their dreams in Paris when they meet and romance a couple of tourists (Woodward, Carroll) who want the men to come with them when their time in the city runs out. Unpretentious and unambitious, this adaptation of Harold Flender’s same-named book doesn’t push the material very deep in dealing with their tough decision—choose love or a chance at glory—or the bigotry that inspired Poitier to leave the States in the first place, and the story ends the only way it reasonably could without betraying the mood of the preceding ninety minutes. An undernourished subplot with junkie guitarist Reggiani deserved more attention (or a spot on the cutting room floor), but the main quartet does solid work, and jazz fans will greatly enjoy the frequent music scored by Duke Ellington. Marlon Brando (initially slated to star as Newman’s character) co-produced through his film company, Pennebaker Films.

67/100