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In Paris Blues, Ram Bowen (Paul Newman) and Eddie Cook (Sidney Poitier) are two expatriate jazz musicians living in Paris where, unlike America at the time, Jazz musicians are celebrated and racism is a non-issue. When they meet and fall in love with two young American girls, Lillian and Connie, who are vacationing in France, Ram and Eddie must decide whether they should move back to America with them, or stay in Paris for the freedom it allows them. Ram, who wants to be a serious composer, finds Paris more exciting than America and is reluctant to give up his music for a relationship, and Eddie wants to stay for the city's more tolerant racial atmosphere. A virtual love letter to both jazz and the city of Paris, Martin Ritt's film, like a jazz composition, develops several themes simultaneously it riffs on Eddie's reluctance to face his roots as well as Ram's conflict between his love for Lillian and his need to live the artist's life. With its Duke Ellington score, excellent cast, and a breathtaking "Battle Royal" with Louis Armstrong, Paris Blues is both an excellent drama and a must see film for any jazz lover. Featuring an Oscar® nominated score by the great Duke Ellington.
Original Release
05/30/1961
US Release
09/27/1961
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Paul Newman | Ram Bowen |
Joanne Woodward | Lillian Corning |
Sidney Poitier | Eddie Cook |
Louis Armstrong | Wild Man Moore |
Diahann Carroll | Connie Lampson |
Barbara Laage | Marie Séoul |
André Luguet | René Bernard |
Marie Versini | Nicole |
Moustache | Mustachio |
Aaron Bridgers | Pianist |
Directors
Writers
Jack Sher, Irene Kamp, Walter Bernstein, Lulla Rosenfeld, Harold Flender
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Paul Newman | Ram Bowen |
Joanne Woodward | Lillian Corning |
Sidney Poitier | Eddie Cook |
Louis Armstrong | Wild Man Moore |
Diahann Carroll | Connie Lampson |
Barbara Laage | Marie Séoul |
André Luguet | René Bernard |
Marie Versini | Nicole |
Moustache | Mustachio |
Aaron Bridgers | Pianist |
Guy Pedersen | Bass Player |
Serge Reggiani | Michel 'Gypsy' Devigne |
Emilien Antille | Alto Sax Player with Armstrong at Club 33 |
Roger Blin | Guitarist Fausto the Moor |
Charles Bouillaud | Luggage Carrier in Train |
Michel Dacquin | Guest at Devigne's Party |
Hélène Dieudonné | The Pusher |
Michel Garland | Club 33 Customer |
Christian Garros | Musician |
René Hell | Man with Dog in the Park |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Georges Glass | Executive Producer |
Walter Seltzer | Executive Producer |
Lee Katz | Producer |
Sam Shaw | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
1962 | Oscar | Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture | Nominated |