Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier play Ram Bowen and Eddie Cook who are a couple of American jazz musicians living in Paris. Their lives are full of music, staying up all night playing in a jazz club, and sleeping all day. Their carefree lifestyles are turned upside down with the arrival of two beautiful American tourists, and the men find themselves torn between the music and the women.
By 1961 Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were probably Hollywood's most famous husband and wife . So much so that the movie studios were looking for films for them to appear in . They turned many down but because of there love of Europe where they spent many vacations , they agreed to make Paris Blues and it definitely feels like a project made for the two of them .
If I'm brutally honest , the plot isn't up to much . It's just a fleeting love story where music wins over the woman .
The whole film has the feel of a Paris tourist board promo. There are many shots of Newman and Poitier with their women , walking past famous landmarks which look great but you long of feel the Director is just killing time in between the music scenes .
There are some interesting moments . Obviously the Louis Armstrong scenes are great and you can tell the cast are in awe of the man. There is also one scene where Eddie Cook is talking about racism in America with Connie and she tells him it's getting better every day back home .
This is just a few years before the civil rights movement and the race riots in America . If only they knew.
This definitely isn't one of Newman's best films considering he was absolutely in his prime in 1961 but as a big fan , I enjoyed it.
By 1961 Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were probably Hollywood's most famous husband and wife . So much so that the movie studios were looking for films for them to appear in . They turned many down but because of there love of Europe where they spent many vacations , they agreed to make Paris Blues and it definitely feels like a project made for the two of them .
If I'm brutally honest , the plot isn't up to much . It's just a fleeting love story where music wins over the woman .
The whole film has the feel of a Paris tourist board promo. There are many shots of Newman and Poitier with their women , walking past famous landmarks which look great but you long of feel the Director is just killing time in between the music scenes .
There are some interesting moments . Obviously the Louis Armstrong scenes are great and you can tell the cast are in awe of the man. There is also one scene where Eddie Cook is talking about racism in America with Connie and she tells him it's getting better every day back home .
This is just a few years before the civil rights movement and the race riots in America . If only they knew.
This definitely isn't one of Newman's best films considering he was absolutely in his prime in 1961 but as a big fan , I enjoyed it.