''Bix'' is a 1991 Italian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Pupi Avati Giuseppe Avati, better known as Pupi Avati (born 3 November 1938), is an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known to horror film fans for his two giallo masterpieces, ''The House with Laughing Windows'' (1976) and '' Zeder ...

and starring Bryant Weeks. The plot is about the final years of cornet player

Bix Beiderbecke Leon Bismark "Bix" Beiderbecke (March 10, 1903 – August 6, 1931) was an American jazz cornetist, pianist and composer. Beiderbecke was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s, a cornet player noted for an inventive lyrical app ...

. It was entered into the

1991 Cannes Film Festival The 44th Cannes Film Festival was held from 9 to 20 May 1991. The Palme d'Or went to ''Barton Fink'' by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. The festival opened with ''Homicide'', directed by David Mamet and closed with ''Thelma & Louise'', directed by Rid ...

Plot

Bryant Weeks plays American jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke in an account of his life. Mark Sovel plays his friend and collaborator, saxophonist and bandleader

Frankie Trumbauer Orie Frank Trumbauer (May 30, 1901 – June 11, 1956) was an American jazz saxophonist of the 1920s and 1930s. His main instrument was the C-melody saxophone, a now-uncommon instrument between an alto and tenor saxophone in size and pitch. He al ...

. The film focuses on his conflicts with his family and his relations with the prominent jazz musicians of the 1920s, such as

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...

Joe Venuti Giuseppe "Joe" Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was an American jazz musician and pioneer jazz violinist. Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie La ...

Pee Wee Russell Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and sp ...

, Don Murray, and

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, ...

. The film opens in October 1931 in New York City, two months after the death of Bix Beiderbecke. His brother Burnie arrives in the city to meet Liza, who was to be the future bride of the deceased brother. His investigations of where Bix worked led him to the Italian-American violinist Joe Venuti, the trumpeter's only true friend and therefore unique in knowing the truth and the identity of the girl. Venuti, despite the initial hesitation, decides to help him in the investigation. He contacts the girl and convinces her to follow him to the trumpeter's hometown, Davenport, Iowa, thus fulfilling Bix's mother's desire, who is eager to meet her. During the long train journey, however, it turns out that Liza never met Bix. Venuti will take advantage of it to tell her, in addition to the way in which Bix came into contact with her, the short but intense life of his friend, who he had met by chance while trying to get an engagement in the

Jean Goldkette John Jean Goldkette (March 18, 1893 – March 24, 1962) was a jazz pianist and bandleader. Life Goldkette was reportedly born on March 18, 1893 in Valenciennes, France,Russel B. Nye (1976). Music in the Twenties: The Jean Goldkette Orchestra ...

orchestra. A series of flashbacks follow. Bix was hampered by the fact that he could not read music but played by ear. Bix achieved success when he performed and recorded with the orchestra of Frank Trumbauer who, despite his somewhat peculiar character, took him under his protective wing. The film ends with Bix's untimely death in 1931 in New York City. During the closing credits, photos of Bix and Liza are shown in the Beiderbecke family home alongside those of his father and mother.

Cast

* Bryant Weeks as Leon Bismark 'Bix' Beiderbecke, a cornet and piano player (1903-1931) *

Emile Levisetti Emile Levisetti is an American television director, producer and actor. Career Levisetti is known as a prolific television producer and director. As a producer he has developed and produced over 150 episodes of television. Levisetti has directe ...

as Joe Venuti, a jazz violin player, Bix' friend * Brenda K. Mohr as Joe Venuti's girlfriend *

Julia Ewing Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...

as Agatha 'Aggie' Beiderbecke, Bix' mother *

Mark Collver Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fin ...

as Burnie Beiderbecke, Bix' brother *

Romano Orzari Romano Orzari (born 12 December 1964) is a Canadian film and television actor. He played Hoagy Carmichael in '' Bix'' (1991), Pvt. Jimmy Rassi in ''Silent Night'' (2002), Joey Perrotta in '' Baby for Sale'' (2004), and Tom in '' Mères et filles ...

as Hoagy Carmichael, a pianist and jazz band leader *

Gayla Goehl Gayla is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Gayla Drake (born 1964), American guitarist and singer/songwriter * Gayla Earlene (born 1954), Inola,Oklahoma Christian country music recording artist and musician * Gayla Margolin, Ame ...

as Kitty, Hoagy Carmichael's girlfriend *

Matthew Buzzell Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * Matthew (ship), ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * Matthew (album), ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm c ...

as Don Murray, a jazz clarinettist *

Ray Edelstein Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin Science and mathematics * Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point * Ray (gra ...

as Bismark Beiderbecke, Bix' father *

Mark Sovel Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Finn ...

as Frankie Trumbauer, a jazz saxophone player *

Barbara Wilder Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously ...

as Marie Louise Beiderbecke, Bix' sister *

Sally Groth Sally may refer to: People *Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name Military * Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port *Sally, the Allied reporting n ...

as Liza, Bix' alleged fiancée * Michael T. Henderson as Pee Wee Russell, a jazz clarinettist * Timothy L. Williams as Esten * Debbon Ayer as Vera Cox *

Darrell Bishop Darrell is a given name derived from an English surname, which was derived from Norman-French , originally denoting one who came from Airelle in France. There are no longer any towns in France called Airelle, but is the French word for huckleber ...

as Andy Secrest, a jazz cornet player * Curtis N. Wollan as Paul Whiteman, a jazz band leader

References

External links

* 1991 films 1990s Italian-language films 1991 drama films Films directed by Pupi Avati Films about music and musicians Films set in the United States English-language Italian films 1990s English-language films 1990s Italian films {{1990s-Italy-film-stub