The Gene Krupa Story (1959)

Despite the protestations of his father (John Bleifer), who wants him to enter the priesthood, a young Gene Krupa (Sal Mineo) is determined to become a professional drummer in a jazz band. The road ahead is long and hard and fraught with the temptation of women and drugs. Directed by Don Weis (LOOKING FOR LOVE). Gene Krupa is one of the greatest drummers of the 20th century and some would argue, the greatest drummer ever (his drum solo on Benny Goodman's Sing Sing Sing is legendary). Alas, this biopic on his life is rife with the usual biopic cliches and can't rise above it to become anything insightful or fresh. Although the bulk of the film takes place in the 1920s and 1930s, like most movies of the 1950s, there's very little accuracy in clothes and hairstyles. Everybody looks distinctly 1959. Even the rear projection is off: when Mineo's Krupa goes to New York for the first time, we see a movie theatre playing John Ford's WAGONMASTER which was released in 1950! Physically, Mineo is a great choice for Krupa and Mineo even gets Krupa's manic style of drumming down pat. But Mineo who was 20 years old when he made the film isn't convincing as Krupa ages, he's still a baby faced 20 year old. With Susan Kohner, James Darren, Susan Oliver, Yvonne Craig, Gavin MacLeod, Lawrence Dobkin, Celia Lovsky, Bobby Troup and Anita O'Day.