Round Midnight (1986)

Round Midnight (1986)

starring Dexter Gordon, François Cluzet

written by David Rayfiel, Bertrand Tavernier

directed by Bertrand Tavernier

131 minutes

Jazz saxophonist Dale Turner (Dexter Gordon) moves Paris in 1959 and spends some time playing there with other American jazz musicians in a club called the Blue Note. He is befriended by Francis Borler (François Cluzet), a fan of jazz music who is raising his daughter by himself since his wife up and left.

Francis struggles to keep Dale out of trouble. On a few occasions Dexter wanders off, drinks too much, and winds up in a hospital. Eventually Dale decides to return to New York City. Francis goes with him and quickly sees that if left unattended Dale will likely fall back into bad habits. Francis tries to get Dale to return to Paris with him but Dale opts to stay in NYC.

Thoughts

I saw this movie as part of the 2026 Noir City DC film festival at the AFI Silver Theater. I had not seen it before. It is not noir.

The story is spare but the music is solid. I very much like the way the movie was shot and edited together. Some of the performances are shot like they are documentary footage which in a way they are.

I really enjoyed this movie but I think the music had a lot to do with that. If I didn't like the kind of music that filled this movie then I might feel differently about it.

Notes

The story, according to my research is based on a few real people. Dale is an amalgam of jazz musicians Lester Young and Bud Powell. Francis is based on Francis Paudras, a French author who was friends with Powell when he lived in Paris.

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards. Dexter Gordon was nominated for but did not win the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Herbie Hancock was nominated for and won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.

I have not seen either of the lead actors before. Dexter Gordon was a jazz saxophonist, composer, and band leader. There are a few actors in minor roles that I have seen before including Lonette McKee and Martin Scorsese.

I have seen two other movies that David Rayfiel had a hand in writing but this is the first movie that I have seen that Bertrand Tavernier either directed or wrote.