The Gene Krupa Story **½ (1959, Sal Mineo, Susan Kohner, James Darren) – Classic Movie Review 9856

Director Don Weis’s 1959 black and white biographical music drama The Gene Krupa Story [Drum Crazy] stars Sal Mineo plays the famous jazz drummer Gene Krupa, whose use of alcohol and marijuana led to jail and to the interruption of his career.

The cast is good enough but Orin Jannings’s only moderate script has them struggling. Mineo is likeable but fails to gel fully in the role, though he slaps the skins (Krupa recorded the drums on the soundtrack) with the necessary conviction and passion.

Susan Kohner plays his long-time sweetheart Ethel Maguire, Susan Oliver plays the sexy hip-swinger Dorissa Dinell, James Darren plays Krupa’s friend Eddie Sirota, Yvonne Craig plays Gloria Corregio, and Bobby Troup plays bandleader Tommy Dorsey, while Anita O’Day, Red Nichols and Buddy Lester get by nicely playing themselves.

Taking a few liberties with the facts, the film is like the sound of distant drums: dull rather than dynamic. There is some smashing old-time music, though. It is a great jazz soundtrack.

Also in the cast are Lawrence Dobkin, Celia Lovsky, Shelly Manne, Henry Beau, John Bleifer, Ruby Lane and Gavin MacLeod.

Susan Kohner won the 1959 Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer – Female. The daughter of actress Lupita Tovar, Susan left films and TV for good when she married John Weitz in 1964 and retired to raise a family.

The Gene Krupa Story [Drum Crazy] is directed by Don Weis, runs 102 minutes, is made and released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Orin Jannings, is shot in black and white by Charles Lawton Jr, is produced by Orin Jannings and Philip A Waxman, scored by Leith Stevens and designed by Robert Peterson.

Krupa was there with Mineo when the film opened at the Schiller Theatre in Krupa’s hometown of Chicago on 15 January 1960. They greeted fans and signed photos.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9856

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