With a secondhand trumpet and the loving guidance of a brilliant bluesman, a lonely boy grows into manhood as a superb musician whose talent carries him from honky-tonks to posh supper clubs. But his desperate search for an elusive high note – trapped in his mind but impossible to play – starts him on a boozy downward slide. Charged with dynamic performances by Kirk Douglas (the title role), Doris Day, Lauren Bacall and Hoagy Carmichael, and pitch-perfect direction by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca), the film is a feast of hot, cool, moody jazz. Legendary Harry James dubbed Douglas’ hornwork. Day brings another fine instrument – her voice – to four standards. Movie and music lovers will be glad to meet this Man.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Young Man With A Horn for the first time on Blu-Ray with 1080p transfer sourced from a sterling 4K scan of the Original Nitrate Elements. Warner Archive is simply the best in the business when it comes to preserving old Hollywood, and this release is a prime example of their expertise. Print damage has been completely eliminated, while always retaining its organic filmic qualities. This black and white feature shot by Ted McCord maintains its sumptuous natural film grain throughout which allows for a standout amount of detail in the image. This also allows for a nice amount of texture within the costumes and the production design. You will also find a striking amount of depth including in the shadows where black crush is absent at every turn. You could not ask for better here.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that holds up favorably. Music is a major part of this narrative, and both the diegetic music and the score holds up admirably with little in the way of dissonance even in the upper registers. There does not appear to be any notable damage or age related wear and tear to the track. Dialogue comes through clearly in harmony with the sound effects and the music. There are a couple sequences that are a bit more lively which are appropriately full in the speakers. This is a really good audio presentation that translates this material well. There are optional English SDH subtitles available on the disc for those who need it.

Special Features

Hillbilly Hare: A seven-and-a-half minute Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Bugs Bunny in which Bugs finds himself on vacation in the Ozarks before running into a pair of hillbillies who are looking to square off. This is presented in gorgeous HD.

Homeless Hare: A seven-minute Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Bugs Bunny who finds his home destroyed by a detestable construction worker. Presented in HD.

Hurdy-Gurdy Hare: A final seven-minute Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Bugs Bunny who is looking to make a break into the music business. Presented in HD.

Lux Radio Theater (3/3/52): A 55-minute radio adaptation of the story with Kirk Douglas returning in audio form.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Young Man With A Horn tells a story that has only become more familiar in the decades since it was originally released, but as an early biopic it does a nice job of capturing the story of this artist while also delivering something entertaining for most audiences. Kirk Douglas is great in the titular role, and the two women in his orbit are equally captivating on screen. Michael Curtiz knows how to craft a sultry tale filled with tragedy and desire, and he does it skillfully here. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a tremendous A/V presentation and a fine array of supplements. Some of the most talented names from Hollywood’s golden age are involved here, so classic film fans should not miss it. Recommended

Young Man With A Horn can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.