Gene Krupa Story, The

Sal Mineo gives a solid performance in this bio-pic about ace drummer. The film unfortunately concentrates on Krupa's personal life and seems short on music and his relationship with Benny Goodman. If you're a fan of Big Band music prepare to be somewhat disappointed. There are a few moments where the drumming by Krupa is synched with Mineo's 'going through the motions' are perfectly done! Really could have/should have been better.

Reminiscent of lady sings the blues. Sal is very young and screen burns with his charisma. On the drums he resembles buddy rich in mannerisms. The role possesses him. The editing is poor and inconsistent. Very good period piece.

I recently read a biography (by Michael Gregg Michaud) of the sad and somewhat self-destructive life of Sal Mineo. Although he was nominated for Oscars twice (best supporting actor in "Exodus" and "Rebel Without a Cause") and won a Golden Globe (best supporting actor, "Exodus"), this film and the so far unavailable "Dino" were the only two in which he starred. At the time of his murder at the age of 37, he'd been reduced to appearing in dinner theater (in towns such as Albuquerque, New Mexico!) and other small scale stage productions. Mineo was the prime mover in getting "The Gene Krupa Story" made, having pushed the project along over a period of three years. He became an expert drummer during that time (although out of respect for Krupa, it was dubbed in the film by Krupa himself, who also served as adviser).Several of the roles are played by big band members as themselves, and Krupa's struggle with addiction is reduced to a petty encounter with the dreaded weed. This and the rather melodramatic rags to riches to rags to redemption plot put a damper on Mineo's normally naturalistic acting style. It doesn't help when he's over-emoting while pounding the skins, even though that's exactly what Krupa himself did. So why the four stars? It's because despite the dumb decisions his character makes, Mineo is such a lovable rascal (as he supposedly was in real life) that you just can't help but root for him. The film is a product of its time. Taken in that context, it's well worth seeing.

This film came out in 1959, and the then 20 year old Sal Mineogives what I think is one of the defining performances of hisbrief and all-too-tragic career!I have posted several reviews on the work of Sal Mineo...he was an amazing and highly underappreciated talent in his lifetimewho had a few moments in great films where he really got to show theworld a glimpse of what he was made of!He was a talent far beyond his years who worked really hard to developand inhabit the characters he played in a time when that was unheard of!In his written and televised biographies, his sister Sarina recants thatSal Mineo became so deeply immersed in Gene Krupa that he taught himself howto play drums to almost the same intensity level of Gene Krupa,who was one of the first virtuoso drum soloists in jazz history!He hang out a lot with Krupa to absorb his story and to get a feel forhis fiery personality, and the two struck up a lifelong friendship.All this becomes evident when you see Sal's amazing performance in one of thefew big screen movies where he was featured as the headliner.He is supported by the beautiful Susan Kohner, who played the troubledSara Jane, the self-hating mulatto child in another 1959 classic, "Imitation Of Life".She plays his principle love interest in this.Other supporting cast members include James Darren, Susan Oliver and others whowould become big stars later on. I'll allow you to discover them for yourselfwhen you see this film. (-:Sal Mineo was on top of the world during this time and recieved great reviewsand accolades from his peers for this role. It's a shame that he only had one otherbig role after this one in the 1960 Otto Preminger film, EXODUS, in which he wona golden globe for that role as "Dov", the nazi-hating jewish radical.Even though he was nominated for 2 oscars and won a golden globe, Sal Mineo's careerwas plunged into a tailspin when the powers that be in Hollywood of that time decidedthat he was a has-been at 22. He spent the rest of the 60's into the mid 70'strying to regain the place in the industry that he had once held,turning in some very interesting and ahead of their time performances whichmade some very uncomfortable ( Who Killed Teddy Bear? and Fortune In Men's Eyes)during those wild in some ways, but still very much conservative in other ways, times.Sal Mineo was a masculine, attractive, talented man that was forward-thinking enough todare to live openly as a gay man at a time when that was career suicide for an actor!But he forged on in spite of this, eeking out a living in TV, commercials, off broadway playsand was at threshold of a triumphant comeback when he was murdered by a random manin an attempted robbery in February of 1976.So much talent & promise misused and lost forever!That's why it's great to go back and see movies like this one,to ponder what might've been had he been given a chance back then in his youth.A very good classic film for those who love classic films.

The Gene Krupa Story plays at times more like a Lenny Bruce sketch ("So that's what reefers look like!") with Sal Mineo coming over like Martin Scorsese on speed as the first superstar drummer, James Darren proving that he's no singer while Red Nichols is at least 30 years too old to play himself. At times almost aiming to be a Catholic version of The Jazz Singer (even though Krupa's family behave like classic Jewish stereotypes), it's formulaic, watered down stuff, both factually and musically, but not without some undemanding entertainment value, not to mention a likeable performance from Susan Kohner as the good girl who stands by him. And Susan Oliver's hophead singer gets a great exit line: "Excuse me, but I've got a town to get out of."

I loved it! He was a fabulous musician, and like all aspiring musicians his family totally rejected the idea. They thought he wouldn't be able to make a living---he surprised them! The story has its moments of sadness, but isn't that how life is for all of us?

I find it difficult to understand why so many critics have slammed this movie. Granted it isn't a 100 percent factual account of Krupa's life, but the acting and musical performances are all first rate. Mineo is utterly convincing as a hungry, young jazz drummer obsessed with following his muse and proving himself to the world. I can easily imagine this film inspiring someone to become a drummer (in fact no less a percussion personage than Neil Peart has made that very claim). I doubt the same could be said for the Glenn Miller or Benny Goodman biopics which, though good, are doubtful to inspire a run on trombones or clarinets at the local musical store. If you like jazz, you should definitely check this movie out.

I should say upfront that I am an avid fan of Krupa and have most (not all) of his recordings. I have never seen this film but have been after it for many years. Finding it on A,mazon SONY CHOICE Collection made my heart leap. Sitting down with a glass of wine I wondered what kind of fist Mineo would make, knowing how hard he tried to get it right, from various articles at the time. Boy! Does he get it right!. The most amazing drum sequences which, if I didn't know differently, I would swear were all his work, Mineo utterly convinces, down to the drumming facial and physical expressions. A performence sadly overlooked. The support cast can't really compete. Darren is colourless and looks far too modern. Kohner is a bit wishy washy (but good), and for me Susan Oliver (another much underused actress) nearly steals the show as a ruthless singer and lover of Gene. The Sony Choice NTSC DVD is excellent quality (16.9 Ratio) with crisp B/W photography and good sound. But it's the music and the spectacular drumming that sold it for me. An absolute must for Jazz/Krupa fans.

Great "!!! one of the best films I have seen

No use in UK I discovewred too late.But they took it back without a quibble.

Wonderfully done, really interesting, great footage. Well worth it!

I have been a fan of Gene Krupa since I first heard him play on the Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall concert microgroove LP record set many years ago. I don't like Sal Mineo and that was the only reason I hadn't purchased this video. I now have a copy and regard my Gene Krupa collection as complete. I have seen Gene live and in movies and on TV. I still don't like Sal Mineo although I must admit he does a fair job in his role as Gene Krupa.