I give this one three-and-a-half stars: one for Krupa's off-screen drumming; one for Sal Mineo's credible imitation of Krupa at the drums (makes one wonder what Mineo's drumming sounded like), and one for Shelly Manne's appearance on screen as Dave Tough. The rest of the movie cumulatively rates less than a star.
Musician film biographies are known for their "artistic license," but this one was so far off the mark as to be ridiculous. So many inaccuracies in the plot, I can't begin to list them. Even the musical selections were incredibly off the mark. And it's hard to believe that Krupa saw and signed off on this script or the rushes, because the movie made him look like one of the music world's shallowest, most self-centered, and destructive creeps. He was no angel, but he wasn't the showboating Satan pictured here.
Musician film biographies are known for their "artistic license," but this one was so far off the mark as to be ridiculous. So many inaccuracies in the plot, I can't begin to list them. Even the musical selections were incredibly off the mark. And it's hard to believe that Krupa saw and signed off on this script or the rushes, because the movie made him look like one of the music world's shallowest, most self-centered, and destructive creeps. He was no angel, but he wasn't the showboating Satan pictured here.