Stella Stevens: Too Late Blues

Stella Stevens, who died last week at age 84, was all set to be a serious movie star in the early 1960s when the youth culture cut in. As a beach-blanket blonde, she wound up cast in many cute films aimed at the teenage market along with Westerns and secret agent movies. Her most recognizable role during this period was in The Poseidon Adventure in 1972. From there, TV took over, as she played characters in episodes on nearly all the major sitcoms and dramas.

Perhaps one of her best and least-known films is Too Late Blues, a 1961 feature about white jazz musicians chasing a dream. The film stars Bobby Darin as the sensitive John “Ghost" Wakefield and Stevens as the aimless Jess Polanski. Directed by John Cassavetes, the drama had its merits, despite packing in every conceivable jazz-film cliche. The cinematography is strong and Cassavetes pulled a lot out of Darin and Stevens, who seemed cast as a cross between Kim Novak and Barbara Eden. Wait for the drain scene.

I'm posting on the film is because it's super rare (most jazz fans have never seen it) and because of who's actually playing. The soundtrack musicians include Shelly Manne (drums), Red Mitchell (bass), Jimmy Rowles (piano), Benny Carter (alto saxophone), Uan Rasey (trumpet) and Milt Bernhart (trombone). Rasey, of course, would become notable for his moody trumpet solos in the film Chinatown (1974).

A note from Bill Kirchner: “In his score for the film at 1:34:25 and 1:39, David Raksin uses a moody, minor-key ballad that became known as A Song After Sundown. Five years later, Stan Getz recorded it on Getz at Tanglewood." Go here, to 25:42...



Wow, that may be one of the most beautiful ballads Getz ever recorded.

I found the full film, but watch it embedded at JazzWax. If you're reading this as an email subscriber, view it at JazzWax.com here...