Film Club: Round Midnight

A troubled, but talented musician flees the US to escape his problems, finding refuge and support in Paris.

In this moody drama, Gallic bebop buff Francis Borler (François Cluzet) befriends self-destructive jazz great Dale Turner (Dexter Gordon), an American expatriate who left seeking a more progressive audience. Addiction has taken its toll on the gifted saxophonist, but Borler’s small acts of compassion spark a renewed — if fleeting — zest in the jaded performer, which is echoed in his music. Herbie Hancock’s original score bagged an Oscar.