A Man Called Adam

Plot synopsis:
Adam Johnson is a talented African-American jazz cornetist, plagued by ill health, racism, alcoholism and a short temper, as well as guilt over the deaths years before of his wife and child. The result is a caustic personality that wears even on those who care the most about him, such as his best friend Nelson, and Vincent, a young Caucasian trumpeter whom Adam mentors. Arriving unexpectedly at his New York home drunk after walking out on his jazz quintet, Adam finds prominent Civil Rights Movement worker Claudia Ferguson and her grandfather, Willie, who is himself a well-known jazz trumpeter, in his apartment. The two have been given access to the apartment by Nelson, but despite having authorized this, the drunken Adam is rude to both, that including making a vulgar pass at Claudia.
The next day, a sober Adam is apologetic and strikes up a new friendship with the two. This eventually leads to a romance with Claudia, who cautions Adam that from that point on, she will not allow him to be any less than he is. Nelson warns Claudia against it, saying that although he understands what she sees in Adam, he will still ultimately only hurt her. She is not dissuaded, saying that she is determined not to let Adam destroy himself.
The relationship has a positive effect on Adam and all is well until an encounter with some racist police officers. Adam tells them off and fights with them when they seek to take him into custody. Claudia is upset that he intentionally antagonized them, while Adam can't understand why she thinks he should submit to being humiliated. They quarrel, leading to Adam drinking more and beginning to lose control of his temper. Manny, Adam's booking agent, says he intends to send Adam on a tour of the South, insisting Adam accept whatever racist treatment he may encounter there. Adam violently threatens Manny and later physically assaults a jealous former girlfriend who had just slapped Claudia.
Adam tells Claudia she is too good for him, but when he subsequently takes ill, she moves in with him and their relationship is renewed. He confesses to her his secret that he was driving while intoxicated during the car accident which killed his family, having gotten drunk in response to being demeaned and insulted by a racist police officer. Claudia convinces Adam's old group to reunite with him and things again seem to be looking up for him. However, the police pressure the owner of the club where the group plays to ban him. When he learns of this, Adam lashes out at everyone, including Nelson, Claudia and Vincent.
A drunken Adam crawls back to Manny, who sends Adam on the Southern tour. Adam asks to have Vincent come along and they perform well together. On one occasion, Adam and Vincent hug after a particularly well-received number, prompting a violent audience reaction. This time, Adam maintains control of himself and does not respond. The tour continues very successfully, and upon returning home, a cheerful Adam proposes to Claudia.
Afterward, Vincent is violently attacked in front of Adam and Claudia. Claudia looks for Adam to do something, but he remains frozen, only watching as a helpless Vincent is pummeled. Finally, Adam just runs away. Claudia reflects that it was her insistence that caused Adam to change from a man who would never accept any slight to the man she had just witnessed. She regrets that she effectively took away his manhood.
Eventually, Adam resurfaces at the club, looking "chewed up and spit out", as Willie puts it. Adam is relieved to learn that Vincent is not dead. Despite his physical condition, Adam accepts the invitation to join the group on stage. His performance is first brilliant, with Claudia, Willie and Vincent all watching and thoroughly enjoying his resurgence. Soon, though, Adam begins to struggle physically and his playing turns frenetic. Eventually, everyone stops playing, leaving nothing but Adam's fevered trumpeting, which he attempts to continue even while virtually doubling over in agony. Finally, he collapses and dies, leaving his friends to grimly mourn him.

Tags: romantic, melodrama

Review:
A Must See Film.
This film, made in 1966, was a bold attempt at addressing the contemporary conflicts of race and identity as it affected an African American jazz musician during the turbulent civil rights era.
Adam (Sammy Davis Jr.) is a celebrated yet self destructive jazz musician and womanizer.
Possessing a mean temper with a short fuse, he also has a serious drinking problem.
In the opening scenes we are introduced to Adam leading his band in a sensuous slow number to an appreciative audience at a jazz club.
When a drunken audience member insists he play something up-tempo, the volatile Adam abruptly stops playing and nearly assaults his heckler before storming out of the club and hopping a plane back to New York without explanation.
Arriving home drunk with a sexy stewardess whose name he can't remember (a very lovely Lola Falana in her first screen role, which amounts to a brief cheesecake walk-on) Adam inconveniently discovers his apartment has been loaned for the week-end by his best friend (played by Ossie Davis) to a respected, elderly jazz musician (Louis Armstrong) and his chaperon/grand-daughter, a young civil rights activist (Cicely Tyson).
Honored by the presence of the senior musician and attracted to his grand- daughter's sharp wit, politic-ism, and natural beauty (unlike the other African American actresses in this film, Tyson wears her hair in a short afro and wears little to no make-up).
To his best friend's dismay, Adam attempts to embark upon a serious relationship with the activist, and to meet her challenge to him to be "nothing less and nothing less" than what what he is, "a man.
With the support of his no-nonsense girlfriend and his young protégé (Frank Sinatra Jr.) Adam's efforts to tame his drinking and his anger look promising until an unexpected confrontation with the police tips the scale.
Neither the elder musician's (Armstrong) brand of courteous subservience nor Tyson's subscription to non- violent protest works for Adam, In an era where his art cannot shield him from the stigma and crisis of his race, Adam is a time-bomb waiting to happen.
Davis' performance is riveting as is Tyson's.
The issues presented in this film were raw at the time of its making, and Davis and Tyson present African American characters that were almost unprecedented in their dramatic intensity and three dimensionality--an exception would be Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln's startling performances in "Nothin' But AMan", (1961).
Rat-pack bad boy Peter Lawford joins the cast as Adam's powerful and vindictive agent who, after twice being humiliated by Adam (don't miss the scene in famed NY restaurant, 21), blackballs him, then forces him back to the humiliation of the segregated south.
Also look for a brief yet strong performance from an uncredited Jan'et DuBois ("Willona" on 1970s TV show, "Good Times") as Adam's pride-less sometimes girlfriend, and Academy award winning actor Morgan Freeman an extra in a party scene featuring singer Mel Torme..
Sammy Davis Jr.'s A Man Called Adam was a fine dramatic showcase for him.
Just watched this on Netflix disc with my mom.
We both enjoyed this obscure film from 1966 about a jazz musician who suffers ups and downs because of a past he can't escape.
Sammy Davis Jr. is Adam Johnson, a trumpeter with a short temper and a messed up social life.
Ossie Davis is his club owner friend Nelson, Frank Sinatra Jr. is his Caucasion protégé Vincent, Cicely Tyson is his activist lover Claudia, Louis Armstrong is her grandfather who's also a jazz musician named Willie, and Peter Lawford is his agent Manny.
All are very compelling in their roles which takes on many issues with racism and why Adam feels the way he does.
Also interesting seeing such up-and-coming stars like Ja'net Du Bois, Johnny Brown (both eventually of "Good Times"), and Lola Falana in some roles.
Oh, and the director is Leo Penn, father of Sean Penn.
So on that note, I highly recommend A Man Called Adam.
Oh, and I also loved Mel Torme doing his thing in one number..
"Young Man With a Horn" for a cynical, racially-heated era...a decent showcase for the assembled talents.
Sammy Davis Jr. does well with a self-destructive, unlikable role, that of a jazz trumpet player (with the ridiculously Anglo-ized name of Adam Johnson) who finds true love for the first time with a virginal bleeding heart: a sensible civil rights activist who wants to reform the hot-headed musician of his hard liquor and hard-living.
Adam, carrying around a multitude of shoulder-chips, lashes out at everybody and never seems to land on his feet; after burning all his bridges, he finds himself at the end of his professional rope--yet the faithful are still hopeful he can make a comeback.
Davis mimes the trumpet well enough, but this character is tough to take (if he's not humiliating himself, he's hurting all his loved ones).
Much better are Ossie Davis as a friend with a strong center and endless patience, as well as love-interest Cicely Tyson (her sparkling smile is particularly ingratiating, though she has a speech late in the movie about robbing Davis of his manhood that plays all wrong).
Mel Tormé stops the show with a terrific rendition of "All That Jazz", while the superb soundtrack and Jack Priestley's gleaming cinematography are first-rate throughout.
Director Leo Penn is best at the smaller bits of business; the action happening just left of center is far more interesting than the film's big dramatic moments, which tend to run away from Penn.
Worse, the montage-heavy final act is movie-shorthand for the Last Hurrah, a worn-out cliché even in 1966.
Jazz is king.
For some reason this film has gone sadly neglected over the years when assessing Sammy Davis, Jr. The man sung and danced and acted with the best.
His trumpet playing may have been dubbed, but Davis was as real a deal talent wise as we've ever had.A Man Called Adam casts Davis as a trumpet player who's been on a downward spiral for 10 years ever since he lost a wife and child in a car accident.
Even dissipated and drunk as he is the talent is there and he still gets bookings.
But the jazz clubs are disappearing as well as his concentration.When he gets himself involved with Cicely Tyson the only question has she come too late to be a salvation for him?
Ossie Davis plays Tyson's uncle and guardian and the great Louis Armstrong is Davis's mentor.
No doubt Sammy was learning from the best.
Might have been nice to see some of Satchmo's own playing.I'd love to know how Davis managed to get Peter Lawford and Frank Sinatra, Jr. in the same film.
Lawford and Sinatra Sr. had broken off all relations four years earlier.
Still Davis of all the clan members kept up a friendship with Peter Lawford who plays a big booking agent.
Sinatra, Jr. plays an up and coming jazz trumpeter who idolizes Davis and takes quite a bit of guff from him during the film.
A Man Called Adam is a nicely acted film all around by its cast and it should be better known.
Especially when assessing the whole career of Sammy Davis, Jr..
A good look at my fathers generation of virtuso.
Great movie the best SAMMY DAVIS JR film to date,did anybody notice MORGAN FREEMAN doing background extra work, when i was young I heard old people talk about his film people like my DAD, I know he saw this film this film was very appealing to him, I know,he was in to this type of music pure jazz, all the actors were great, know I would love to own it on DVD, it help me to understand the emotionally charged 1960s I lived thru that period.and the only program that bought laughter into our hope was a show called I DREAM OF JEANNIE which MR DAVIS did a guest spot and the number that OLD BLACK MAGIC if you look carefully you'll notice the cast is mesmerized at Sammy's performance Barbara Larry Hayden and bill even the background club atmosphere was awed by this man energy,,,,,wish I could've meet him.
Low-key character study.
'A Man Called Adam' was tailor-made as a vehicle for Sammy Davis's talents as a dramatic actor.
He should have chosen a better script, with a more sympathetic role.
The main character in this movie wallows in self-pity, and then turns out to do so for the wrong reasons.As a movie, 'Adam' is slow and boring.
As a showcase for some jazz performances, 'Adam' is considerably better.
In addition to some splendid trumpet solos by Nat Adderley (dubbing for Davis's character), there are superb performances by Louis Armstrong and Benny Carter, which almost (but not quite) redeem this movie's considerable flaws.
Also on hand is Mel Odious, I mean Mel Torme, exhibiting his usual smarm.This movie's painfully low budget actually works in its favour.
Leo Penn's low-key direction skilfully captures the down-and-dirty world of a jazz musician: the brassy nightclubs, seedy hotel rooms, fly-blown booking agencies and jam sessions.Adam Johnson (Davis) is a talented jazz trumpeter whose career is going nowhere fast.
We're given to understand that he's a victim of racism, and in 1966 this is certainly plausible.
But a lot of Adam's problems are his own fault.
He walks out on a club date at the last minute -- a cardinal sin -- and quarrels with his honest and hard-working agent.
Adam also has a drinking problem, which I found slightly disingenuous.
In real life, quite a few jazz musicians have substance-abuse problems, but the substance is usually drugs ...
not alcohol.
Judging by this movie, you'd think that booze is the most lethal substance in the nightworld of jazz.SPOILERS COMING.
Eventually, in a well-acted scene with Cicely Tyson, Adam reveals his big secret.
He used to have a wife and child, but they both died in a car accident while Adam was driving ...
he feels guilty that he survived and they didn't.
Ever since, he's been taking it out on himself and everyone else.I found this movie dishonest.
I accept that there were *many* reasons for a black man in 1966 to be angry and resentful, but Adam seems to be angry for all the wrong reasons.
In the novelisation of this film, there's a chapter in which Adam spitefully plays slow jazz when a white customer wants something up-tempo.
This whole film is like that, with Davis giving us something that he knows we don't want.On the positive side, Sammy Davis and Tyson give excellent performances with the bad material given them here.
Ossie Davis (no relation) is less impressive.
A lot of actors owed their success to some physical quirk: for Ossie Davis, it was an extremely deep and resonant voice.
He has little else to offer here.
I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of Peter Lawford as Adam's agent.
I've always considered Lawford a no-talent, who got by with a handsome face, a charming manner, a pleasant speaking voice and some Camelot glamour by way of his marriage to JFK's sister.
Here, for perhaps the only time in his career, Lawford gives a layered and nuanced performance in a credible role.
He and Sammy Davis were good friends and Rat Packers offscreen: perhaps their genuine affection enabled Lawford to do the scene here where he and Davis are at each other's throats.I was also pleasantly surprised by a scene in which Adam plays a jazz duet with white trumpeter Vincent, played by Frank Sinatra Jnr. It's no revelation that Frank Sinatra Jnr's chief claim to fame is his father's name.
Here, he actually shows some talent in his own right ...
synch-playing to someone else's dubbed trumpet music, but showing easy rapport with Davis.
I wish that this entire film could have matched the panache of their sequence together.I recommend 'A Man Called Adam' for some fine jazz music, but not otherwise.
My rating for this movie is 3 out of 10..
A Contrast in Choices.
The watching of "A Man called Adam" reminds me that we all have choices, even when we make bad ones.
Sammy Davis plumbs the depth of despair as a man haunted by the memory of his wife and child's death in an auto accident.
The accident occurred while he was drunk and Adam is ruthless in his destruction of himself and those who love him.
This is his story and of those who tried to save him.
The amazing talent of Mr Davis really allows us a glimpse into this troubled mans world- at once a titan of talent and ability and a captive, of his own choosing in the angst of self hatred.
This is not really a story of the price of fame, but of the power of choice.
We can choose to look backward, forever condemning ourselves for our mistakes and errors.
Or we can go forward and forgive ourselves and allow ourselves a new beginning.
God, mercifully, allows U turns.
The movie shows us the raw side of life at the top and killing oneself as a result.
We have seen this play out so many times in the musical world.
Or you could dispense with all the preachy crap and just enjoy the movie for it being a mini time capsule of a fragment of the rat pack-Sammy Davis of course, Peter Lawford and while Sinatra Sr. is not present, his son FAS jr is.
He is a decent actor as well.
Father of Jazz Louis Armstrong also is here and gives a strong showing.
A decent movie, deserving of more than being an obscure mid 60s piece.