Young Man with a Horn (1950)

Lauren Bacall: Amy North

Photos 

Quotes 

• Amy North : People try to find security in a lot of strange ways. You seem to have solved your problems - at least while you're playing that trumpet.

  Rick Martin : I don't understand a word you're saying, but I love the sound of your voice. It's got a wonderful rough spot in it.

• Amy : You can call me Amy.

  Rick Martin : I bet I could.

• Amy : Call me sometime.

  Rick Martin : Call ya what?

• Amy North : Tell me about jazz. Do you think it's purely African?

  Rick Martin : I don't know. I don't do much thinking about it. I just like to play it.

• Rick Martin : I gather you don't like jazz.

  Amy North : Not particularly. Oh, I know it's supposed to be our native art. Cotton fields, the levees, old New Orleans and blues in the night.

• Amy North : Jo's interesting, isn't she? So simple and uncomplicated. Must be wonderful to wake up and know which door you're going to walk through. She's so terribly normal.

  Rick Martin : She's a good singer too.

• Amy North : There's something about jazz that releases inhibitions. It's a sort of cheap, mass-produced narcotic.

• Amy North : We'll put your alter ego away.

  [takes Rick's trumpet] 

  Rick Martin : My what?

  Amy North : Latin. A dead language that ideally suits me. It simply means "your other self."

• Amy North : I envy you, Richard, but I don't quite understand you.

  Rick Martin : As far as you're concerned, doc, that goes *double* for me.

• Amy North : How long have you been playing the trumpet?

  Rick Martin : Since I was a kid.

  Amy North : Ever want to do anything else?

  Rick Martin : No.

  Amy North : Even when you were a kid?

  Rick Martin : No.

  Amy North : Because even then you knew you'd play better than anyone else. That's it, isn't it? Me, I've been an intellectual mountain goat, leaping from crag to crag, trying everything. You don't know how lucky you are.

• Amy North : This has nothing to do with you. It's me.

• Amy North : We should get along beautifully. We're completely different.

• Amy North : You think you're falling in love with me. Well, don't. Don't take any chances with me. Only people who respect themselves can ever love fully, freely. I don't happen to respect myself.

• Amy North : You're not being at all understanding or generous, Richard. Not even friendly.

  Rick Martin : Maybe it's because I'm not your friend. I'm your husband.

• Amy North : I'm dying to see the rest of your sketches.

  Miss Carson : We'll have dinner out and then go back to my place.

• Rick Martin : You can do a lot of things, Amy, so you don't do any of them. I can only do one. That trumpet's part of me. It's the best part. You almost made me forget that. You're so confused yourself, you got me confused.

  Amy North : I'm not confused any longer. I'm fed up with you! I'm sick of you trying to touch me. I'm sick of the sound of brass.

• Amy North : Get these records out of here. I don't wanna listen to them again!

• Rick Martin : Amy, why did you ever marry me?

  Amy North : I think it was a wonderful experience for both of us. Besides, how do you know about anything until you try it?

• Amy North : Talk is vastly overrated. It's action that counts.

  Rick Martin : I know it is. And don't think I haven't wanted to crack you on the jaw before this. I don't know why I haven't done it. Probably because I'm still in love with you.

  Amy North : That's very sweet. But that sort of conflict can lead straight to an ulcer. My prescription for you is a double Bromo Seltzer.