Music is more than just a pleasant distraction to break the monotony of daily life. It’s a form of expression, into which many artists pour their hearts and souls, using it as a vessel for a range of existential quandaries, filtering the pain and confusion that comes with being alive into sonically pleasing works of art that transcend any spoken words and instead deliver these ideas that grow into beautiful, compelling examinations of the human condition. Jazz music has often been considered one medium in which the pain and exhaustion of existence, as well as the joy that comes in being alive, interweave into some of the most exhilarating pieces of art ever produced, ones that remain as striking and chilling today as they were in their peak, which started more than a century ago. One of the most extraordinary examinations of this idea comes in Round Midnight, a film written and directed by Bertrand Tavernier  (in collaboration with co-writer David Rayfiel), a filmmaker who has developed a reputation for his versatility and ability to tackle a large range of stories, some of which may seem entirely out of his wheelhouse at a glance, but prove to be undeniably impactful when done properly, which is always what we find to be the case when venturing into one of his many extraordinary works. The film centres around Dale Turner, a jazz musician who is on the other side of middle age, struggling with addiction and living hand-to-mouth, playing in seedy nightclubs for pennies that only barely support his drug habit. In an effort to turn his life around, he leaps and moves to Paris, where he believes he will find more steady employment in a particular nightclub that seems to be more receptive to hiring musicians of Turner’s status. It is here that he meets Francis, a young artist who is struggling with his own personal domestic troubles, and with whom he immediately strikes up a friendship, the two men setting out to explore the challenging outside world together. A beautiful, poetic film that carries an abundance of meaning through its ability to challenge and provoke without needing to resort to the same hackneyed techniques we would expect, Round Midnight is a masterful character study that celebrates and critiques the human condition in equal measure.

The premise on which the director builds Round Midnight is very simple but evocative, having a clear meaning that is not always easy to discern from the outset, but which nonetheless still proves to be extraordinarily effective. The story of two men who are down on their luck – one a drug-addicted jazz musician, the other a recently-divorced single father trying to make a living as a visual artist – is a stark dynamic that immediate situates the film in something very recognisable and endearing, while also allowing for more dynamic ideas to gradually emerge, the results being a film that is bold and compelling without being too reliant on traditional tropes. Tavernier was very careful to create a film that wasn’t simply just built from the traditional odd couple dynamic – that is certainly part of what makes the film so captivating, but it is very limiting and would force the focus to be more on the differences between these two men, rather than their clear similarities, which is the core of the story and the message it wishes to convey. The film takes two people who come from entirely different backgrounds and puts them next to each other, showing that a friendship can be forged from unexpected circumstances, and that even when emerging from such varied circumstances, there is always something to be said about unconventional friendships. Dale and Francis have their own ambitions that take up the majority of their perspective, but in creating this friendship with one another, they manage to be inspired to try harder, while also having the added benefit of not being forced to navigate this hostile world all on their own. It’s a wonderfully moving concept that is beautifully brought to life throughout the film, which proves to be far more profound than we would have expected at a cursory glance, since the film appears to be remarkably straightforward on the surface, but has a monumental depth that is very easy to overlook at first, but which gradually becomes more enthralling as the story progresses and we witness the depth of complexity that drives this otherwise engaging narrative.

The part of Dale Turner is so exceptionally well-written and conceived that countless actors could have feasibly played the role and absolutely made sense, since its the kind of character that would be catnip to anyone who wants the opportunity to truly step out of their comfort zone, and there are no shortage of acclaimed actors working at the time (such as Paul Winfield and James Earl Jones) would I could easily imagine in the film. However, Tavernier takes a gamble in the form of casting Dexter Gordon, the real-life musical icon and undeniably one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, to take on the role. Giving the part to someone with no prior acting experience and asking him to take on such a challenging character was a risk, but Gordon proves to be absolutely superb, delivering the kind of spellbinding performance that immediately removes all doubt about his ability to convincingly play this part. He’s incredible, finding so much truth in this character – even when he is explicitly playing a character, Gordon brings his own lived experiences to the film, which is worth monumentally more than any polish that a more professional actor would have brought to the role. In fact, its the jagged edges and clear imperfections that make Gordon’s performance so extraordinary – there’s a deep, undying honesty driving his work here that we can appreciate in so many ways, and his ability to tap into something innate and carnal, and which cannot be replicated or mimicked by anyone who has not had the same first-hand experiences themselves, is precisely why the film is such a remarkable showcase for his performance. Round Midnight is clearly designed to be a two-hander between Gordon and François Cluzet, the latter being absolutely exquisite in his own way, but there’s just something so incredibly compelling about what Gordon is doing that not only anchors the film, but single-handedly makes it entirely memorable and deeply compelling.

The more time we spend with Tavernier’s films, the further we come to understand that he was not someone driven by a particular style, but rather a more flexible one that could be adapted to the story and genre with which he was working. This allows us to understand how he managed to make arguably the greatest film on the subject of jazz music, a quintessentially American genre of artistic expression, as someone who worked exclusively in French cinema for most of his career. Part of this is his approach to carving Round Midnight as a film that resists easy categorisation – it is very much steeped in the traditions of jazz, but as filtered through the lens of someone who forged his own artistic career during the French New Wave, which was obviously heavily influenced by American media, jazz in particular being a major inspiration, especially in showing complex characters trying to navigate the discomfort of existence in urban spaces that feel both enticing and hostile to anyone who dares take the risk of calling them their homes. The film is loosely based on the autobiographic novel by Francis Paudras, who outlined his own relationship with a dying jazz musician, and considering its not a direct retelling (instead just taking a cue in terms of the story), we do see that the director adds some of his own perspective into the character of Francis, someone both fascinated and intimidated by the presence of the jazz legend across from whom he is working. Much of Round Midnight is told through images more than words – there’s a coherent story, but it’s so simple that it almost feels limiting, and where the true brilliance comes in is how the film relies heavily on its tone. This is a film driven by atmosphere, to the point where we don’t even need to focus too much on the dialogue – Round Midnight can easily be viewed as a jazz composition in itself, with the gorgeous imagery, such as the cinematography and production design, coupled with the striking score, are what draws us in, the writing merely being the lyrics, supplementary and there only to underline the meaning, rather than define it.

As time has gone on, Round Midnight has earned a reputation as a raw, harrowing depiction of addiction and existential malaise, told through the story of a jazz musician trying to navigate a world he simply does not understand. This is a very promising concept, but only part of what makes this such an extraordinary piece of filmmaking. We can look towards the film for so many interesting ideas, each one beautiful and compelling in its own way, and ultimately drawing us further into a narrative that hinges very heavily on the subject of companionship being a healing balm for even the most mortally wounded of souls. Constructed by a director who is fully committed to the process of capturing a specific time and place through this story, and curated by a crew that do exceptionally well to leave a lasting impression even beyond the film (Herbie Hancock’s score is one of the greatest in film history), and anchored by a cast who are more than willing to bare their heart and souls for the sake of telling this story. Round Midnight isa beautiful and challenging film, and so much of it is built from a firm, undying devotion to exploring the inner architecture of the human mind by focusing on two very distinct perspectives. Effortlessly compelling and deeply moving in how it delivers its central message without even an ounce of pretention or delusions of grandeur, the film is an absolute triumph, a simple mood piece with staggering depth and a sincerity of soul that all works towards making it one of the most important films of its era, and one that is as relevant and timely today as it was at the time of its release, being a resonant glimpse into the darkest corridors of the human condition, and a ferociously moving call to arms for all of those who feel lost or adrift in a hostile world to which we are still undeniably drawn.