The Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes

1964 0h 22m EN

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 2

DramaMusic

Synopsis

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The Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes is a 1964 short film directed by Robert Clouse. In Storyville, New Orleans, jazz trumpeter Jimmy Blue Eyes is occupied by a series of high-stakes games. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Donald Elson
The Devil
Garland Thompson
Jimmy Blue Eyes

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Robert Clouse
Languages: English

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 22-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

62 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Robert Clouse, shot by John A. Alonzo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Robert Wollin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Donald Elson and Garland Thompson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0058288 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Robert Clouse directs. John A. Alonzo behind the camera. Robert Wollin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 22-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
262 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Robert Clouse, shot by John A. Alonzo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Robert Wollin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Donald Elson and Garland Thompson carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0058288 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: John A. Alonzo
Editing: Robert Wollin
Runtime: 22 min · 0h 22m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: The Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes (1964)

Also by

Robert Clouse

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-01-07
★ 7/10
If you’ve heard The Charlie Daniels Band’s “Devil Went Down to Georgia” then you will be familiar with the plot. A none-too-perfect man and accomplished trumpeter “Jimmy” (Garland Thompson) is challenged to a contest by the devil himself (Donald Elson). Of course, nobody expects that “Jimmy” has a snowball’s chance in his foe’s fiery dominion, but in this smoky joint he accepts the wager - so let battle commence. The narration is delivered poetically, and some of that rhyming mixes menace, fantasy and even optimism quite powerfully as the jazz underscore sets up our duel. The whole production has a seediness to it, not in a tawdry way - more in an hot and sweaty, threatening fashion and the trumpet work from Teddy Buckner and his All Stars is soulful (or perhaps not?) stuff. It is, perhaps, five minutes longer than it needs to be, but the photography gets up close and personal and I did enjoy it.