Jazz In Film

The Film: Bells Are Ringing

The Year: 1960

The Director: Vincente Minnelli

The Stars: Judy Holliday, Dean Martin, Eddie Foy Jr. and Jean Stapleton

The Music: Composed by Jule Styne; appearance by baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan

The Story: Ella Peterson is a Brooklyn telephone answering service operator who tries to improve the lives of her clients by passing along bits of information she hears from other clients. She falls in love with one of her clients, the playwright Jeffrey Moss, and is determined to meet him. The trouble is, on the phone to him, she always pretends to be an old woman whom he calls “Mom.”

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