In the 1989 romantic comedy The Fabulous Baker Boys, Jack Baker plays piano.
Jack and his brother Frank perform as a professional lounge act in Seattle. Jeff Bridges plays Jack, while Beau Bridges plays Frank. Their act becomes more successful after they hire Susie Diamond, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, as a singer.
The piano is central to Jack’s identity as a musician and to the movie’s intimate performance scenes. The film is known especially for Pfeiffer’s rendition of “Makin’ Whoopee,” performed on top of a piano in a nightclub sequence. That scene became one of the most recognizable moments in late-1980s cinema.
Written and directed by Steve Kloves, the film combines romantic tension with the story of a strained sibling partnership. Michelle Pfeiffer received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, and the film also earned nominations for cinematography and film editing.