MOVIE MUSIC UK

GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Original Review by Craig Lysy

In 1952 Columbia Pictures was intent on producing a war romance as a vehicle for stars Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift. They found their story with the 1951 novel From Here to Eternity by James Jones. They purchased the film rights, assigned production to Buddy Adler and allocated a $2.5 million budget. Fred Zinnemann was given the reigns to direct with Daniel Taradash writing the screenplay. A stellar cast was assembled, including Lancaster as First Sergeant Milton Warden, Clift as Private Robert E. Lee “Prew” Pruwitt, Deborah Kerr as Karen Holmes, Donna Reed as Alma Burke, Frank Sinatra as Private Angelo Maggio, Philip Ober as Captain Dana “Dynamite” Holmes, and Ernest Borgnine as Staff Sergeant James R. “Fatso” Judson.

The film is set in Hawaii in the days leading up to the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. It follows the fortunes and love affairs of Private “Prew” Pruwitt, an ex-boxer trying to escape his past, Private Angelo Maggio and Alma Burke a night club hostess, and First Sergeant Milton Warden, and Karen Holmes who is married to his commander Captain Holmes. Conflict arises between Pruitt and his CO when he refuses to resume his fighting career. The conflict unleashes the brutal mistreatment by Holmes’s tyrannical Sergeant Warden. Eventually Pruitt goes AWOL and is shot when he attempts to rejoin his company, Maggio dies of a severe beating, and Warden breaks up with Karen as he sees she is only using him to get back to the mainland, all unfolding as the Japanese launch a devastating attack on December 7th. The film was a sensational commercial success earning a profit of $9.7 million. It also received universal praise for its story-telling and outstanding actor ensemble. The film earned an astounding thirteen Academy Award nomination, including two for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Film Score, winning eight for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Actor and Best Actress.

George Duning had signed with Columbia Pictures in 1946 and was their resident composer. Director Fred Zinnemann brought him in with fellow composer Morris Stoloff for the project. They understood that the setting in Hawaii in 1941 required they infuse their soundscape with contemporaneous songs They chose Re-Enlistment Blues by James Jones, Fred Karger, and Robert Wells, Chattanooga Choo Choo by Harry Warren, The Hut-Sut Song by Leo Killion, Ted McMichael and Jack Owens, Serenade in Blue by Harry Warren, Haunani by Randy Oness and Jack Pitman, Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel) by Jaromir Vejvoda, Pennies from Heaven by Arthur Johnston, Aloha Oe by Queen Liliuokalani, I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart by Patsy Montana, and several Hawaiian classics performed by Danny Stewart and His Islanders band, including I Got Hooked At A Hukilau, I’ll See You In Hawaii, Nohea, Magic Hands, and Maui Girl.

The composer team were judicious in spotting their music, and only two themes were provided, both of which were love themes. Milton and Karen’s Love Theme offers a classic romance for strings, often swelling with passionate, and at times rapturous, blossoming. Prew and Alma’s Love Theme was aspirational and borne by strings felice. It lacked the depth and passion of Milton and Karen’s Love Theme, which makes sense as their love was never really consummated. The Re-enlistment Blues woe’s me song served as a motif for life in the barracks, which spoke to the usual complaints the men had being in the army. The remaining score offered set pieces attuned to provide ambiance or the emotional dynamics of a scene. Lastly, a marcia militare and three military tunes were utilized to support military life, including, Taps by Daniel Butterfield for turning in for the night and as an In Memoriam, Reveille to start the day, and the Calvary Charge for calling men to attack during the Japanese attack.

There is no commercial release of the album, so as such I use film scene descriptors and time indices instead of cue titles. 00:00 “Studio Logo” offers the Columbia Pictures studio logo supported by a brisk marcia militare propelled by snare drums and trumpet energico. 00:11 “Main Title” opens with bold horns dramatico declarations as soldiers line up in formation for morning drills as the opening credits commence. At 0:27 the men commence marching supported by a snare drum propelled marcia militare. We flow into the film proper at 01:20 as “Schofield Barracks Hawaii 1941” displays and Prew is seen walking. The march recedes into the background as he greets his friend Maggio. He has rough introductions to Sergeant Warden, as well as Captain Holmes when he declines his request to represent the regimen as a boxer. Afterwards Warden makes veiled threats if he refuses to support the regimen and box. Later that night in an unscored scene Holmes returns home and argues with his wife Karen. She is bitter and we see that his frequent infidelity has ruptured their marriage. In a change to the rec room, Prew doubles down on his refusal to ever box again, and alienates the men in his regimen.

14:41 “Taps” reveals the bugle declaration of the army end of day ritual to turn off the lights. The next morning troops march in formation with rhythmic cadence chant. In an unscored montage Sergeants Dhom and Henderson begin the planned harassment of Prew with ridicule of his marching, gun assembly and bayonet skills. Later we see sexual tension between Karen and Warden, which becomes more overt when he visits her at home while her husband is in town. He asks for a drink and she accommodates cautiously, allowing him to come in. He slowly breaks through her defenses and at 23:39 in “I’m Leaving” he announces that he is leaving, asking is that not what she wants? She answers, I don’t know. Music enters tentatively as a romance for strings, which blossoms at 23:58 as he takes her into his arms and kisses her. She surrenders to him and the scene fades to black. 24:13 “Reveille” opens with the morning bugle call as the soldiers run to get into line as it is pay day. Prew and Maggio get their money, change into civies, and head out for fun and girls in town. A friend Sergeant Stark warns Warden that people have noticed this interest in Mrs. Holmes. He says to be careful as she has had many men in her past, he knows this, as he was one of them.

Karen and Warden rendezvous at the beach and head off to go swimming. 27:40 “Boys on the Town” reveals Prew and Maggio walking along the bustling streets to the New Congress Nightclub carried by a festive big band number. 28:20 “The Hut-Sut Song” played on piano by Fatso supports the nightclub’s vibe as the hostess escorts them in. Hawaiian folk songs performed by Danny Stewart and His Islanders band join to create a relaxed ambiance. 31:28 “Pennies From Heaven” reveals the classic song played on piano supporting Prew bonding with Lorene. He leaves her to keep Maggio from fighting with Fatso and at 32:16 “Beer Barrel Polka” joins as Fatso resumes playing after Prew and Maggio depart. Unfortunately for Prew, when he returns to Lorene, he finds another guy has moved in. 33:37 “Milton and Karen 1” reveals the two climbing down to a secluded beach as waves crash upon the shore. Strings felice surge like the waves as he lifts her down to the sand. We shift to the Love Theme borne by strings romantico full of anticipation as they change into their bathing suits. She runs off into the surf and he joins supported musically by rapturous happiness.

34:29 “Lorene and Prew” reveals Lorene is unhappy with how Prew behaved earlier. He responds by saying, perhaps he was jealous. He wins her over and she asks that he join her upstairs in the parlor. Musically, an instrumental rendering of the “Serenade in Blue” plays in the background. 35:33 “Milton and Karen 2” returns us to the beach where we witness the iconic cinematic moment of our two lovers laying on the beach in a kissing embrace as a wave comes in and washes over them. They run to the dry sand and again join in a passionate kissing embrace. The Love Theme supports the scene, blossoming with joy to support their rapture. We are graced with an extended romance for strings, however when she says that no one kisses me the way you do the conversation shifts. When Milton inquiries about the men in her life, she deflects, but the music sours at 36:42, when he says, perhaps he already knows the answer. She asks what he is hinting at and he confronts her by bringing up his friend Maylon Stark. They are both angry, and she proceeds to tell him a tragic tale of how her husband cheated on her while she was pregnant, how he refused to call a doctor during her labor, instead passing out after another tryst, which led to their son dying in childbirth and she being injured and no longer able to bear kids. He is shaken by the revelation and at 39:03 and the Love Theme becomes a Pathetique as he lovingly holds, and consoles her.

39:33 “Prew and Lorene” reveals the two sharing an intimate moment alone in the upstairs lounge. Musically, an instrumental rendering of the romantic ballad “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” plays in the background. The moment is lost however when a drunk Maggio joins them, yet when Lorene rests her head on his shoulder, Prew tells Maggio to scram. He leaves the booze and says to enjoy himself as the ‘treatment” will resume tomorrow. When Lenore asks what did he mean, Prew opens up that he retired from fighting because in his last fight a punch caused his opponent to go blind. He is clearly devastated by what happened, and says that is why he refuses to go back into the ring for his regimen. 44:01 “Reveille” opens the next day with the traditional bugle call. Another day of grueling harassment unfolds, yet Prew remains defiant. Back at the barracks at 45:33 “Re-enlistment Blues” the men sing diegetically the classic woes me soldier song accompanied by guitar as Prew lays in his bed. The next day the harassment escalates to the point that Prew becomes defiant. Holmes punishes him by ordering a full gear mountainous hike. Back at the base he again refuses to apologize to Sergeant Gallaway and Holmes orders him to repeat the hike. Afterwards Holmes orders Warden to prepare court martial papers, but Warden convinces him that doubling up on punishment may prove better.

52:43 “Out Drinking” reveals the men in town drinking at a local bar, which the composer team supports with a swinging big band vibe of the folk song “Chattanooga Choo Choo”. Prew grabs his friend’s bugle and adds his bravado ad lib virtuoso playing the song, earning praise and applause from the men. The good mood is spoiled when Fatso makes a disparaging remark about Maggio’s sister. A fight breaks out, which is forcibly stopped by Warden. Fatso vows to Maggio he will get revenge. At 57:05 the juke box begins playing Hawaiian instrumental folk songs as Maggio rejoins Prew and Harry at the table. Later Warden gifts Prew a weekend pass, to which he is thankful. 58:41 “Maggio Gets Ready” reveals him humming “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” as he shakes on talcum powder. He agrees to meet Prew in town, but is nabbed for guard duty due to a sick call. 59:42 reveals Prew and Lorene arguing at the club. She says her real name is Alma, and that she cannot leave her job to go out with him. He is heartbroken and decides to just call things off between them. The composer team supports with a soft swing vibe. Later, at 1:01:40 “Kalakaua Inn” she surprises Prew when she joins him at the Kalakaua Inn where Danny Stewart and His Islanders band support with traditional Hawaiian songs. A drunk Maggio shows up and reveals he skipped out of guard duty. Prew’s efforts to get him to go back fail and Maggio stumbles out to Lorena and Prew’s dismay. She tells Prew to go after him, he finds him drunk on a public bench and tells him to dress while he gets a taxi. 1:06:14 “Serenade in Blue” supports, but descends into tragic-comedy as Maggio starts a fight with two MPs, who knock him out.

1:07:48 “Six Months” reveals Warden advising Prew and the men that Maggio has been sentenced to six months in the stockade for deserting his post and going AWOL. A portentous musical narrative by forlorn woodwinds and strings tristi support as Prew realizes that in the stockade Maggio will be at Fatso’s mercy. The sad narrative carries Maggio’s arrival at Fatso’s office, who grabs his billy club and greets him with menace, saying; “Hello tough monkey”. 1:08:45 “Prew and Alma” reveals our two lovers strolling arm in arm. We are graced with an extended introduction by strings felice of their Love Theme. She gifts the key to her cottage and says he is welcome whenever he chooses. Inside she introduces him to her roommate Georgette, and then prepares a martini and dinner. 1:09:47 “Milton and Karen” reveals they are having drinks at an outside garden café supported diegetically by Danny Stewart and His Islanders performing the Hawaiian song, Nohea. It is clear she has fallen for him as she caresses and then embraces him. Yet the moment is shattered when Milton sees two officers arrive and they are forced to make a discreet exit. As he drives her home, a molto triste rendering of their Love Theme supports. They stop along the road, and she despairs that they can’t keep this up forever. She proposes that the way out is for he to become an officer, and then for her to divorce Dana. They argue when he says he hates officers and she says that he just does not love her. Yet they reconcile, admit their love and decide to move forward.

1:13:34 “Dinner” reveals Alma pouring Prew coffee after dinner and he taking her into a loving embrace. Their Love Theme supports tenderly, yet she resists when he proposes marriage. He is taken aback and wants to know why, and the music sours at 1:15:05 as she says she does not want to be the wife of a soldier. Undercurrents of anger are woven into the musical narrative, which intensifies when she says that in a year, she will have enough money to return to Oregon, build a house, and marry a proper man so she can be a proper wife, and raise proper children. Musically the anger dissipates and is replaced by sadness with the revelation that she sees him inadequate, which wounds him as he turns away. In an unscored scene at 1:16:43 Dana confronts Karen with rumors that she is having an affair. He refuses to have a divorce, and she refuses to disclose her lover. She then defiantly leaves him to stew and takes a walk. In another unscored scene sergeant Galovitch starts a fist fight with Prew after being pushed away for stepping on his hand as he weeded the lawn. He pummels Prew who initially refuses to fight back, eventually anger overcomes him and he turns the tide knocking Galovitch down with a series of devastating punches. Holmes arrives and stops the fight and takes no action after witnesses say Galovitch started the fight.

1:23:04 “Reenlistment Blues/Maggio’s Death” reveals Friday and Prew drinking some beers as another soldiers plays the guitar and sings the military song. Prew leaves to get another beer as a drunk Warden stumbles out of a bar. Warden orders him to join him and the two bond. The moment is lost when a gravely injured Maggio, who escaped the stockade, stumbles in, relates the brutality Fatso has inflicted and dies in Prew’s arms. Back at the barracks we see Maggio’s empty bed as a tearful Prew bugles “Taps” at 1:31:18 in honor of his friend. 1:33:30 “Prew Kills Sergeant Judson” reveals Prew waiting outside the club supported by Fatso’s piano playing. A big band instrumental starts and he sees Fatso exit the bar. He asks that they step around the corner so they can talk. In the alley Danny Stewart and His Islanders support with Hawaiian song instrumentals as Prew brings up Maggio. He accuses him of killing him and challenges him to a fight. They both draw switch knives and after a brutal fight, Prew manages to kill him, but is gravely wounded, collapsing at Alma’s house. In two unscored scenes, Warden reads a newspaper article saying Sergeant Judson’s killer remains at large and that the police are seeking clues. He falsifies the daily roster showing him present. Captain Holmes is brought before the Inspector General and is forced to resign or be court martialed for repeated egregious cruelty to Private Prewit.

Karen and Milton meet at a beach as she is frantic, since Dana wants her to return with him to the mainland. She is devastated when Milton reveals that he just cannot put in the request to become an officer. 1:42:30 “Goodbye Sergeant” Karen realizes the hopelessness of their relationship and says she will be going back with Dana. She says bitterly, goodbye sergeant, and then walks away. The composer team supports with the Love Theme, shorn of its happiness, and now aching with heartbreak. In an unscored scene the AWOL and drunk Prew continues to wallow in self-pity, much to Alma’s displeasure. The next day December 7, 1941 in “Pearl Harbor” we see the men eating breakfast, that is shattered by the Japanese attack. Music enters at 1:48:24 as a bugler sounds the traditional “Calvary Charge” In an unscored scene Prew decides to rejoin his regimen, which is deployed at the beach over Alma’s objection that his stab wound will reopen, and they will find out and conclude that he killed sergeant Judson. She begs him to stay, even promising to get married, but he cannot be dissuaded and departs.

It is curfew and he must try to sneak back and avoid detection. 1:52:28 “Prewit Dies” divided upper and lower register strings and woodwinds sow tension as he avoids a patrol. He comes within sight of his regimen, but is struggling as his wound has reopened. He is sighted, told to halt, yet runs away propelled by a crescendo of alarm. The music climaxes at 1:53:52 as he is gunned down. As Warden collects Prew’s personal effects the song “Reenlistment Blues” reprises with sadness. 1:55:50 “Karen and Alma” reveals the two women standing on deck of an ocean liner sailing past Waikiki Beach to the mainland. Karen tosses her leis into the ocean saying if they float to shore, that you’ll return one day. Alma says she will never return, shocking Karen with the revelation that her fiancée Robert E. Lee Prewitt died a hero December 7th. The composer team supported the scene with a sad instrumental rendering of “Aloha Oe”, with a bugle coda as we see Alma holding Prew’s trumpet mouthpiece.

George Duning and fellow composer Morris Stoloff earned an Academy Award nomination for this score, in which their original music clocked in at less than fifteen minutes. Most of the soundscape is non-original source songs and army tunes. I suspect that the stellar cast, and twelve other nominations provided coattails for their Best Score nomination. In assessing the original score, the two Love Themes succeeded well in supporting the two relationships, with Milton and Karen’s being the more overtly romantic and expressive of the two. Their set pieces supported the emotional dynamics of the scenes to which they were attached, but I believe the lack of music in other scenes, such as Maggio’s Death, and the Pearl Harbor attack were creative errors. The selection of source music was well executed and did a fine job providing the nightclub and barracks ambiance. Folks, I believe that this may be one of the weakest nominees for Best Score in Academy Award history. I do not believe there will ever be a release of the score given the minuscule amount of original music. The film, however, is worth seeing and the romantic music in four scenes worth hearing.

Editor’s Note: although the score for From Here to Eternity has never been released in any format, Duning and Stoloff’s main theme has been included in several vinyl LP compilation albums over the years, although they have yet to be released on CD.

Track Listing:

• NOT AVAILABLE

Music composed by George Duning. Conducted by Morris Stoloff. Orchestrations by Arthur Morton. Recorded and mixed by XXX. Score produced by George Duning and Morris Stoloff.