MOVIE MUSIC UK

GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Original Review by Craig Lysy

In an effort to assume greater control of his career, renown actor Edward G. Robinson joined with producer Sol Lesser to form the Thalia Production company. For their inaugural film, Robinson chose to adapt the mystery-thriller novel “The Red House” (1945) by George Agnew Chamberlain. Lesser would manage production with a $1 million budget, Delmer Daves would be tasked with directing, and and would also collaborate with Albert Maltz to write the screenplay. A fine cast was brought in, including; Edward G. Robinson as Pete Morgan, Lon McCallister as Nath Storm, Judith Anderson as Ellen Morgan, Allene Roberts as Meg Morgan, Julie London as Tibby Rinton, and Rory Calhoun as Teller.

The film offers a classic mystery-thriller is set in rural America on a farm owned by the reclusive Pete Morgan and his sister Ellen Morgan where they live a quiet life and raise their adopted daughter Meg. Pete is handicapped with a wooden leg, and has reached the point in his life where he can no longer manage all the farm duties. Meg convinces him to hire her friend Nath who takes on most of the more arduous chores. Over time Meg begins to fall in love with Nath, which arouses the jealousy of his girlfriend Tibby. Against this backdrop lies a mysterious red house located deep in the woods, which elicits Nath and Meg’s curiosity after he hears moans and yells one night as he traveled home. The revelation of the red house’s dark secret forever changes Meg’s relationship with Pete and Ellen. The film was a commercial success, and was well-received by critics. However, it received no Academy Award nominations.

Miklós Rózsa was offered the scoring assignment based on his recent Oscar win for “Spellbound” (1945), and proven success in the Film Noir genre. Upon viewing the film, he realized that there was a dark and suspenseful undercurrent of mystery and intrigue, which over the course of the film slowly evolves from the intangible and illusive, to manifest as a shattering revelation. Pete harbors guilt from a dark secret, which torments his psyche, and eventually overwhelms it, causing his descent into madness. Rózsa understood that he would have to speak to this psychic unravelling, juxtaposed to the paternal warmth Pete felt for Meg. The foreboding woods and mysterious Red House itself would also require themes, as would Nath and Meg as they fall in love. To that end, he augmented his orchestra with a wordless women’s chorale, and four instruments well-suited for sowing a misterioso; the vibraphone, celeste, novachord and Theremin.

Pete Morgan is a complex character for which Rózsa composed two themes. The first, which I call the Paternal Love Theme speaks to his love of Meg as his adopted daughter. Warm and comforting strings offer a tender musical narrative of love. His second theme I call his Guilt Theme as it speaks to his guilt of killing Jeanie and her husband Herb, which tortures his mind. It articulation is darker, volatile, and tortured and emotes as a frightening string borne tremolo agitato, draped with foreboding auras by vibraphone, celeste, novachord. Meg is a gentle soul and her theme offers repeating five-note phrasing, sometimes with a gossamer like sensibility led by flute delicato flowing like a gentle breeze through the forest leaves attended by a retinue of fluttering woodwinds, at other times borne tenderly by strings. Meg and Nath’s Love Theme is kindred to Meg’s Theme, whose five-note phrasing is led by a solo violin d’Amore, kindred strings romantico, and fluttering woodwinds of delight. Tibby’s Theme offers tenderness borne first by a solo English horn, bass clarinet with a retinue of kindred woodwinds. Like Meg’s Theme, there is a delicacy femininity and gentility in its expression.

The Farm Theme supports the Morgan farm and offers an idyllic pastorale borne happily by woodwinds and strings. The Ox Head Woods Theme is kindred, and also offers a beautiful woodwind and strings pastorale, which belies the Red House, that exists within its midst. The Red House Theme supports the terror and mystery of a house hidden deep within the woods, which contains a dark past and horrible secret. Rózsa sow terror, offering a powerful and foreboding and turbulent musical narrative propelled by dire, repeating seven-note phrases empowered by ominous horns answered by contrapuntal strings. Teller is empowered by his theme as well as Pete’s Guilt Theme when assuming the role of a guard hired by Pete to protect the Red House. The Lullaby Theme is attached to Meg in her former life as the daughter of the murdered Jeanie and Herb, as well as the cradle used to hold her. It offers a ghostly, twinkling celeste borne lullaby draped by theremin and ghostly wordless women’s voices. The Mystery Motif offers a foreboding and descending four-note solo flute figure. It speaks to the hidden mystery of what occurred fifteen years ago at the Red House.

“Main Title and Narration” offers a score highlight where Rózsa immediately establishes the dark and foreboding tone of the film. It opens powerfully with fanfare dramatico as United Artists are credited. We flow into the opening credits, which are set against a background of forest, meadow and later a bubbling stream. Rózsa sow terror with his ominous Red House Theme, which offers a foreboding and turbulent musical narrative propelled by dire, repeating seven-note phrases by ominous horns, which are answered by contrapuntal strings. At 1:25 the music softens and narration commences relating the dense and pristine forest of Ox Head Woods, and the remote isolation of Pete Morgan’s farm, which adjoins it. Rózsa supports with the Ox Head Theme, a wondrous string borne pastorale with fluttering woodwinds as we take flight like a butterfly atop a breeze. At 2:10 we flow into Meg’s Theme, borne with gossamer gentility, joined by a retinue of fluttering woodwinds of delight. We see and hear of Union High School kids departing for the day on a bus supported by narration, which speaks of an idyllic life in this pristine and verdant valley. On the bus Tibby flirts with her boyfriend Nath, enticing him to go with her alone to swim at the reservoir.

“The Morgan Farm” reveals Tibby getting off the bus and greeted by Teller. He is flirtatious, but she unreceptive and walks away. Rózsa supports with Tibby’s Theme, which offers tenderness borne first by a solo English horn, and then a bass clarinet. Like Meg’s Theme, there is both femininity, delicacy and gentility in its expression. Back on the bus, at 0:20 strings tenero bear Meg’s Theme as she fidgets nervously in asking Nath to stop by her farm. He agrees, and as they exit the bus at 1:06 at her farm, the Farm Theme, a beautiful woodwind and strings pastorale supports their walk to the barn. At 1:23 her theme blossoms as she greets her father Pete in the barn. Yet the music soon sours when she mentions that she has brought Nath to visit. At 2:00 Pete’s warm Paternal Love Theme joins as he learns from Meg that Nath is going steady with Tibby. “The New Hired Hand” reveals Pete sizing up Nath and relating that Meg and Ellen believe it’s time to hire someone to help with chores. He offers 35¢/hour but accepts counter of 50¢ given that his walk home is over an hour. Music enters atop Meg’s Theme borne with joy by strings felice when Pete agrees to hire Nath. As she runs with joy to inform Ellen her theme becomes ecstatic. At 0:47 the Farm Theme returns as we see Nath bringing the cattle in for the day.

In an unscored scene Nath finishes dinner with the Morgan’s and then clumsily relates town gossip that the Morgan’s are mysterious, and that Meg was their adopted daughter, who was abandoned by her parents. Ellen explains that they have all they need here and that Meg’s parents left her in their care while relocating in the south, but died tragically in a car accident. Afterwards, they adopted Meg legally. In “Oxhead Wood Mystery” Nath decides to eat and run, and says that he will take a shortcut home through Ox Head Woods. Pete tries to dissuade Nath, becoming frantic when he fails to heed his warning. Rózsa introduces Pete’s Guilt Theme, which is darker, tortured and emotes as a string borne agitato, the music becoming more frantic and tense as Pete’s demeanor changes. A wind storm rages as he departs supported by eerie tremolo strings and flute arabesques as Pete yells to stay away from the red house lest its screams haunt you for the rest of your life. An ominous musical narrative unfolds and descends horrifically with dire quotes of the Red House Theme by strings at 0:52 as Nath runs off towards Ox Head Woods, while Meg stares into Pete’s terrified eyes. At 2:00 a diminuendo grave supports Pete’s return to kitchen, his eyes expressing terror as he says Nath is in danger and will not survive. He then leaves Ellen and Meg repeatedly saying; “He’ll be back.” At 2:24 Rózsa sow terror with eerie flute arabesques, foreboding strings and ominous auras by theremin, novachord and celeste as Nath walks past a sign at the edge of Ox Head Woods, which says; “Trespass at your own risk”.

“Screams In the Night” offers an exceptional score highlight, a musical narrative of abject terror, perhaps the most frightening in his canon. Nath struggles through the dense foliage and eventually comes upon the ruins of a broken bridge. Rózsa unleashes a swelling and monstrous furioso of terror, joining wailing women’s voices, theremin, horns orrore and writhing strings which first buffets, and then engulfs Nath. He eventually panics and begins fleeing for his life. A frightening accelerando of terror propels his desperate run back to the Morgan farm, dissipating eerily at 2:31 and he throws himself into a pile of hay in the barn. Afterwards, in “Pete’s Strange Knowledge” Meg witnesses Nath’s return through a window and turns to see Pete calling his mother to say Nath will be spending the night, due to the late hour and storm. Meg asks how he knew Nath had returned, but he does not answer, instead lighting his pipe and saying Nath will be a great help on the farm. Rózsa supports with Pete’s darker, and more foreboding second theme rendered as a misterioso.

The next day in “The Barn”, Pete greets Nath in the barn, and Nath expresses the terror he felt hearing screams in the night. When Pete asks what he is talking about his foreboding theme and the Red House Theme borne by muted trumpet join in disconcerting interplay. Nath rejects his assertions that it was the wind, or that he imagined it. He tells Nath to wash up, join them for breakfast and take the bus to school with Meg. After breakfast the music brightens atop Meg’s Theme as they walk hand in hand to the bus stop on the road. He asks her what type of guy is Pete, and she answers he has always been wonderful, kind and generous. Yet the music darkens once more atop an ominous Red House Theme when he asks about the red house. Yet she says she knows nothing about the house or the screams as they reach the road and the bus arrives. In an unscored scene Nath’s mother answers his questions about the Morgan’s saying Pete had his leg amputated after a terrible fall in Ox Head Woods, that Ellen and Dr. Byrne fell in love, but she decided to dedicate her life to Pete and nothing ever came of their romance. Nath then counsels his mother to accept her suitor’s proposal and get married.

“Nath Explores the Woods” reveals Nath exploring Ox Head Woods during the day so as to better see and navigate. As he reaches the “No Trespassing” sign, Rózsa supports with the Red House Theme rendered as a foreboding misterioso, yet at as he begins his forest trek at 0:15 the tension dissipates and the music becomes lyrical carrying his exploration with the sumptuous and wondrous refulgent beauty of the Ox Head Theme, perhaps its finest rendering in the film. At 1:11 a sense of foreboding resumes as he reaches the ruins of a broken wooden bridge that once spanned a stream. “Meg Asks Questions” reveals a tender father daughter moment with Meg again questioning Pete about the Red House. Pete is conflicted and evasive, with paternal love wrestling with his guarded imperative of not disclosing his dark secret. Rózsa speaks to this musically with interplay of his two themes expressed by low register woodwinds, warm and comforting strings, joined by a solo violin tenero with harp adornment, which voices his paternal love. His dark theme is shorn of its tortured anger and aggression, tempered by his affection for Meg and the violin solo at 1:05 is gorgeous, as he realizes she likes Nath and that she has grown up. Yet we also discern that the violin is tinged with sadness as he realizes that he will soon lose his daughter when she discovers love and marries. He pines to her saying that he wished that she was still a child who needed him. He reaffirms his love and his desire that she be happy. At 1:58 we flow into the oboe borne Farm Theme as we observe Nath performing his daily duties of bring the cows back from pasture.

“Attack In The Woods” reveals a defiant Nath arguing with Pete and declaring firmly that he will continue to trek though Ox Head Woods, day or night, because no one will ever call him ‘yellow’. Pete’s tortured theme supports with foreboding auras as Nath walks away as Pete looks on worried. At 0:19 dire horns declare the Red House Theme as the camera reveals the “No Trespassing” sign. As we see Nath walking at dusk, Rózsa supports with the Ox Head Theme rendered with bird chirping woodwinds, lyrical strings draped by a misterioso. Subtle, non-threatening quotes of the Red House Theme are heard as he makes his way. At 1:40 he leaps over the stream from the broken bridge, but as he lands on the bank, strings violenti surge as a club descends and strikes him in the head, knocking him into the water. He is stunned, but manages to crawl out as dire horns declare ominous statements of the Red House Theme.

“The Accusation And The Conspiracy” reveals Nath returning to the Morgan farm, convinced it was Pete who clubbed him, however when Meg intercedes, he relents. Pete tells Nath earnestly that he needs him here at the farm, so why would he try to harm him? Pete’s dark theme is repeatedly emoted with weariness by burdened strings of regret. As Nath and Meg walk away at 0:36 Pete tells Ellen that there is a curse on those woods, we know that, his word buttressed by a foreboding quote of the Red House Theme joined a ghostly wordless women’s chorus and theremin resonance. At 1:03 woodwinds tenero and warm strings allude to a growing attraction between Nath and Meg. She offers to join him searching the woods Sunday to unravel the mystery of the Red House, to which he agrees. At 1:53 an oboe tenero and retinue of strings gentile voice her theme as we see him moved when she expresses that he not think that she is trying to steal him from Tibby. So as to not break his date with her, he says the three will search together.

“Search In The Woods” reveals the three beginning their search of Ox Head Woods supported by a soft and innocuous rendering of the Red House Theme. At 0:34 a pastorale of the Ox Head Theme led by flute carries their progress through the woods as Meg alerts them of a trail she discovered. They set off carried by a string borne lyrical passage of the theme with woodwind adornment. A slow building crescendo commences at 1:57 that crests with futility as the reach yet another dead end. At 2:37 the ghostly Lullaby Theme borne by wordless women’s voices with glockenspiel adornment is heard, but only by Meg. At 2:59 the music darkens and becomes foreboding as Tibby declares she is tired and insists they go swimming. “Swimming” reveals Tibby and Nath swimming as Meg sun on the shore. We open with a meandering minstrel oboe from which at 0:14 shifts to a youthful scherzo giocoso. At 0:50 the melody blossoms as Tibby and Nath have a romantic moment that leads to a kiss at 1:04 marked by a transient souring, which reflects a jealous Teller lurking out of sight. A pastorale unfolds and ushers in a reprise of the minstrel oboe motif as Meg calls out that dinner is served.

“Sunday Dinner” reveals Tibby disclosing that they spent the day searching for a haunted house in Ox Head Woods. This elicits the occult menace of Pete’s Guilt Theme, which begins an angry crescendo at 0:33 when Meg confirms she had joined them. However, the crescendo never erupts as we see Pete suppress his anger. The next two cues as presented on the album are not fully synched with the film and the liner notes suggest that the film scene sequence was altered after Rózsa had recorded his music. In “Pete Threatens Meg” Tippy says a flirtatious goodbye to begin her walk home, but not before she gets Nath to commit to a date next Sunday, just the two of them. The woodwind borne gentility of Tibby’s Theme carries her departure. At 0:17 Pete’s Guilt Theme erupts with anger as he confronts Meg in the kitchen and forbids her to go back to Ox Head Woods. She is defiant and his theme simmers menacingly as he grabs her arm and threatens to whip her if she disobeys him. At 0:46 desperate strings of flight carry her running away, and we close darkly as he pauses and walks to a closet. “Meeting In The Woods” opens with a menacing statement of Pete’s Guilt Theme as he opens the closet, changes into an outdoor jacket, grabs his shot gun, and then departs, carried by the simmering rage of his Guilt Theme, which explodes with rage.

“Crossing The Stream” reveals Teller meeting Tippy at the stream bank. He is clearly attracted to her and solicits a favor, that she accept his wad of $750 and purchase a saving’s bond He offers her $10 for her assistance, which she accepts. She hesitates to cross the stream and he gallantly scoops her up into his arms and carries her across. Rózsa supports with her theme borne by shifting woodwinds delicato with harp adornment. On the far shore she thanks him, and he asks if that was all the thanks he gets? She asks what else does he want and he pulls her into a passionate kissing embrace at 0:37 with her theme swelling on a crescendo romantico. Afterwards we see her clearly affected, and walks away carried by her tender theme. “Pete Warns Teller” reveals Teller smiling after Tibby’s departure, with the mood shattered by a shotgun blast. He runs in the direction of it supported by an angry and menacing rendering of Pete’s Guilt Theme, which informs us of his presence. At 0:21 an accelerando of urgency carries his ascent up a hill. A diminuendo at 0:32 slows the fury and resumes a menacing Pete’s Guilt Theme as the two men meet. An agitated Pete chastises Teller who rebuffs him asking why he cannot control Nath. Pete then authorizes him to use a shotgun to scare him with a near miss. Teller smiles and says, ok, I will take care of my end, and this will be fun. Pete snaps back, this is your last chance as he walks off.

“Prayer Sequence” reveals Ellen holding Sabbath prayer services at the farm with Pete, Meg and Nath in attendance. As she quotes the need for forgiveness from scripture, and then offers a prayer, Rózsa supports reverentially with tolling bells, and a chorale of woodwinds solenne. At 0:53 Meg and Nath depart and Ellen comforts a troubled Pete as the melody transfers to warm religioso strings. She asks what is troubling him and we see him lost in his thoughts, and we close darkly atop the foreboding four-note Mystery Motif by solo flute. In “Graduation Present” Tibby calls for Nath at the Morgan ranch as reminds him of their date. Pete encourages his pursuit of love as healthier than prowling in woods. As he departs, a subtle woodwind borne Pete’s Guilt Theme lurks. On the porch Meg supports their efforts to unravel the mystery of the Red House, which Rózsa supports with soft, yet menacing quotes of the Red House Theme. She reassures him that they we’ll find it and Nath departs. At 0:56 Meg goes in and a solo cello tenero ushers in Pete’s Paternal Love Theme, which tenderly supports the tender father-daughter moment. He gifts her a graduation present, a gold watch bracelet. She is happy and his theme blossom on strings tenero at 1:15 as he is pleased placing the bracelet on her wrist. He then asks for her forgiveness for barking at her last Sunday. Yet at 1:32 the music begins to descend into sadness when she says that she has always wanted to go in those woods, and did because she thought she had to. Yet at 2:11 when she says it is strange, but that she felt she belonged there, a portentous Red House Theme joins, becoming mournful as Pete says to not ever go into those woods again. Meg turns away and departs, saying she will treasure the watch all her life and we close with a very troubled Pete supported by a menacing Red House Theme.

“Meg Finds The Red House” reveals Meg in her bedroom gazing at Ox Head woods in the distance supported by the Red House Theme rendered as an eerie misterioso with ghostly theremin. She leaves through a window, descending to the ground by tree branches and at 0:57 begins her trek in the woods carried by the Ox Head Theme rendered as a string borne pastorale with woodwind adornment. The theme intensifies on a slowly building crescendo as she penetrates deeper and deeper into the woods. Its melodic flow is severed at 1:52 with dire statements of the Red House Theme as we see Teller, who is carrying a rifle, looking down at a footprint. We resume the Ox Head Theme, now borne by beleaguered strings as Meg continues her search. At 2:34 an eerie twinkling prelude ushers in at 2:43 the ghostly Lullaby Theme as Meg pauses, transfixed by the sight of the Red House. Her eyes slowly pan right and at 3:07 dire statements of the Red House Theme buttressed by theremin resound as she looks upon the ice house.

“Teller Shoots At Meg” reveals Meg running carried by flight music, which becomes frantic, driven by fear at 0:15 as Teller begins firing several shots “to frighten her to run home”. The music swells on a crescendo feroce, now empowered by dire statements of the Red House Theme as Meg panics due to two shots barely missing her. A tumbling motif at 0:55 supports her rolling fall down a hill, which results in a broken leg. Lurking quotes of the Red House Theme support her sitting up, and we close at 1:32 on Meg’s Theme borne delicately by solo violin tenero with harp adornment as she weeps, unsure of her fate. In unscored scenes, Nath and Tibby realize that they have very different visions for the future. She wants a luxurious city life, while Nath wants to remain here in the valley and farm. Later, when Nath arrives at the ranch, Ellen is frantic as Meg has disappeared, He grabs a flashlight and says he will search for her in the woods. He finds her, helps her up and we shift back to the Morgan farm.

“Pete’s Grief” offers a poignant score highlight where Rózsa demonstrates mastery of his craft to musically support Pete’s psychic pain. It reveals him sadly relating to Ellen that all was well until Nath arrived, and now he fears he is losing Meg. He expresses his remorse to Ellen for his past sins. Rózsa supports with an aching Pete’s Guilt Theme borne by a cello triste full of regret. As he recalls the sad events of that day a crescendo dolente bears his remorse, joined at 1:14 by the ghostly Lullaby Theme which, elicits pain. At 1:33 the Red House Theme returns, an unrelenting harbinger of his actions that fateful day 15 years ago, which tortures his psyche. At 1:55 a crescendo affanato swells atop his theme as his guilt begins to overwhelm him despite Ellen’s efforts to console him. He raves that he should have died there, with Ellen declaring that she should have burned the place down. At 2:54 a diminuendo is triggered by a desperate Nath calling them form outside. “Meg’s Accident” reveals Nath bringing Meg in and Pete calling Doctor Byrne to come to the farm and treat her. Rózsa supports tenderly with Pete’s Paternal Love Theme.

Later in “Nath And Meg” we see Nath sneaking into Meg’s room by climbing a tree and entering through her window. A nocturne by woodwinds pastorale support his stealth approach. At 1:16 the four-note Mystery Motif returns when he asks her to tell him about her discovery of the Red House. As she describes it the Mystery Motif and Red House Themes interplay creating unease as she relates that she believes she’d been there before. The music becoming more unsettling as she relates seeing another structure, the ice house. She asks him, how she could possibly know this? A ghostly theremin joins at 2:05 as she answers yes to his query, “did you hear screams?” At 2:33 Pete’s menacing Guilt Theme resounds as he rises from his chair believing he heard voices coming from Meg’s room and prepares to make his way up to her room. At 2:42 the nocturne resumes as Meg tells Nath to go, and come back every night. At 2:53 as he kisses her, a solo violin d’amore voices their Love Theme. At 3:18, the moment Nath departs through the window, Pete enters caried by his Guilt Theme. He stares at her with a vacant expression and says “Jeannie, are you alright?” Rózsa supports the moment with interplay of an eerie, other-worldly variant of the Lullaby Theme and Pete’s ominous Guilty Theme. She says she ready to go to sleep, and Pete, again with a vacant expression, says “Sleep soundly Jeannie”.

In an unscored scene Pete goes to Nath’s room and accuses him of being in Meg’s room, to which he confesses. Pete is angry, says he is the cause of all heir problems and fires him, ordering him to leave immediately and never come back lest he be hurt. An angry Nath storms out and Pete lies to Ellen, saying that Nath quit to work at the Renton Farm. In “Ellen Denounces Pete” she recognizes he is lying and accuses Pete of wanting Meg all to himself, the same reason he used to justify killing Jeannie’s husband. This enrages him and bloodies her right arm. Meg screams and Ellen runs up to her with Pete’s angry theme dissipating on a diminuendo of regret. Ellen informs Meg that Nath has left, because he needed a full-time job, and that he sends his love. At 0:39 an aching Meg’s Theme borne by a solo violin triste supports her tearfully accepting that Nath has left. In unscored scenes Nath sends his mom and her new husband off on their honeymoon. Later, we see Dr. Byrne making a house call on Meg, whose cast he recently removed. She is visibly distressed to hear that Nath has hired on full-time at the Renton farm. Pete joins them and answers Dr. Byrne’s inquiry, that Ellen is fine. Pete and Meg walk together as he encourages her walking without crutches. At the Renton farm Tibby and Nath bicker over him working too hard and not having time for her, adding that he always had time for Meg when he worked there. She storms off when he says he will be sleeping in Sunday and that their date will start at 11 am.

In “Teller And Nath Fight” it is Sunday and church bells ring as we see Tibby stuff Teller’s bond note in her blouse. She walks to the stream where Teller commends her for finally deciding to come. She hands him the note but discovers he is drunk as he rebukes her for standing him up on several Sundays. She tries to leave, but he forcibly pulls her in for a kiss. When she pulls aways he rebukes her for seeing Nath, adding when you want a man, you come to me. At that instant a wad of mud strikes Teller in the face. Music enters angrily and a descent by strings furioso carry Nath’s run to Teller, followed by his punch, which sends him reeling into the stream as enraged horns resound. At 0:12 an aggrieved Tibby’s Theme supports her defense of Teller. The theme then warms as she helps him sit up and cares for him. The theme blossoms at 0:30 on strings and French horns as she kisses him with Teller adding, don’t you see you’re not wanted here, driving home the point that she is now his girl. The music darkens as Teller says that Pete gave him full rights to the woods. When Nath asks if he knew how Meg got hurt, Teller deflects and warns him to stay out or suffer this, as he pummels Nath with a punch at 1:29. As Teller and Tibby walk away, we close with a disquieting woodwind refrain of Pete’s Guilt Theme.

“Who Was Jeanie?” reveals an idyllic rendering of Meg Theme as she swims in the pond, which darkens atop the eerie Lullaby Theme as the camera shifts to Pete staring at her with a vacant expression. Her warm melody returns as the camera shifts back to her as she swims to the dock. Yet at 0:35 she is disturbed by his vacant look as he says; “This is always the way it should be Jeanie; you don’t need anyone else” as the eerie Lullaby Theme, now buttressed by a ghostly theremin supports. She is visibly frightened and the scene cuts away at 0:56 supported by a tentative and yearning Meg’s Theme as she says she misses Nath and is troubled by something here, which is elusive. She then asks Ellen; “Who is Jeanie?” Ellen is shocked, and demands to know how she knows that name. Meg relates that Pete has called her that several times as the music shifts to statement of the Lullaby Theme, now empowered by crescendo di paura as Ellen asks if Pete has ever laid hands on her. Meg answers no, and Ellen leaves with great urgency.

In an unscored scene in the work shed Ellen counsels Pete that he is working too hard, and perhaps it would be best to bring back Nath to help, as well as for Meg’s sake. He is defensive after she says she gave up a life with Dr. Byrne for him and that he must bring back Nath for Meg’s happiness. Yet he is fearful that Nath will never stop searching, and will eventually discover the secret of the Red House, which will destroy us. We flow into “Ellen Goes To The Woods”, a score highlight of terror. Dire and portentous strings express Pete’s Guilty Theme as he declares to Ellen that Meg is his as long as the Red House stands in the quarry. Rózsa sow a rising tension on the Red House Theme as Meg fails to dissuade Ellen from taking kerosine to burn down the Red House, despite warning that Teller fired at her to cause her injury. She sets off with Meg to Nath’s cabin as a frantic Pete searches the house for Ellen and Meg. The Red House Theme is joined by menacing tremolo violins of tension as we see Ellen making her way in Ox Head Woods as Teller lurks in the darkness with his rifle. A rifle shot is heard at 1:49 causing Meg to run towards the woods. The Red House Theme repeated sounds as Teller approaches and discovers that he has not shot Nath, but instead, Ellen. The theme swells horrifically on a crescendo in terror as Meg calls out for Ellen and Teller flees. The theme dissipates at 2:58 as Meg come across Ellen, who is mortally wounded. At 3:10 Meg runs back to get Pete’s help, but finds him sitting with a vacant and unresponsive expression, his Guilt Theme now eerily joined by a ghostly theremin, supports the rest of the scene. Rózsa mutates the expression of Pete’s Guilt Theme to mirror his descent into madness. Meg asks him to help as Ellen has been shot as Pete stirs and says that Ellen is lost now, and that nothing will help. She telephones Nath for help and then sets off, fending off Pete’s attempt to stop her.

“Ellen’s Death” reveals Meg tending to Ellen as they await the arrival of Nath and Dr. Byrne, supported by weeping strings affanato voicing Meg’s Theme. At 0:56 the music shifts to Pete’s Theme, embracing a heart wrenching pathos borne by a solo violin as Ellen asks Meg to pity, and love him. At 1:32 mournful woodwinds join to support Nath’s arrival with a stretcher. Meg says she bandaged the wound and that Ellen is sleeping. Nath examines her at 2:03, and horns of death resound when he tells Meg, she is dead. We close on a diminuendo of grief. In an unscored scene Teller goes to the Renton farm and uses a pebble against Tibby’s window to bring her down to him. He proposes and asks to borrow her dad’s truck to elope with him across state lines, promising a luxurious honeymoon. She agrees and they set off to leave via the back road to avoid detection.

“Pete’s Confession” offers a poignant and cathartic score highlight with exceptional thematic interplay. Music from 0:00 – 0:37, which used repeated phrases of the Mystery Motif and supported Nath and Meg carrying Ellen’s body home, was dialed out of the film. Back home Pete reveals that he loved Ellen, and that she gave up everything for him. As he then opens up to disclose the truth of the Red House, Nath sneaks off with his shotgun, determined to kill Teller. When Pete calls her Jeanie and begs her to stay, Meg angrily says she is going to leave him. Pete speaks of how she was the daughter of Jeanie, how he accidentally killed her, and then in a rage, killed her returning husband Herb. Rózsa supports Pete’s catharsis with a molto tragico musical narrative, which joins the Mystery Motif, Red House Theme, Pete’s Guilt Theme and the Lullaby Theme in a tortured exposition, which crescendo’s powerfully at 3:43 with his admissions of murder. At 4:50 a pleading Meg’s Theme sounds as she cries out for Nath. When he does not answer they discover Pete’s gun and he have gone missing. Her theme becomes impassioned as she pleads with him to save Nath, promising that she will forgive him if he helps her. The Red House Theme crescendos with repeated statements, culminating with a salvatory French horn declaration at 5:37 as Pete realizes that he can at last be free of this curse and agrees.

“Ride To The Red House And The Red House” reveals Teller and Tibby fleeing only to be pursued with sirens by two state highway policemen. Teller stops, says they are after him, and slaps Tippy when she won’t stop crying. A dire Red House Theme resounds as he flees the truck, but then surrenders after a policeman fires a warning shot. We close with the theme slowly dissipating in despair as Teller is cuffed and Tibby cries, saying she did not know what she was doing. At 1:17 we shift to Pete and Meg driving to the Red House, which Rózsa propels with very aggressive and dramatic action music, with quieter interludes of Nath and sheriff Ray Hall searching for Teller. At 1:29 a dire declaration of the Red House Theme resounds powerfully, buttressed by a ghostly theremin as Pete and Meg drive up to its doorstep. As he stops the truck, the theme becomes haunting, joined by wailing wordless women’s voices and muted trumpet calls as he remembers that fateful day fifteen years ago. He tells Meg to not be afraid as they walk to the front door. They enter and he bolts the door closed, refusing to disclose to her why. They scan the room and at 3:33 a twinkling celeste emotes the Lullaby Theme draped with theremin as they look at the empty cradle by the fireplace. He utters twice “Nothing has changed” and wordless women’s voices move to the forefront at 4:13 as he approaches the cradle. Pete now descends into madness, reliving that fateful day fifteen years ago. He turns to Meg and says she looks just like you Jeanie, and begs her not to go with Herb, adding that he cannot live without you. Meg is terrified and pleads with him to no avail. At 4:32 the music becomes menacing as he turns down the candle and says that she and the baby will go with him and that he will kill Herb to keep you. At 4:55 horns of terror resound as Nath and the sheriff arrive and hear Meg scream “Oh Nath!” The Red House Theme surges, joining in unholy communion with Pete’s Guilt Theme as Pete covers her mouth to silence her screams and Meg begins to suffocate. Stings of desperation support Nath trying to batter down the door.

“Pete’s Death And End Title” reveals Pete calling out Jeanie (Meg) supported by his Guilt Theme and a dire Red House Theme. At 0:45 a horrific crescendo borne by the Red House Theme swells as the sheriff shoots open the lock, and Nath rushes to Meg at 1:05 carried with love by their Love Theme. At 1:10 a dire Red House Theme supports Pete returning to his truck and defying the sheriff’s order to stop or he’ll shoot. He drives his truck crashing through the ice house doors and into the dark waters within The Red House Theme resounds with death throes as he sits motionless as the truck slowly sinks into the black waters. As the truck disappears at 1:54, Rózsa crowns the descent with a powerful and horrific final declaration of the Red House Theme. At 2:09 strings of hope usher in an idyllic Meg’s Theme to support Nath and her watching from the pond shore the fiery consumption of the Red House, which he says he started. Nath turns to her and says that looking forward is better than looking back Their Love Theme blossoms romantically as he takes her into a kissing embrace. As they turn for one last look at the Red House aflame in the distance, their theme culminates gloriously with a flourish as “The End Displays”.

I would like to commend Kevin Kaska and Intrada Records for the reconstruction and world premiere recording of Miklós Rózsa’s masterpiece, “The Red House”. The audio quality is excellent and the performance of the Scottish Royal National Orchestra under Allan Wilson’s baton, exceptional. Miklós Rózsa throughout his career demonstrated his mastery of the Film Noir genre as evidenced with his paradigmatic “Double Indemnity” (1944), “Spellbound” (1945), and the riveting Mark Hellinger trilogy of “The Killers” (1946), “Brute Force” (1947) and “The Naked City” (1948). In this film he was presented with Pete Morgan, who is burdened with a dark secret, which tortures his psyche, until he finally succumbs to guilt and descends into madness. Rózsa saw the dichotomy of the man and so composed two themes; one emoting paternal love, which spoke to him as a loving and caring father totally devoted to his adopted daughter Meg, and one for a killer whose guilt from two heinous murders tortured him. Aligned with, and inextricably linked to his shadow persona was the horrific Red House Theme where the murders occurred, and the haunting Lullaby Theme, which reminded him that he had murdered Meg’s parents and taken their daughter. The film succeeds because Rózsa masterfully empowered the film’s storytelling by sowing mystery, unease, suspense, and terror. The cue “Screams in the Night”, “Pete’s Confession”, “Ride To The Red House And The Red House” and “Pete’s Death” offer what I believe are the most terrifying compositions in Rózsa’s canon, masterpiece cues, which achieved a cinematic confluence with MacCallister and Robinson’s acting, and Bert Glennon’s cinematography. Juxtaposed are the idyllic and pastoral beauty of the Morgan Farm and Ox Head Woods Themes, as well as the tender and gentle feminine identities for Meg and Tibby. Rózsa correctly understood that terror and darkness are amplified and more profoundly fear evoking when juxtaposed by light and beauty. Folks, I believe Rózsa succeeded with a brilliantly conceived and executed score, which transcended its film, elevating it in every way. I highly recommend this quality album for your collection.

For those of you unfamiliar with the score, I have embedded a YouTube link to a ten minute suite; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwArsExX3qE

Buy the Red House soundtrack from the Movie Music UK Store

Track Listing:

• Main Title and Narration (3:16)
• The Morgan Farm (2:38)
• The New Hired Hand 1:13)
• Oxhead Wood Mystery (3:19)
• Screams In The Night (2:55)
• Pete’s Strange Knowledge (0:29)
• The Barn (2:10)
• Nath Explores The Woods (1:25)
• Meg Asks Questions (2:27)
• Attack In The Woods (2:17)
• The Accusation and The Conspiracy (2:38)
• Search In The Woods (3:37)
• Swimming (1:54)
• Sunday Dinner (1:15)
• Pete Threatens Meg (1:11)
• Meeting In The Woods (0:58)
• Crossing The Stream (1:19)
• Pete Warns Teller (1:33)
• Prayer Sequence (1:27)
• Graduation Present (2:51)
• Meg Finds The Red House (3:27)
• Teller Shoots At Meg (2:03)
• Pete’s Grief (3:06)
• Meg’s Accident (0:48)
• Nath and Meg (4:29)
• Ellen Denounces Pete (1:11)
• Teller and Nath Fight (1:54)
• Who Was Jeanie? (1:53)
• Ellen Goes To The Woods (4:47)
• Ellen’s Death (2:25)
• Pete’s Confession (6:03)
• Ride To The Red House and The Red House (5:41)
• Pete’s Death and End Title (3:33)

Running Time: 81 minutes 12 seconds

Intrada Excalibur Collection MAF 7122 (1947/2012)

Music composed by Miklós Rózsa. Conducted by Allan Wilson. Performed by The Royal Scottish National Orchestra and The Winchester Cathedral Chamber Choir. Original orchestrations by Eugene Zador. Recorded and mixed by Phil Rowlands. Score produced by Miklós Rózsa. Album produced by Kevin Kaska, Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson.