Archive
KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES – Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1938 20th Century Fox decided to remake its 1929 film “The Black Watch,” which itself was adapted from the 1916 novel “King of the Khyber Rifles” by Talbot Mundy. However, the onset of WWII caused the studio to shelve the project until 1951 when it was selected to finally move into pre-production. Frank P. Rosenberg was placed in charge of production with a budget of $2.19 million, Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts wrote the screenplay drawing from a story by Harry Kleiner, and Henry King was tasked with directing. The cast included Tyrone Power as Captain Alan King, Terry Moore as Susan Maitland, Michael Rennie as Brigadier General J. R. Maitland, and Guy Rolfe as Karam Khan. Read more…
THE FOUNTAINHEAD – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis of The Fountainhead lay with actress Barbara Stanwyck. She had read the 1943 novel by Ayn Rand and coveted the role of heroine Dominique Francon. She sold Warner Brothers Co-CEO Jack Warner on the story and he purchased the film rights for her. Henry Blake was placed in charge of production with a $2.375 million budget, Mervyn LeRoy would direct, and Ayn Rand was hired to write the screenplay with a contractual stipulation that not a single word would be changed. The project floundered for three years due to intervention by the War Production Board. LeRoy left the project and was replaced by King Vidor. Creative control proved problematic with Vidor, Rand and Warner Brothers often at odds. Casting was also problematic as Vidor wanted Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall for the leads, Rand wanted Gary Cooper. In the end Stanwyck was passed over as too old, yet Cooper who was also too old (two decades older than the character) was selected to play Howard Roark. Patricia Neal would play Dominique Francon, joined by Raymond Massie as Gail Wynand, Kent Smith as Peter Keating, and Robert Douglas as Ellsworth M. Toohey. Read more…
ANNE OF THE INDIES – Franz Waxman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Writer Herbert Sass wrote a short story “Anne of the Indies” for the Saturday Evening Post in 1947. It made an impression with the public and his New York publisher asked him to write a screenplay. Sass did so and it caught the eye of producer Walter Wanger who bought the film rights, intending to showcase his star Susan Hayward who he had under contract. Wanger however could not finance the film, and so the rights were sold to 20th Century Fox. Arthur Caesar and Philip Dunne were hired to rewrite the screenplay, which was well received by the studio. As such, George Jessel was placed in charge of production with a $1.5 million budget, and Jacques Tourneur was tasked with directing. By time production began in 1950, Susan Hayward had dropped out. So, the cast was reimagined, and Jean Peters would star as Captain Anne Providence, joined by Louis Jourdan as Captain Pierre Francois La Rochelle, Debra Paget as Molly La Rochelle, Herbert Marshall as Dr. Jameson, and Thomas Gomez as Blackbeard. Read more…
DISTANT DRUMS – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
United States Pictures served as a production company for Warner Brothers. For their next project they were assigned production for a film that would showcase Warner Brothers marquee star Gary Cooper. A screenplay was tasked to writers Niven Busch and Martine Rackin, who decided to use the backdrop of the Second Seminole War for their story. Milton Sperling was placed in charge of production, and Raoul Walsh would direct. Cooper would star as Captain Quincy Wyatt, joined by Richard Webb as Lieutenant Tufts, Mari Andon as Judy Becket, Arthur Hunnicutt as Monk, Carl Harbaugh as Duprez, Robert Barrat as General Zachary Taylor, and Larry Carper as Chief Ocala. Read more…
SANDS OF IWO JIMA – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Writer Harry Brown wrote a story that offered an account of the epic battle by the Marines to take the island of Iwo Jima during WWII. He then teamed with fellow writer Edward Grant to adapt it and write a screenplay, which they presented to Republic Pictures. Republic Pictures management thought the story of one of America’s greatest achievements in the war would resonate with the public. As such they purchased the film rights, placed Herbert Yates in charge of production with a $1.4 million budget, and tasked Allan Dwan with directing. An outstanding cast was assembled, which included John Wayne in the starring role of Sergeant John Stryker. He was joined by John Agar as PFC Pete Conway, Forest Tucker as PFC Al Thomas, Adele Mara as Allison Bromley, and Arthur Franz as Corporal Robert Dunne, and the narrator. Read more…
DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
20th Century Fox Studio CEO Darryl F. Zanuck had always been drawn to seafaring tales. He began planning for one in 1939, but it took seven years to set his dream into motion. In 1946 he purchased the screenplay “The Princess and the Pirate, 13 Rue Madeleine” by Sy Bartlet, and tasked John Lee Mahin to rewrite the story into this film, entitled Down to the Sea in Ships. Zanuck was satisfied with the rewrite, and placed Louis D. Lighton in charge of production with a $2.5 million budget, with Henry Hathaway tasked with directing. A fine cast was hired, including Richard Widmark as First Mate Dan Lunceford, Lionel Barrymore as Captain Bering Joy, and Dean Stockwell as Jed Joy. Read more…
THE LUCK OF THE IRISH – Cyril J. Mockridge
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The husband and wife writing team of Guy and Constance Jones caught the attention of Hollywood studios after Universal successfully adapted their story “Peabody’s Mermaid” for the film Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, released in August 1948. 20th Century Fox decided to roll the dice and so in July 1947 they purchased the film rights for their second novel “There Was a Little Man” for $50,000, which was adapted into this film, The Luck of the Irish. Fred Kohlmar was placed in charge of production, Henry Koster was tasked with directing, and Philip Dunne would write the screenplay. A fine cast was hired, with Tyrone Power starring as Stephen Fitzgerald, joined by Ann Baxter as Nora, Cecil Kellaway as Horace and Lee J. Cobb as David Augur. The film was made quickly and eventually released just one month later, in September 1948. Read more…
THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS – Miklós Rózsa
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The Paramount Pictures development team was seeking a new film noir project given that the genre was blossoming in the 1940s, captivating audiences far and wide. They believed they found it in the short story “Love Lies Bleeding” by playwright John Patrick, which was re-titled The Strange Love of Martha Ivers for the big screen. Screenwriter Robert Rossen acquired the film rights for $35,000 and was tasked to write the screenplay. Hal B. Wallis was placed in charge of production and Lewis Milestone would take the reins directing. For the cast Barbara Stanwyck would star in the titular role as Martha Ivers, joined by Van Heflin as Sam Masterson in his comeback role following his discharge from the military, Lizabeth Scott as Toni Marachek, Kirk Douglas in his acting debut as Walter O’Neil, and Judith Anderson as Mrs. Ivers. Read more…
THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET – Miklós Rózsa
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Paramount Pictures decided that the stage play The Man in Half Moon Street by Barré Lyndon, which opened at London’s New Theatre on March 22, 1939, and ran for 172 performances, would translate well to the big screen. Film rights were purchased, Walter MacEwen was placed in charge of production, and Ralph Murphy was tasked with directing, with Garret Ford and Charles Kenyon writing the screenplay. For the cast, Nils Asther would star as Dr. Julian Karell, joined by Helen Walker as Eve Brandon, Reinhold Schünzel as Dr. Kurt van Bruecken, Paul Cavanaugh as Dr. Henry Latimer, Edmund Breon as Sir Humphrey Brandon, and Matthew Boulton as Detective Inspector Ned Garth. Read more…
DRAGON SEED – Herbert Stothart
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
MGM achieved stunning commercial and critical success adapting novelist Pearl S. Buck’s “The Good Earth” 1937 to the big screen. As such they decided to purchase the film rights to Buck’s subsequent novel “Dragon Seed,”, which was also set in 1930’s China. Pandro Berman was placed in charge of production with a $3 million budget, Jack Conway and Harold S. Bucquet would share directing duties, and Marguerite Roberts and Jane Murlin would write the screenplay. For the cast, Katherine Hepburn would star as Jade, joined by Walter Huston as Ling Tan, Aline MacMahon as Ling Tan’s wife, Akim Tamiroff as Wu Lien, Turhan Bey as Lao Er Tan, and Lionel Barrymore providing narration. Read more…
KEY LARGO – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Warner Brothers had produced four very successful films that paired marquee actors Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart; Bullets or Ballots (1936), Kid Galahad (1937), The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) and Brother Orchid (1940). They decided on yet another collaboration after purchasing the film rights for the 1939 play “Key Largo” by Maxwell Anderson. Jerry Wald was placed in charge of production with a $1.8 million budget, John Huston would direct, and Huston and Richard Brooks would write the screenplay. The cast was stellar with Humphrey Bogart as Major Frank “Soldier” McCloud, Edward G. Robinson as Johnny Rocco, Lauren Bacall as Nora Temple, Lionel Barrymore as James Temple, and Claire Trevor as Gaye Dawn. Read more…
MILDRED PIERCE – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
After eighteen years as a marquee actress for MGM, Joan Crawford departed the studio in search of better roles, signing a three-year contract with Warner Brothers. The studio had purchased the film rights to the popular novel “Mildred Pierce” by James M. Cain and Crawford campaigned hard for the role. Director Michael Curtiz did not believe she was right for the role, but relented when she acquiesced to the indignity of a screen test, which changed his mind. Jerry Wald was placed in charge of production with a $1.4 million budget, Curtiz would direct, and Ranald MacDougall was hired to write the screenplay. Joining Crawford would be Jack Carson as Wally Fray, Zachary Scott as Monte Beragon, Eve Arden as Ida Corwin, Ann Blyth as Veda Pierce Forrester, and Bruce Bennett as Bert Pierce. Read more…
BEAU GESTE – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Paramount Pictures executives decided that they wanted to remake their 1926 silent film “Beau Geste”, which starred Ronald Coleman. William Wellman was assigned production, he would also direct, and Robert Carson was tasked with writing the screenplay. The 1926 film was based on the novel “Beau Geste” (1924) by P. C. Wren and the creative team ultimately decided to adopt the screenplay of the 1926 film almost verbatim. For the cast, Gary Cooper would star in the titular role, joined by Ray Milland as John Geste, Robert Preston as Digby Geste, J. Carrol Naish as Rasinoff, Susan Hayward as Isobel Rivers, and Brian Donlevy as Sergeant Markoff. Read more…
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Renowned producer and director Frank Capra saw opportunity with the popular success of the Broadway play “Arsenic and Old Lace”, which was adapted from Joseph Kesserling’s novel of the same name. He purchased the film rights, however the contract stipulated that the film could not be released until the Broadway run had ended. Due to the enduring success of the play, the film debut was delayed by almost two years. Capra would manage production with a budget of $1.2 million, and also direct, with Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein writing the screenplay based on Joseph Kesselring’s novel. A fine cast was hired, with Cary Grant starring as Mortimer Brewster, Priscilla Lane as Elaine Brewster, Raymond Massey as Jonathan Brewster, Jack Carson as Officer Patrick O’Hara, and Peter Lorre as Dr, Herman Einstein. Read more…
SON OF FURY – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1941 20th Century Fox Studio Director Darryl F. Zanuck was seeking a new film to showcase his star, Tyrone Power. He came across the 1941 novel Benjamin Blake by Edison Marshall and purchased the film rights for $50,000 one month prior to its publication. Zanuck would manage production with a $2 million budget, John Cromwell would direct, and Philip Dunne was tasked with writing the screenplay. Tyrone Power would star in the titular role, joined by Gene Tierney as Eve, George Sanders a Sir Arthur Blake, Kay Johnson as Lady Helena Blake, Dudley Diggs as Pratt, Frances Farmer as Isabel, and Roddy McDowell as Benjamin as a boy. Read more…
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