Archive
THE JAZZ SINGER – Louis Silvers
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis of The Jazz Singer film lay with writer Samson Raphaelson, who after seeing 30-year-old Al Jolson perform decided to wrote a short story called “Day of Atonement” about a Jew named Jackie Rabinowitz, based on Jolson’s life. He then adapted the story into a successful play titled “The Jazz Singer”, which became a sensation in 1925. Warner Brothers executives rolled the dice and bought the film rights; along with the Vitaphone Corporation they would finance the film with a $422,000 budget, Darryl F. Zanuck would manage production, Alan Crosland would direct, and Alfred A. Cohn would write the screenplay. Sam Warner, nicknamed “Father of the Talkies,” made the creative decision to synchronize the film’s music. Later, he insisted that Al Jolson’s ad-libbed speech (about two minutes) also be included in the movie. Tragically Warner did not live to see his pioneering efforts come to fruition as he died the day before opening night. For the cast, Al Jolson would star as Jakie Rabinowitz, joined by Warner Oland as Canto Rabinowitz, Eugenie Besserer as Sara Rabinowitz, and May McAvoy as Mary Dale. Read more…
THIS IS THE ARMY – Irving Berlin, Ray Heindorf
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The Broadway play “This Is The Army” by James Coll and Irving Berlin was very successful, and Warner Brothers Studio executive Jack L. Warner decided to bring the story to the big screen in a patriotic effort to boost public morale during World War II. Warner and Hal B. Wallis purchased the film rights, would oversee production with a $1.87 million budget, Michael Curtiz was tasked with directing, and Casey Robinson and Claude Binyon would write the screenplay. A cast for the ages was assembled, including, as themselves: Irving Berlin, Frances Langford, Joe Louis, Kate Smith, and Ezra Stone. Joining them would be George Murphy as Jerry Jones, Joan Leslie as Eileen Dibble, George Tobias as Maxie Twardofsky, Alan Hale as Sergeant McGee, and Ronald Reagan as Corporal Johnny Jones. Read more…
MADAME CURIE – Herbert Stothart
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1938 Universal Pictures sought and bought the film rights to the biography “Madame Curie” by Éve Curie, the subject’s daughter, believing it afforded an excellent story to showcase their premier star, Irene Dunne. However, the project never got off the ground and the film rights were sold in 1940 to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Sidney Franklin was assigned production with a $1.94 million budget and Mervyn LeRoy was tasked with directing. The journey to obtain a script was arduous, with both Aldous Huxley, and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s efforts being rejected. Eventually a collaborative effort by Paul Osborn, Hans Remeau and Walter Reisch was approved. Casting was also problematic with star Greta Garbo departing MGM for Warner Brothers. Joan Crawford was then turned down, causing her to also depart the studio for Warner Brothers, leaving Greer Garson with the role of Madame Curie. Joining her would be Walter Pidgeon as Pierre Curie, and Henry Travers as Eugéne Curie. Read more…
ARABIAN NIGHTS – Frank Skinner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The success of The Thief of Bagdad in 1940 spurred Universal Pictures to enter the exotic adventure film genre, resulting in production of four WWII era films, including Arabian Nights in 1942, White Savage in 1943, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in 1944, and Cobra Woman also in 1944. The first film, Arabian Nights would be derived from the Islamic classic “One Thousand and One Nights”. Walter Wagner was placed in charge of production with a $904,765 budget, John Rawlins was tasked with directing, and Michael Hogan was hired to write the screenplay. For the cast, John Hall would star as Haroun-Al-Rashid, Maria Montez as Scheherazade, Sabu as Ali Ben Ali, Leif Erikson as Kamar, Edgar Barrier as Nadan, Shemp Howard as Sinbad, Thomas Gomez as Hakim, Tuhan Bey as Captain of the Guard, and John Qualen as Aladdin. Read more…
BACK STREET – Frank Skinner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1932 Universal Pictures adapted the 1931 novel “Back Street” by Fannie Hurst. In 1940 the studio decided to remake the film as a way to showcase their star, Margaret Sullavan. Bruce Manning was assigned production with a budget of $675,000, Robert Stevenson was tasked with directing, and the team of Bruce Manning and Felix Jackson would write the screenplay drawing from the script of the 1932 film, and the original novel. Margaret Sullavan would star and play Ray Smith. She insisted that the studio hire Charles Boyer, whom she always wanted to work with, and managed to induce him to accept by agreeing to surrender her top billing to him. He would play Walter Louis Saxel, and joining them would be Richard Carlson as Curt Stanton, Frank McHugh as Ed Porter, and Samuel S. Hinds as Felix Darren. Read more…
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE – Franz Waxman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Director Victor Fleming wanted to retell the classic 1886 Robert Louis Stevenson tale The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He purchased the film rights from Paramount Pictures, which had made a 1931 film version starring Fredric March and sold his vision to MGM executives. Victor Saville was placed in charge of production with a $1.1 million budget, Fleming would direct, and John Lee Mahin would adapt the 1931 film screenplay by Percy Heath and Samuel Hoffenstein. A stellar cast was assembled, including Spencer Tracy as Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Edward Hyde, Ingrid Bergman as Ivy Pearson, Lana Turner as Beatrix Emery and Donald Crisp as Sir Charles Emery. Read more…
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS – Danny Elfman
THROWBACK THIRTY
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
If any film project perfectly encapsulates the professional relationship between director Tim Burton and composer Danny Elfman, it is their 1993 stop-motion animated fantasy musical The Nightmare Before Christmas. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the ‘Pumpkin King’ of Halloweentown, the fantasy world charged with organizing the annual Halloween holiday. Despite being enormously successful, Jack has grown disillusioned of the same annual routine and wants something new; while wandering in the woods the next morning, he accidentally finds a door to Christmastown – the parallel land which organizes Christmas – and is enchanted by what he finds. Wanting to bring the Christmas spirit to Halloweentown, and despite the warnings of his unrequited love Sally, Jack decides that he will kidnap ‘Sandy Claws’ and take over Christmastown for himself – with predictably disastrous results. Read more…
THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES – Frank Skinner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The 1851 novel The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne was first adapted to the screen in 1910 by Universal Studios. In 1939 studio executives decided to remake the film, believing a retelling of its gothic tale of a self-destructive family consumed by greed would be well-received by the public. It was conceived to be a B-film offering and so Universal assigned one of its B-film producers, Burt Kelly, to oversee production with a small budget of $178,000. Joe May was tasked with directing and Lester Cole was hired to write the screenplay. Despite its small budget, a fine cast was assembled, including; George Sanders as Jaffrey Pyncheon, Margaret Lindsay as Hepzibah Pyncheon, Vincent Price as Clifford Pyncheon, Nan Grey as Phoebe Pyncheon, Dick Foran as Matthew Holgrave, and Gilbert Emery as Gerald Pyncheon. Read more…
RUDY – Jerry Goldsmith
THROWBACK THIRTY
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Arguably one of the most inspiring and beloved sporting drama films ever made, Rudy tells the story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a working class kid from Chicago who harbors dreams of playing American football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles – notably, his lack of good academic grades, his family’s financial struggles, and his diminutive stature. However, Ruettiger’s persistence and positive nature eventually results in him making the team, earning the respect of his college teammates, and even being interviewed for the college newspaper, which makes him a cult figure in South Bend. Eventually Rudy convinces the stubborn head coach to put him on the field for the last ten seconds of the final game of his final year at the college – his first and last appearance – whereupon he sacks the opposition quarterback, and is carried from the field in glory while the stadium chants his name. Much of the story is apocryphal and embellished for dramatic purposes, but it’s a feelgood tale nevertheless. The film is directed by David Anspaugh from a screenplay by Angelo Pizzo, and stars Sean Astin as Rudy, along with Ned Beatty, Jason Miller, Robert Prosky, and Charles S. Dutton in supporting roles, as well as Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn making their acting debuts. Read more…
THE BLUE BIRD – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Following the enormous success of The Wizard of Oz in 1939, Darryl F. Zanuck, the Vice-President of Production at 20th Century Fox, decided to cash in on the children’s fantasy genre to showcase their child star Shirley Temple. Film rights to the 1908 fantasy play “The Blue Bird” by Maurice Maeterlinck were purchased. Gene Markey was assigned production with a budget of $2.0 million, Walter Lang was tasked with directing, and Ernest Pascal was hired to write the screenplay. Heading the cast was megastar Shirley Temple as Mytyl, Spring Byington as Mummy Tyl, Nigel Bruce as Mr. Luxury, Gale Sondergaard as Tylette, Eddie Collins as Tylo, Sybil Jason as Angela Berlingot, Jessie Ralph as Fairy Berylune, Helen Ericson as Light, Johnny Russel as Tyltyl and Laura Hope Crews as Mrs. Luxury. Read more…
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON – Dimitri Tiomkin
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Columbia Pictures decided to purchase an unpublished story “The Gentleman From Montana” by Lewis R. Foster to adapt for a sequel to their film “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), which starred Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. Frank Capra was placed in charge of production with a $1.5 million budget, would also direct, and Sidney Buchman and Myles Connolly were hired to write the screenplay. Gary Cooper was unavailable to reprise his role and so Capra decided to borrow James Stewart from MGM who he believed was perfectly suited to the role of Jefferson Smith. Joining him would be Jean Arthur as Clarissa Saunders, Claude Rains as Senator Joseph Harrison Paine, Edward Arnold as Jim Taylor, Guy Kibbee as Governor Hubert Hopper, Thomas Mitchell as Diz Moe and Beulah Bondi as Ma Smith. Read more…
THE FOUR FEATHERS – Miklós Rózsa
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Renowned film maker brothers Zoltan and Alexander Korda decided that for their next film they wanted to go for a historical epic. They chose to adapt the 1902 novel “The Four Feathers” by A. E. Wilson, which tells the story of the Madhist Wars circa 1881. Alexander would oversee production with a budget of $1.0 million, Zoltan would direct, and R. C. Sherriff, Lajos Bíró and Arthur Wimperis were hired to write the screenplay. The cast would include John Clements as Harry Faversham, Ralph Richardson as Captain John Durrance, C. Aubrey Smith as General Burroughs, and Jack Allen as Lieutenant Thomas Willoughby. Read more…
WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE – Leith Stevens
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1933 Paramount Pictures purchased the film rights of the novel “When Worlds Collide” by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer. Director Cecil B. DeMille intended to move the project into production after filming wrapped on “This Day and Age,”but lack of a script and funding caused the studio scrap the project. In 1949 producer George Pal envisioned the story as a big-budget science fiction movie. His proposal was initially turned down by studio executive Barney Balaban, but following the success of his film Destination Moon in 1951, Balaban had a change of heart and gave a green light to the project. Pal was assigned production with a budget of $936,000 – much less than he believed was necessary to implement his vision. Rudolph Maté was tasked with directing, and Sidney Boehm would write the screenplay. Given budgetary constraints, Pal opted to go with a cast of unknowns, including Richard Derr as Dave Randall, Barbara Rush as Joyce Hendron, Peter Hansen as Dr. Tony Drake, Larry Keating as Dr. Cole Hendron, and John Hoyt as Sydney Stanton. Read more…
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS – Leith Stevens
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1925 Paramount Pictures purchased the film rights to the 1897 H. G. Wells novel “War of the Worlds”. For twenty-six years the studio struggled due to technical challenges to bring the film into production under several producers – Cecil B. DeMille, Arzén Cserépy, Sergei Eisenstein, Alexander Korda, Watterson Rothacker and Alfred Hitchcock. Finally, in 1951, George Pal, who had gained success in the emerging science fiction genre with Destination Moon in 1950 and When Worlds Collide in 1951, was assigned production with a $2 million budget. Byron Haskin was tasked with directing, and Barré Lyndon would write the screenplay. Fort the cast, Pal once again went with lesser known actors, opting to maximize his budget for special effects. Gene Barry would star as Dr. Clayton Forrester, joined by Ann Robinson as Sylvia van Buren, Les Tremayne as Major General Mann, Bob Cornthwaite as Dr. Pryor, and Lewis Martin as Reverend Dr. Matthew Collins. Read more…
KNIGHT WITHOUT ARMOUR – Miklós Rózsa
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Director Alexander Korda saw opportunity with the 1933 novel “Knight Without Armour” by James Hilton. He believed its tale of romance, intrigue and espionage during the tumult of the Russian Revolution would translate well to the big screen. His London Film Productions company would finance the film and he would oversee production with a $350,000 budget. Jaques Feder was tasked with directing, and Lajos Bíró and Frances Marion were hired to write the screenplay. A fine cast was hired, including Marlene Dietrich as Alexandra Adraxine, Robert Donat as A. J. Fothergill/Peter Ouranov, Irene Vanbrugh as Duchess, Basil Gil as Axelstein, and John Clements as Poushkoff. Read more…
Shop at the Movie Music UK Store
Member of the
MOVIE MUSIC UK 