Archive
HOLD BACK THE DAWN – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis of Hold Back the Dawn was writer Ketti Frings’ story, “Memo to a Movie Producer”. Paramount executives decided that the romantic drama would translate well to the big screen, and so paid $5,000 for the film rights. After the novel was published and well received, the working title of the movie was changed to the novel’s title, “Hold Back the Dawn”. Arthur Hornblow Jr. was assigned production, Mitchell Leisen was tasked with directing, and Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder and Richard Mailbaum wrote the screenplay. A stellar cast was hired, which included Charles Boyer as Georges Iscovescu, Olivia de Havilland as Emmy Brown, Paulette Goddard as Anita Dixon, Victor Francen as Van Den Lueken, and Walter Abel as Inspector Hammock. Read more…
NORTH WEST MOUNTED POLICE – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1939 legendary director Cecil B. DeMille decided that his next project, which would be his first film shot in technicolor, would be an epic Western. He purchased the film rights for the 1938 novel The Royal Canadian Mounted Police by R. C. Fetherstonhaugh and sold his vision to Paramount Pictures. DeMille would manage production with a smaller budget than he wanted. As such due to budget restrictions, the movie was filmed on sound stages at the Paramount lot as well as on location in Oregon and California, even though the film was based on a real-life incident in Saskatchewan, Canada. Demille would also direct and narrate, and Alan Le May, Jesse Lasky Jr. and C. Gardner Sullivan would write the screenplay. For the cast, Gary Cooper would star as Texas Ranger Dusty Rivers, joined by Madeleine Carroll as April Logan, Paulette Goddard as Louvette Corbeau, Preston Foster as Sergeant Jim Brett, Akim Tamiroff as Dan Duroc, and Lon Chaney Jr as Shorty. Read more…
HELEN OF TROY – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1955 Warner Brothers undertook a massive international collaboration with Italian and French partners to bring the timeless tale of Helen of Troy to the big screen. Ancient epics were very popular and they sought to capitalize with a massive undertaking of their own. The film would be shot in Rome, Giuseppe De Blasio and Maurizio Lodi-Fè were assigned production with a massive $6.0 million budget, Robert Wise was tasked with directing, and N. Richard Nash was hired to adapt a story by Hugh Gray and John Twist, which drew inspiration from Homer’s Iliad. An international cast was assembled with Italian actress Rosana Podestà starring as Helen. Joining her would be Frenchman Jacques Sernas as Paris, Englishman Sir Cedric Hardwicke as King Priam, Welshman Stanley Baker as Achilles, Irishman Niall MacGinnis as Menelaus, Englishman Robert Douglas as Agamemnon, and even a young Brigitte Bardot as the slave girl Andraste. Read more…
THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT – Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The best-selling 1955 novel “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” by Sloan Wilson caught the imagination of Nunnally Johnson, a producer, director, screenwriter, and playwright. He believed that its story of a man and wife struggling to find life meaning and purpose following WWII would resonate with the public. He sold his conception to Darryl F. Zanuck of 20th Century Fox, the film rights were purchased, and Zanuck would personally oversee production with a $2.6 million budget. Johnson would direct and also write the screenplay. A fine cast was hired, with Gregory Peck starring as Tom Rath. He would be joined by Jennifer Jones as Betsy Rath, and Fredric March as Ralph Hopkins. Read more…
THE PRODIGAL – Bronislau Kaper
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The massive success of 20th Century Fox’s The Robe in 1953, with its Cinemascope color format, reinvigorated studio interest in grand ancient epics. Writers Sam Larson and Joseph Breen wrote a 60-page story based on the Prodigal Son biblical tale, and managed to sell it to MGM studio executive Dore Schary. Charles Schnee was assigned production with a $2.783 million budget, Maurice Zimm was hired to adapt the story, and Richard Thorpe was tasked with directing. Casting was problematic as the original leads, Ava Gardner and Vittorio Gassman both dropped out. The new cast would showcase studio star Lana Turner as Samara, and joining her would be Edmund Purdom as Micah, James Mitchell as Asham, Louis Calhern as Nahreeb, and Joseph Wiseman as Carmish. Read more…
THE TALL MEN – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In a coup, 20th Century Fox CEO Darryl F. Zanuck signed the aging 53-year-old star Clark Gable to a contract in May of 1954. Gable had long been revered as the “King of Hollywood” and Zanuck sought to capitalize on his iconic status. That vehicle came along quickly in a novel “The Tall Men” by Heck Allen. Producers William A. Bacher and William B. Hawks purchased the film rights, along with novel’s sequel “The Big Pasture” for only $10,000. Bacher and Hawks would manage production with a $3.1 million budget, Raoul Walsh would direct, and Sidney Boehm and Frank Nugent were tasked with writing the screenplay. Gable would star as Colonel Ben Allison, joined by Jane Russell as Nella Turner, Robert Ryan as Nathan Stark, and Cameron Mitchell as Clint Allison. Read more…
DARK COMMAND – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Renowned novelist W.R. Burnett had a well-established reputation for writing modern day crime stories. However, his 1938 novel “The Dark Command” was a departure, a rare historical drama, which became a best seller. Republic Pictures decided to capitalize on its success and purchased the film rights. Sol C. Siegel was assigned production with a $750,000 budget, Raoul Walsh was tasked with directing, and a team of four screenwriters was hired; F. Hugh Herbert, Lionel Houser, Grover Jones, and Jan Isabel Fortune. A stellar cast was assembled, which included Claire Trevor as Mary McCloud, John Wayne as Bob Seton, Walter Pidgeon as Will Cantrell, Roy Rogers as Fletch McCloud, Gabby Hayes as Doc Grunch, Porter Hall as Angus McCloud, Marjorie Main as Mrs. Adams, and Raymond Walburn as Judge Bruckner. Read more…
THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
During the 1950s a shift in movie making called “Hollywood on the Tiber” emerged. Rome and its Cinecittà studios blossomed, becoming a hub for international filmmaking. 20th Century Fox decided it wanted to feature their latest rising star Maggie McNamara in a romantic comedy, and chose Rome as the perfect location. Sol C. Segal was assigned production with a $1.7 million budget, Jean Negulesco was tasked with directing, and John Patrick would write the screenplay, adapting the 1952 novel ‘Coins in a Fountain” by John H. Secondari. A fine cast was hired, including Clifton Webb as John Frederick Shadwell, Dorothy McGuire as Miss Frances, Jean Peters as Anita Hutchins, Louis Jourdan as Prince Dino di Cessi, Rossano Brazzi as Giorgio Bianchi, and Maggie McNamara as Maria Williams. Read more…
JOHNNY GUITAR – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Novelist Roy Chanslor was a longtime admirer of actress Joan Crawford and so dedicated his 1954 novel Johnny Guitar to her. Crawford bought the film rights and submitted a script to Republic Pictures, which agreed to produce the film with the provision that Crawford would star and Nicolas Ray would direct. Herbert J. Yates was placed in charge of production with a $1.591 million budget, Ray was tasked with directing, and Philip Yordan and Ben Maddow were hired to write the screenplay. Joan Crawford would star as Vienna, joined by Sterling Hayden as Johnny Guitar, Mercedes McCambridge as Emma Small, Scott Brady as the Dancin’ Kid and Ernest Borgnine as Bard Lonegran. Read more…
HELL AND HIGH WATER – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis of Hell and High Water lay with a story outline titled “Submarine” written in 1951 by David Hempstead. The nuclear suspense drama captured 20th Century Fox Chief of Production Darryl F. Zanuck’s attention. He commissioned a screenplay, and after three rewrites by Beime Lay Jr, then Jesse L. Lasky Jr. and finally Samuel Fuller, a screenplay, which met Zanuck’s expectations was realized. Raymond A. Klune was placed in charge of production with a $1.9 million budget with Fuller tasked with directing. A fine cast was assembled, which included Richard Widmark in the starring role of Commander Adam Jones. He was joined by Bella Darvi (Zanuck’s paramour) as Professor Denise Gerard, and Victor Francen as Professor Montel. Read more…
THE PRESIDENT’S LADY – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The 1951 novel The President’s Lady by Irving Stone caught the attention of 20th Century Fox management as it offered a tale of one of America’s most dynamic and controversial presidents, Andrew Jackson, including his romance with Rachel Donelson. Playwright John Patrick was hired to adapt the novel and write a screenplay. Management was satisfied, and the project was given the green light to move into production. Sol. C. Siegel was placed in charge of production with a $1.475 million budget, and Henry Levin was tasked with directing. A stellar cast was hired, including Charlton Heston as Jackson, Susan Hayworth as Rachel Donelson, John McIntire as John Overton, and Fay Bainter as Mrs. Donelson. Read more…
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…
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