Archive
THE KENTUCKIAN – Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Actor Burt Lancaster was approaching forty years of age in 1952 and decided that he wanted to expand his career options. He came across the 1953 novel The Gabriel Horn by Felix Holt and decided it would be an excellent vehicle to showcase his talent. He formed a production company Hecht-Lancaster Productions with friend and producer Harold Hecht, purchased the film rights, hired A. B. Guthrie Jr. to write the screenplay, and for the first time in his career, personally took the reins to direct. Lancaster’s application to the Director’s Guild was rejected due to his past public criticism of the profession, however they granted him a waiver so he could make the film. For the cast, Burt Lancaster would play the lead role of Elias Wakefield, joined by Diane Foster as Hannah Bolen, Diana Lynn as Susie Spann, Donald MacDonald as “Little Eli” Wakefield, and Walter Matthau as Stan Bodine. Read more…
THE VIRGIN QUEEN – Franz Waxman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1954 20th Century Fox executive Daryl F. Zanuck conceived of a film to be titled “Sir Walter Raleigh” set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He offered Bette Davis the role of Elizabeth, yet she bristled at the film title, which made no reference to her. The title was changed to “The Virgin Queen” and she agreed to reprise her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, first performed in 1939 with “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex”. Charles Brackett was assigned production with a budget of $1.6 million, Henry Koster was tasked with directing, and Mildret Lord would write the screenplay. For the cast, joining Davis would be Richard Todd as Sir Walter Raleigh, Joan Collins as Elizabeth “Beth” Throckmorton, Jay Robinson as Chadwick, Herbert Marshall as Robert Dudly, Earl of Leicester, Dan O’Herlihy as Lord Derry, and Robert Douglas as Sir Christopher Hatton. Read more…
LAND OF THE PHARAOHS – Dimitri Tiomkin
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Director Howard Hawks had long been fascinated by the magnitude of one of the architectural wonders of the world, the Great Pyramid of Giza, as well as its mastermind, the great Pharaoh Khufu. He pitched his idea of filming a grand, and lavish epic that explored this great feat of engineering and secured support from MGM. For Hawks this was a passion project and he decided to personally manage production with a massive $3.15 million budget, which included on site filming in Egypt using Cinemascope and Warner Color. Novelist William Faulkner, Harold Jack Bloom and Harry Kurnitz were hired to write the screenplay, and Hawks would also personally direct. Hawks made the audacious decision to not utilize a top tier star for the film, a decision which most critics believe contributed to the film’s poor reception. The cast would include; Jack Hawkins as Pharaoh Khufu, Joan Collins as Princess Nellifer, Dewey Martin as Senta, and Alex Minotis as Hamar. Read more…
ALIEN – Jerry Goldsmith
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In space, no one can hear you scream.
The genesis of Alien came from writer Dan O’Bannon who, having co-written the film Dark Star in 1974, wanted to make a more serious and horrific sci-fi movie. Later, while working on the failed effort by director Alejandro Jodorowsky to bring Frank Herbert’s Dune to life, O’Bannon discovered the work of Swiss artist H. R. Giger, whose ‘disturbing but beautiful’ work further influenced O’Bannon’s ideas for the creature at the center of his story. O’Bannon collaborated with fellow writer Ronald Shusett on the story; they drew inspiration from many works of science fiction and horror, but eventually pitched the idea to studio heads as “Jaws in space,” with the central monster being a diabolical alien that would rape a human to allow its offspring to gestate and, when mature, burst out of the host. Propriety and rating concerns led them to tone down this initial idea and make it a non-sexual implantation, but it was still implicitly a rape, with a male host to make it more repugnant; however, their story was repeatedly turned down by the Hollywood studio establishment, which deemed it too violent and gory. Read more…
A MAN CALLED PETER – Alfred Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis of this film lay with the book A Man Named Peter, a biography of preacher Peter Marshall, who served as Chaplin of the United States Senate from 1947 to 1949. 20th Century Fox believed that the inspirational life of this well-respected preacher would translate well to the big screen. Samuel G. Engel was placed in charge of production with a $1.74 million budget, Henry Koster was tasked with directing, and Eleanore Griffin was hired to adapt the novel and write the screenplay. A fine cast was assembled, including Richard Todd as the Reverend Peter Marshall, Jean Peters as his wife Catherine Marshall, Marjorie Rambeau as Miss Laura Fowler, and Jill Esmond as Mrs. Findlay. Read more…
THE GLASS SLIPPER – Bronislau Kaper
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
After the stunning commercial and critical success of Lili in 1953, MGM began searching for another vehicle to showcase French dance star Leslie Caron. Well, they finally found one, a 1944 play about Cinderella called “The Glass Slipper” by Eleanor and Herbert Farjeon. They purchased the film rights assigned Edwin H. Knopf, who had produced Lili, to production with a budget of $1.998 million. Charles Walters was tasked with directing, and Anatole de Grunwald was hired to write the screenplay, however he was eventually replaced by Helen Deutsch who had written Lili. Leslie Caron would play Ella, and joining her would be Michael Wilding as Prince Charles, Elsa Lanchester as Widow Sonder, Amanda Blake as Birdena, Lisa Daniels as Serafina, Barry Jones as the Duke, and Estelle Winwood as Mrs. Toquet, the fairy godmother. Read more…
EAST OF EDEN – Leonard Rosenman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Warner Brothers Studios was approached by director Elia Kazan with a proposition to base a film on the fourth, and final part of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel East of Eden. Given his reliable track record of success, the studio gave him the green light to proceed with the project. Kazan purchased the film rights from Steinbeck, and would manage production as well as direct. Paul Osborn was hired to write the screenplay. Casting was a struggle; Kazan rejected Marlon Brando and Montgomery Cliff as too old to play the teenage brothers and instead selected new talent 24-year-old James Dean to play Cal Trask. Joining him would be Julie Harris as Abra Bacon, Raymond Massey as Adam Trask, Richard Davalos as Aron Trask, Jo Van Fleet as Cathy Trask, and Burl Ives as Sam the sheriff. Read more…
UNTAMED – Franz Waxman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis Untamed lies with South African Helga Moray, who wrote a 17-page outline of the story that drew inspiration from one her female ancestors. Her handiwork caught the eye of producer William Bacher who saw a story that needed to be brough to the big screen. He purchased the film rights, which allowed Moray to expand her story into a full-fledged novel. After being rejected by many studios due to cost concerns, 20th Century Fox agreed to finance the film to exploit their new CinemaScope technology. Bacher and Bert E. Friedlob were assigned production with a $3.56 million budget, Henry King was tasked with directing, and a team of writers that included Michael Blankfort, Frank Fenton, Talbot Jennings and William Bacher would write the screenplay. A fine cast was assembled, led by Tyrone Power as Paul van Riebeck and Susan Hayward as Katje O’Neil. Joining them would be Agnes Moorehead as Aggie O’Toole, and Richard Egan as Kurt Hout. Read more…
BATTLE CRY – Max Steiner
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
The genesis of Battle Cry lay with Leon Uris, author of the 1953 novel on which the film is based. He served in World War II as a radio man in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, during the Guadalcanal and Tarawa campaigns, being evacuated with malaria. The novel was a Top Ten seller and by 1954 was already in its sixth printing. Warner Brothers saw opportunity for an epic WWII drama in cinemascope and so bought the film rights. Jack L. Warner and Raoul Walsh oversaw production, with Walsh also directing and Uris adapting his novel for the screenplay. A huge stellar cast was assembled, including Van Heflin as Major Sam “High Pockets” Huxley, Aldo Ray and Private First Class Andy Hookens, Nancy Olsen as Pat Rogers, James Whitmore as Master Technical Sergeant Mac, Tab Hunter as Private First Class Danny Forrester, Mona Freeman as Kathy, Dorothy Malone as Mrs. Elaine Yarborough, Ray Massey as Major General Snipes and Ann Frances as Rae. Read more…
PRINCE OF PLAYERS – Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In February of 1953, 20th Century Fox studio executive Daryl F. Zanuck came upon the novel “Prince of Players” by Eleanor Ruggles. He decided that a film adaptation of the biographical story of thespians Edwin “Ned” Booth and his notorious brother John Wilkes Booth would be an excellent vehicle for their rising star Richard Burton, who had just signed a seven film contract. Philip Dunne was placed in charge of production and provided a budget of $1.57 million, Moss Hart was hired to write the screenplay, and Dunne would also direct. The cast included; Richard Burton as Edwin “Ned” Booth, Maggie McNamara as Mary Devlin, John Derek as John Wilkes Booth, and Raymond Massey as Julius Brutus Booth. Read more…
THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS – Irving Berlin, Alfred Newman, Lionel Newman
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
20th Century Fox wanted to showcase their bombshell star Marilyn Monroe in a musical. She was under suspension for violating her contract when she refused to star in the musical “The Girl In Pink Tights”. When they offered her the starring role again for There’s No Business Like Show Business she initially refused again, but eventually relented when she was promised a starring role in “The Seven Year Itch”, and her weekly salary raised to $3,000 a week. Sol Siegel was assigned production with a $4.3 million budget, Walter Lang was tasked with directing, and writers Phoebe and Henry Ephron would adapt Lamar Trotti’s story. A cast for the ages was assembled, with Marilyn Monroe starring as Victoria Parker, joined by Ethel Merman as Molly Donohue, Donald O’Connor as Tim Donohue, Dan Dailey as Terrence Donohue, Johnny Ray as Steve Donohue, and Mitzi Gaynor as Katie Donohue. Read more…
STARGATE – David Arnold
THROWBACK THIRTY
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
One of the most enduring conspiracy theories in the world is the notion of ‘ancient astronauts,’ which suggests that extraterrestrial beings were responsible for building some of Earth’s ancient structures, including the pyramids of Giza. This idea plays a central role in the plot of Stargate, providing an interesting twist on Egyptian mythology and history. The film is a sci-fi action-adventure directed by German filmmaker Roland Emmerich, whose previous works included the 1990 sci-fi Moon 44, and the 1992 action thriller Universal Soldier; it stars James Spader as Daniel Jackson, a linguist and Egyptologist, who is recruited by the U.S. military to help decipher a series of symbols on an ancient artifact which was discovered in Egypt many years previously. Jackson determines that the artifact is a portal – a ‘star gate’ – that can transport people across vast distances of space to another planet; following this discovery the military sends Jackson and a team of soldiers led by the taciturn Colonel Jack O’Neil (Kurt Russell) through the star gate to assess any potential threats. Once on the other side they find themselves on a desert-like planet, where they encounter a civilization that appears to be influenced by ancient Egyptian culture, and learn that the planet is ruled by an alien posing as the Egyptian sun god Ra (Jaye Davidson), who uses advanced technology to enslave the inhabitants. Read more…
A STAR IS BORN – Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin, Ray Heindorf
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In December of 1952 producer Sid Luft approached director George Cukor and proposed that he remake the Selznick International Film’s “A Star Is Born” (1937) with his wife, Judy Garland making a comeback to star in the lead role. Cukor agreed and the two men received the green light to proceed from Warner Brothers. Luft would produce the film, whose budget soared to $5 million due to 41 sick days and a two-week drug rehabilitation withdrawing from all the medications she had become addicted to, which extended filming to nine months. George Cukor took the reins to direct, and Moss Hart was hired to write the screenplay, which was adapted from the screenplay of the 1937 film. For the cast, Judy Garland would star as Esther Blodgett, in her first film in four years. Joining her would be James Mason as Norman Maine, Jack Carson as Matt Libby, and Charles Bickford as Oliver Niles. Read more…
LA STRADA – Nino Rota
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Director Federico Fellini said he conceived the story for his film La Strada from a well of melancholia. He collaborated with Tulio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano to write the screenplay, but then struggled to find financing. Undeterred, he as director actually began filming before securing financial support as this was a passion project. Eventually Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica signed on for production with Carlo Ponti and Dino De Laurentiis joining as producers. For the cast, Fellini was determined to cast Anthony Quinn as the lead and although repeatedly rebuffed, Quinn eventually agreed to take the part of Zampanó. Joining him would be Giulietta Masina as Gelsomina, Richard Basehart as Il Mato, and Aldo Silvani as Il Signor Giraffa. Read more…
THE EGYPTIAN – Alfred Newman, Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Following the commercial success of “The Robe” in 1953, 20th Century Fox executive Daryl F. Zanuck decided to cash in with another lavish religious epic set in ancient Egypt. He was inspired by the 1945 novel “The Egyptian” by Mika Waltari, which was itself based upon the ancient 2,000-year-old Egyptian tale “Story of Sinuhe”. Zanuck purchased the film rights and personally took charge of production with a massive $3.9 million budget. He also decided that he would film with CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color. Philip Dunne and Casey Robinson were hired to write the screenplay and Michael Curtiz was borrowed from Paramount Studios to direct. A stellar cast was assembled, which included Jean Simmons as Merit, Edmund Purdom (a late replacement for Marlon Brando who quit one week before filming) as Sinuhe, Victor Mature as Horemheb, Bella Darvi as Nefer, Gene Tierney as Baketamon, Michael Wilding as Pharoah Akhenaten, and Peter Ustinov as Kaptah. Read more…
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