Archive
THE EMPEROR WALTZ – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In the late 1940s Billy Wilder was Paramount Pictures premier director, and Bing Crosby was the studio’s leading star. Wilder had always wanted to do a musical with Crosby, and found a story, which drew from an actual historical event, which eventually became this film: The Emperor Waltz. Valdemar Poulsen was a Danish inventor who demonstrated his magnetic recording device to Emperor Franz Joseph I of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in an audacious effort to secure financing for his invention. Charles Brackett was assigned production with a $3.8 million budget, Wilder would direct and Brackett and Wilder would write the screenplay. Bing Cosby would star as Virgil Smith, joined by Joan Fontaine as Countess Johanna Augusta Franziska, with Richard Haydn as Emperor Franz Josef, Roland Culver as Baron Holenia, and Sig Ruman as Dr. Zwieback. Read more…
FLYING TIGERS – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
By 1942 the United States was fully engaged in WWII and Republic Pictures management decided making a propaganda film to support the war effort would be both patriotic, and profitable. They decided to tell the tale of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), American civilian pilots who shipped out to China for the purpose of flying American P-40F fighter aircraft to aid Chinese allies fighting Japanese aggression. Edmund Grainger was placed in charge of production with a $900,000 budget, David Miller would direct, and Kenneth Gamet and Barry Trivers would write the screenplay. A fine cast was assembled, with John Wayne starring as Captain Jim Gordon, joined by John Carroll as “Woody” Jason, Anna Lee as Brooke Elliot, Paul Kelly as “Hap” Davis, Gordon Jones as “Alabama” Smith, Edmund MacDonsald as Blackie Bales and Mae Clarke as Verna Bales. Read more…
SILVER QUEEN – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1942 Paramount Pictures decided to approve for production, a western by Forrest Halsey and William Allen Johnston, which offered a story about a woman gambler. To implement their vision the purchased a package deal from Warner Brothers, who loaned them actors Pricilla Land and George Brent, along with director Lloyd Bacon. Independent producer Harry Sherman was assigned production and writers Cecile Kramer and Bernard Schubert would write the screenplay. George Brent would star as James Kincaid with Priscilla Lane as Coralie Adams. Joining them would be Bruce Cabot as Gerald Forsythe and Lynn Overman as Hector Bailey. For reasons I could not discover, Paramount in the end did not distribute the film. Instead, United Artists is listed as the production company, which suggests the film was one of several sold to United Artists from 1942 – 1943. Read more…
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…
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…
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…
THE LEFT HAND OF GOD – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Renowned 20th Century Fox producer Buddy Adler had a penchant for making films full of conflict, forbidden love, that were often set in exotic Asian locales. He saw opportunity after reading the 1951 novel “The Left Hand of God” by William Edmund Barrett and decided its story would translate well to the big screen. He sold his vision to CEO Darryl F. Zanuck and secured his blessing. Adler would oversee production with a $1.785 million budget, Edward Dmytryk was tasked with directing, and Alfred Hayes would adapt the novel and write the screenplay. A fine cast was assembled, with Humphrey Bogart as James Carmody, Gene Tierney as Anne Scott, Lee J. Cobb as Mieh Yang, Agnes Moorehead as Beryl Sigman, and E. G. Marshall as Dr. David Sigman. Read more…
RIO GRANDE – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Director John Ford’s plan for his next project was “The Quiet Man”, a story set in Ireland. However, to secure the services of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara from Republic Pictures he had to agree to CEO Herbert Yates insistence that he shoot the final installment of his now famous Cavalry Trilogy – “Fort Apache” (1948), “She Wore A Yellow Ribbon” (1949), and “Rio Grande” (1950). Ford grudgingly agreed and his Argosy Pictures and Republic Pictures would manage production with a $1.2 million budget, he would direct, and James Kevin McGuiness would adapt a Saturday Evening Post story “Mission With No Record” (1947) by James Warner Bellah to write the screenplay. His cast would consist of John Wayne as Lieutenant Colonel Kirby York, Maureen O’Hara as Kathleen Yorke, Claude Jarman Jr. as Trooper Jefferson Yorke, Ben Johnson as Trooper Tyree, and Harry Carey Jr. as Trooper Sandy Boone. Read more…
THE UNINVITED – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
During WWII Hollywood began to explore a new genre – paranormal or supernatural themed films. When Irish author Dorothy Macardle’s 1941 novel “Uneasy Freehold” was published in the United States as “The Uninvited” producer Charles Brackett believed he had found a story that needed to be brought to the big screen. He sold his vison to Paramount and would oversee production, Lewis Allen was tasked with directing, and the team of Dodie Smith and Frank Partos would write the screenplay. For the cast, Ray Milland would star as Roderick “Rick” Fitzgerald, joined by Ruth Hussey as Pamela Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp as Commander Beech, Cornelia Otis Skinner as Miss Holloway, and Gail Russel as Stella Meredith. Read more…
GULLIVER’S TRAVELS – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
Following the enormous success of the first animated film, Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937, Paramount Studios decided to cash in with its own film. It decided to base the new film on Part One of Jonathan Swift’s classic 1726 novel “Gulliver’s Travels”. In a joint venture, Paramount and Fleisher Studios placed Max Fleisher in charge of production with a $700,000 budget, his brother Dave Fleisher would direct, and the team of Dan Gordon, Cal Howard, Ted Pierce, Edmond Seward and Isadore Sparber would write the screenplay. The voice cast would include Sam Parker as Gulliver, Pinto Colvig as Gabby and Snitch, Jack Mercer as Prince David, King Little, Twinkletoes, Snoop, Horses and the Royal Chef, and Ted Pierce as King Bombo and Sneak. Read more…
GOLDEN BOY – Victor Young
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In 1938 Columbia Pictures bought the film rights to the play Golden Boy by Clifford Odets for $100,000, intending to showcase their star Jean Arthur with Frank Capra directing. However, when Capra was unavailable, Rouben Mamoulian was tasked with directing, which resulted in cast changes. William Perlberg was assigned production and the team of Lewis Meltzer, Daniel Taradash, Sarah Mason and Victor Heerman wrote the screenplay. Barbara Stanwyck was cast to star in the film as Lorna Moon, with Adolphe Menjou as Tom Moody, Joseph Calleia as Eddie Fuseli, and Lee J. Cobb as Papa Bonaparte. In an audacious decision, Mamoulian decided against studio wishes, to cast the young William Holden (21 years old) in his first acting role as Joe Bonaparte, a decision that ended up launching his career as a young heart throb. Read more…
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