Advise and Consent law Josey Wales, The Enforcer, Demon Seed, He assembled a starry cast: Henry Fonda, and many others. His scores were brilliant, and Charles Laughton (whose final film it was), Don he had a unique musical voice. He was a three- ADVISE AND CONSENT Murray, Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lawford, Gene time Oscar nominee. Tierney (who’d starred in Preminger’s break- Adapted from the 1959 novel by Allen Drury, out film, Laura), Franchot Tone, Lew Ayres, In Advise and Consent, Fielding’s great sense Otto Preminger’s 1962 film of Advise and Con- Burgess Meredith, Paul Ford, George Griz- of melody is apparent from the first notes of sent was a hard-hitting political drama with zard, Inga Swenson, Edward Andrews, and its main theme, a beautiful piece that never an all-star cast. Preminger, by this time, was in a small role, Betty White. The screenplay overplays its musical hand in the film – it’s a expert at these kinds of films, but also one of was by the wonderful writer Wendell Mayes gorgeous melody, so gorgeous in fact that a the most eclectic of filmmakers, tackling what- (who’d done the screenplay for Preminger’s prominently credited Frank Sinatra sings the ever genre came his way and if that project Anatomy of a Murder and would subsequently theme, which is playing on a jukebox in the had some controversy, Preminger embraced it write Preminger’s film of In Harm’s Way), and infamous gay bar sequence. The song was en- rather vociferously. In those days, he was a the cameraman was Sam Leavitt (who’d pho- titled “Heart of Mine” and the lyric was by Ned groundbreaker – hiring Dalton Trumbo to write tographed Preminger’s Carmen Jones, The Washington. But it’s the dramatic scoring that’s the screenplay for Exodus, and then fighting to Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, The Man With so wonderful, especially for a first-timer. Field- have it be Trumbo’s first credited screenplay the Golden Arm, Anatomy of a Murder, and ing really has a feel for this story and these after his long blacklisting period. Exodus). characters, as well as a terrific sense of how to set-up a scene, whether with exciting music, Advise and Consent followed his films of Ex- The film didn’t get great reviews and it received melancholy music, tense music, dissonant odus, Anatomy of a Murder, Porgy and Bess, not much attention come awards time, but then music – his score is really a marvel. and Bonjour Tristesse. He was critically ac- again, 1962 was one of the greatest years in claimed, critically lambasted, and had a reputa- movie history. But the film is wildly entertaining As it had with Bonjour Tristesse and Exodus, tion as a tough taskmaster or, in certain cases, and you simply will never have a cast like that RCA issued the soundtrack to the film, with a downright bully to his actors. From his first again. the distinctive Saul Bass art adorning its cover. success with Laura, Preminger increasingly The album was, like all soundtracks of that era, wanted to make films that dealt with subjects Preminger had always been a director with a fairly short at around thirty minutes. But it’s a that not only would make excellent films but keen ear for music and keen eye for up-and- great thirty minutes. While one wishes that the that would garner him publicity because of coming or underrated and underused compos- additional ten or so minutes of score was avail- their subject matter – films like The Moon Is ers. In fact, his musical taste in composers was able, no additional material could be found for Blue (running afoul of the Production Code and astonishing, really. He completely understood this release. However, the album master on the Catholic Legion of Decency – Preminger’s music and its importance in the film, in the sto- this title sounded absolutely fantastic. As was battles with the Production Code was ultimately rytelling. Beginning with Laura and David Rak- also occasionally the fashion then, the score as one of the things most responsible for sending sin (who scored several of Preminger’s early heard on the album is not in film sequence. But the Code on its merry way), The Man With the films), he took chances on composers and it for those who might enjoy hearing it that way, Golden Arm (one of the first serious depictions always paid off handsomely. For The Man With here is how to program the CD: Washington of heroin addiction, which again ran afoul of the Golden Arm it was the fast-rising Elmer Scene (Main Title), Dolly’s Interlude, Nocturne, the Production Code), and Anatomy of a Mur- Bernstein, who created a hugely popular score Politely Political, Young Illusion, Heartbreak, der, which bandied about words like “rape” for the film. For Saint Joan it was the great Invitation, Advise and Consent, “intercourse” and “sperm” which put him again composer Mischa Spoliansky, who turned out Lonely Corridors, Premonition, Adjournment. in hot water with the Code – but this time the to be the perfect choice. For Bonjour Tristesse MPAA Seal of Approval was given to the film it was the French composer, Georges Auric. — Bruce Kimmel and signaled the true beginning of the end for He took the bold step of hiring Duke Ellington the Code. Preminger was one of the few direc- to score Anatomy of a Murder. The underrated tors of that time, along with John Ford, Alfred Ernest Gold scored Exodus, turning in a score JERRY FIELDING Hitchcock, and a few others, whose name as that gave the world a chart-topping theme, a hit director was publicized as much as the stars soundtrack album on RCA, and the icing on the “By the time I got home,” Jerry Fielding would of his films. cake, the Oscar for Best Score. And so it was remember bitterly, “I knew I wouldn’t have a for Advise and Consent, when Preminger had job.” These remarks pertained to the dark day For Advise and Consent, the controversy was the good musical taste to hire Jerry Fielding toward the end of 1953 when Jerry would ex- it being a mainstream film that featured as part (another victim of the blacklist) to write his first ercise his constitutional right to plead the 5th of its story a character being blackmailed over film score, thus beginning his long film scor- amendment at his hearing before the House a wartime homosexual affair – at the time, ing career that gave the world some incredible UnAmerican Activities Committee. When not many A pictures had shown a gay bar on scores like The Wild Bunch, Lawman, Straw asked to name his friends and colleagues screen. But Preminger loved pushing those Dogs, The Nightcomers, Chato’s Land, Junior thought to be communists, he remained reso- envelopes and would continue to do so all Bonner, The Mechanic, Bring Me the Head of lutely silent. At the time, he had been working throughout his career. Alfredo Garcia, Johnny Got His Gun, The Out- as the musical director on Groucho Marx’s TV show, “You Bet Your Life,” but despite his close for Fielding, who was now desperate to prove relationship with the comedian—a lengthy one, himself as a composer for the first time, and to ORIGINAL LP LINER NOTES including the show’s transition from radio to make up for all that had been stolen from him. television—such was the fear and finger-point- Otto Preminger’s faculty for choosing young, ing in Hollywood that no one was safe. The ac- ADVISE AND CONSENT (1962), a star-stud- singularly talented composers to score his cusations were particularly unjust in Fielding’s ded affair, offered a lot of red meat for Fielding films has resulted in some outstanding motion case; unlike several of his pals, he had never to attack, but the true surprise here and what picture soundtracks. Jerry Fielding, who wrote been a card-carrying member of the party. He helps to make his debut score so startling the music for Advise and Consent, is thirty-nine had attended a few meetings of “Hollywood and memorable, is its surprising romanticism. years old. Ernest Gold was thirty-seven when Progressives”—enough in that scarifying era to Highlights include the gorgeous main title mel- he won an Academy Award for Exodus. Elmer get him singled out and placed on the blacklist. ody (also known as “Heart of Mine” and heard Bernstein was a mere stripling of thirty-one In one of the dirtiest and most shameful peri- plaintively sung for a few moments by Frank when he composed The Man with the Golden ods of modern American politics, Fielding be- Sinatra in the film’s notorious gay bar scene); Arm. And, though Duke Ellington would be the came another victim. It cost him years in terms “Dolly’s Interlude,” which offers a first glimpse first to admit he wasn’t exactly a boy scout of a lost career, and indeed he never got over of trademark Fielding scoring—gentle themes when he did Anatomy of a Murder, it neverthe- it, bemoaning what had happened to him—un- floating on a fragrant breeze with a bed of net- less was his first film score. justly, indeed—far into the future. tles just below to warn the listener not all is safe here; and “Invitation,” which introduces The music for Advise and Consent began to be Unsure what to do next, he put together The us to a favored Fielding gimmick, trumpets written almost the moment cameras started to Jerry Fielding Orchestra, and toured the coun- doubled and sped up to create an eerie am- turn.