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Home , Betty Hutton, Exodus (soundtrack), Franchot Tone, Jerry Fielding, Otto Preminger, The Nightcomers

Advise and Consent law Josey Wales, The Enforcer, Demon Seed, He assembled a starry cast: , and many others. His scores were brilliant, and (whose final film it was), Don he had a unique musical voice. He was a three- ADVISE AND CONSENT Murray, , , Gene time Oscar nominee. Tierney (who’d starred in Preminger’s break- Adapted from the 1959 novel by , out film, Laura), , Lew Ayres, In Advise and Consent, Fielding’s great sense ’s 1962 film of Advise and Con- , 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 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 to write tographed Preminger’s Jones, The Washington. But it’s the dramatic scoring that’s the screenplay for , and then fighting to Court-Martial of , 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- 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, , 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 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 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 it was the great Invitation, Advise and Consent, “intercourse” and “sperm” which put him again 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 the Code. Preminger was one of the few direc- to score Anatomy of a Murder. The underrated tors of that time, along with , Alfred scored Exodus, turning in a score 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 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 , 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 , Lawman, Straw asked to name his friends and colleagues screen. But Preminger loved pushing those Dogs, , 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 ’s TV show, “,” 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. It is Preminger’s policy to bring his com- try playing dance halls, weddings, high-school bience over a deep jazz groove. In fact, this posers on location, and Fielding spent many hops. He noted that 1953-54 represented the album provides many precursors of the work to weeks in Washington “picking up the vibrations last days for that kind of playing; what had for come, and its twilight-realmed beauty is evoc- of the town” and writing on the spot. years been a staple of American music was ative and strange. Although Jerry was almost giving way to the latest “fad” of rock and roll. 40 at the time he wrote and recorded ADVISE The film – based on Allen Drury’s Pulitzer The audience had moved on and Jerry knew AND CONSENT, it seemed as if a fresh new Prize best-seller with a screenplay by Wendell he had to, too. He found refuge in , voice had arrived. That voice had been hid- Mayes – deals with the personal conflicts of Nevada, where all the hotels put on dazzling den by circumstances beyond his control, but men in power. It tells of two lives destroyed by shows for weary gamblers. There, Jerry ar- Jerry would hide no more. From now on he’d incidents which took place in the distant past. ranged and conducted for a parade of art- do every job that came his way; he had a lot of In it Fielding saw “counterpoints of character ists: Eddie Fisher, , Abbott catching-up to do. pulling in many directions.” The main theme? & Costello, . He also recorded a “Human beings’ basic conflicts with them- number of albums under his own Jerry Fielding For the next 17 years, Fielding was responsi- selves.” What evolved is not mirrored scoring Orchestra brand, and as musical director for a ble for a veritable torrent of music for films and – i.e., duplicating screen action – but rather range of vocalists. television, as well as continuing as a recording whole pieces of music which imply, underline, artist in his own right. Academy Award nomi- and counterpoint shifting currents of emotion. In 1959, Betty Hutton, with whom Jerry had nations would accrue for THE WILD BUNCH To reflect these shifts, the music is constructed drawn close, was offered her own television (1969), STRAW DOGS (1971), and THE OUT- in unsymmetrical phrases of three measures variety show. She said she wouldn’t do it un- LAW JOSEY WALES (1976); his work for di- with new time signatures, in some cases, for less Jerry could be her MD. Although warned rectors , , and each bar. There is only one principal theme – a that he was blacklisted, she refused to budge. is well documented and is his hauntingly wistful soliloquy. Her admirable pressure paid off; the network principal legacy. By rights there should have relented. Rescued from the wilderness, Jerry been more than 17 years, but by the age of Jerry Fielding was born in , Pennsyl- settled into his new job, but his personal dark 57, his overworked and weakened body gave vania, and started out to become a classical cloud of animus would persist and inform his up the ghost. clarinetist. He soon switched to composing, work for the rest of his life. arranging and conducting for some of radio’s What if there had never been a blacklist? What and TV’s top shows. He formed his own or- One of Jerry’s closest friends, the writer Dalton else could Jerry Fielding have accomplished? chestra in 1951, made many recordings, and Trumbo (another famously blacklisted talent), We will never know, of course, but perhaps at several different times in his young career was also close with maverick director Otto that doesn’t matter. As driven as Jerry was, hosted his own TV show. He has also written Preminger. Trumbo knew that Preminger, who we have the scores that he did write, and that and arranged special material for leading night- otherwise enjoyed a fearsome reputation for we will keep on playing until the day comes club and concert performers. cruelty toward those he worked with, believed when we can’t. Dig into ADVISE AND CON- in rehabilitating those poor souls whose lives SENT right now; it will start you on a journey of had been damaged by the blacklist, and was listening thrills that should last you a lifetime. always on the lookout for fresh talent to exploit. His upcoming feature film about the rancid un- — Nick Redman derbelly of political life seemed a perfect fit