O. Henry's Full House/The Luck of the Irish
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O. Henry’s Full House/The Luck of the Irish Christmas in Connecticut. simply the poignance of the music itself. Allen and Oscar Levant into a more farcical mode, Johnson requested that No, not the Barbara Stanwyck movie— As for the 1952 film, it took its place on his name be removed from the credits. my childhood. So long ago that nobody the very short shelf of Hollywood pic- The studio went him one better when had ever heard of climate change, and, tures which presented several brief sto- the sequence failed to amuse critics or in Cole Porter’s words, “You can bet all ries instead of a single, feature-length audiences by deleting the whole story right that your Christmas will be white.” tale. For example, in the preceding from the line-up. Red Chief remained Nor had anybody heard of VCR’s, much decade, the same studio had experi- AWOL from the film until it was restored less Blu-Ray, and if you wanted to savor mented with TALES OF MANHATTAN, for NBC’s TV broadcast. the memories of a great film—or its featuring an all star cast—typically the score—your only tool was a reel-to-reel key drawing-card in such films—in a se- The stellar cast of O. HENRY’S FULL audio recorder, probably a Wollensak, ries of stories by different writers tracing HOUSE deals audiences an entertain- plugged into your TV’s speaker jack. the life of a formal coat of tails passing ing hand full of drama and comedy You had to pause out the commercials from one owner to the next. Back in the filled with memorable moments. And as best you could, but you were re- early thirties, Paramount Pictures had as with so many Fox films, Alfred New- warded with the voices of your favorite presented its own stellar line-up to an- man has to be recognized as one of the actors in their iconic roles, supported by swer the question, what would I do -- IF leading players. Ably assisted by his such musicians as Max Steiner, Miklos I HAD A MILLION. (The one star com- close collaborator, vocal director Ken Rozsa, Bernard Herrmann—and Alfred mon to all three movies was Charles Darby, Newman brings his customary Newman. Laughton.) Anthology films were slightly sensitivity to every sequence his music more visible in Great Britain, perhaps enhances. For this loving recreation of The airwaves in this particular season most notably in the postwar supernat- O. Henry’s world, Newman combined were enriched by NBC’s prime-time ural shocker DEAD OF NIGHT, and it’s songs and tunes of traditional Ameri- “Saturday Night at the Movies,” a prize likely that a pair of recently successful cana with several themes that are pure package of major 1950’s releases from films devoted to the shorter works of Newman. 20th Century Fox, and I was discov- Somerset Maugham, QUARTET and ering such musical treasures as Herr- TRIO, got the Fox ball rolling on O. This 20th Century Fox extravaganza mann and Newman’s THE EGYPTIAN HENRY. stands as a tribute to two American and Waxman’s DEMETRIUS AND THE masters: To this day, the short stories GLADIATORS. But perhaps nothing By the time the last reel was rolling in judged best of their year are awarded made a more emotional impact on me the Fox camera, (including interstitial a Prize named after O. Henry, and, of than Newman’s straightforwardly me- footage of author John Steinbeck in- course, the music recording stage at lodic main title music for the anthology, troducing the proceedings), O. Henry, Fox bears the name, Alfred Newman. O. HENRY’S FULL HOUSE. After the master of the ironic “twist” ending, was traditional Fox Fanfare, there were no represented by five of his stories, some For THE LUCK OF THE IRISH, (1948), rousing opening chords or gestures: the of which remain famous to this day: The Newman conducted the score com- Newman strings simply dove right into Cop and the Anthem, The Clarion Call, posed by his frequent (and sometimes a plain, heartfelt, folk-like melody with The Ransom of Red Chief, Gift of the uncredited) collaborator, Britisher Cyril a distinctly Celtic flavoring, and after its Magi and The Last Leaf. No less than J. Mockridge. Like David Buttolph and one brief statement the movie was in five separate directors—Henry Hatha- David Raksin during the forties, Mock- progress and I was in tears. (Don’t ask way, Henry King, Henry Koster, How- ridge served Fox as a workhorse and me why, but this melody speaks to me ard Hawks and Jean Negulesco—had jack-of-all-compositions. Although he on a deep level matched by Newman recreated the writer’s characters with occasionally got to score projects which in his main theme from HOW GREEN the luminous personages of, among went on to become classics—such WAS MY VALLEY. I think it is quite sim- others, Laughton, Marilyn Monroe, as MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET and ply one of his supreme achievements.) Richard Widmark, David Wayne, Jean HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE— After the film was over, I re-wound the Peters, Farley Granger and Jeanne he never wrote a lovelier or more en- tape, aimed my Wollensak out the win- Crain. Following work by Ben Hecht and tertaining composition than he gave dow, then rushed outside to savor the Charles Lederer, screenwriter Nunnally to LUCK, an all-but-forgotten comedy/ New England snow and stars with Mr. Johnson (THE GRAPES OF WRATH) fantasy, and the music here may just Newman’s beautiful theme for accom- tailored his adaptation of The Ransom be his masterpiece. I was no longer a paniment. And, forever after, I came to of Red Chief for the talents of Clifton child when I first saw this film on TV, but associate Newman’s O. HENRY with Webb and William Demarest. Much of as a young Nutmegger who was on the the joys and sorrows of Christmas. Not his dialogue was used intact, but when threshold of going Hollywood, I found it because of the holiday subject matter Johnson saw how director Howard delightfully amusing and frequently, sur- of the majority of the stories so much as Hawks had pushed replacements Fred prisingly touching, in large part due to one particular performance—but more Bing Crosby’s fellow priest in GOING Newman had contributed to the score. on that in a moment. If the comments in MY WAY. With Fitzgerald portraying the A phone call from my little Connecticut IMDB are any indication, contemporary leprechaun, Dunne believed, they would town to the 20th Century Fox Music audiences are just now starting to redis- have ended up with a funnier and more Department led me to none other than cover this hidden gem, and that warms successful picture. That’s as may be, Lionel Newman, who kindly looked up the cockles of my heart. (or not,) but LUCK benefitted unques- the cue sheets and confirmed for me tionably and immeasurably from the that Mockridge was solely responsible Back in the forties, a husband and wife pixilated presence of Australian-born for THE LUCK OF THE IRISH.) With writing team named Guy and Constance Cecil Kellaway as the “little man.” The seemingly effortless artistry, Mock- Jones— residents of Connecticut, as a leprechaun in the novel was a genuinely ridge weaves the disparate elements matter of fact—had a run of good for- small person, but the necessity of cast- together. When the mood called for is tune with two comic fairy tales, which ing a normal-sized actor led to one of mysterioso, the composer makes sure were both purchased by Hollywood and the wittiest moments in Dunne’s script. that the music is not merely spooky but given the deluxe treatment. At Univer- “Say,” says Power, “Aren’t you rather spooky with a definite Irish accent. The sal, PEABODY’S MERMAID became large for a leprechaun?” To which a love music is tender and lyrical, the jig- MR. PEABODY AND THE MERMAID, very abashed Kellaway replies, “That’s ging chase music is exciting, invigorat- starring eponymously William Powell a page of me family history I’d rather ing and thrilling. and Ann Blyth, and Fox scooped up we not go into.” Kellaway brought to THERE WAS A LITTLE MAN, whose his leprechaun a beautifully quiet, warm Dear Reader, I’d wish for you, like the title refers to a leprechaun. (During pro- human quality which cannot be acted— Leprechaun, “all the luck in the world,” duction, the film would be called vari- it can only be there, if a show is lucky, but you’ve already got it. This CD is a ously FOR FEAR OF LITTLE MEN—a in the actor himself. I think my belief that bucket of gold. strange appellation for a light-hearted Kellaway brought something very spe- — Preston Neal Jones fable -- and then SHAMROCK TOUCH, cial and extraordinary to this role was before finally emerging as THE LUCK reflected in the fact that his fellow ac- OF THE IRISH.) It’s a morality play tors in the Academy nominated him for Two more classic 20th Century Fox about the eternal struggle between fol- a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, the only scores have been restored through the lowing your heart or following Mammon, nomination for this modest little com- magic of digital audio technology. Like personified in the choices confronting edy. (And the fact that Kellaway didn’t many of the studios music masters from an idealistic young American journalist, happen to win the statuette was cer- the era, “O.