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Home , Bella Darvi, Cameron Mitchell (actor), Gene Evans, Hell and High Water (ER), House of Bamboo, I Shot Jesse James

FULLER AT FOX

The first sentence in ’s Wikipe- excellent music. In order of their appearance Fuller assembled a first-rate cast, including dia entry reads thusly: “Samuel Michael Fuller on these two CDs, they are: (with whom he’d just worked (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was on ), Victor Francen, an American screenwriter, novelist, and film HELL AND HIGH WATER , David Wayne, , director known for low-budget, understated , and, as Denise Girard, newcomer genre movies with controversial themes.” One When Zanuck proposed to Fuller that his next , who also just happened to be the wonders if the author of that first sentence has project after Pickup on South Street should mistress of Daryl F. Zanuck. The film’s hand- actually seen a Samuel Fuller movie, because be Hell and High Water, Fuller agreed, even some photography was by Joseph MacDonald “understated” would be about the last word though he wasn’t crazy about the script. He did and the music was by Alfred Newman, the you’d ever use about a Fuller film. After all, it as a favor to Zanuck, who’d defended Fuller head of the Fox music department, who by the according to Fuller, he didn’t speak until he when J. Edgar Hoover attacked both Fuller time of Hell and High Water had already won was almost five years old, and when he finally and Fox over Pickup on South Street, about six Oscars. did speak the first word out of his mouth was which more later. Zanuck agreed to let Fuller “hammer.” And if that doesn’t perfectly encap- do a complete rewrite of the script. Fox had, Newman, of course, turned in an exemplary sulate who Fuller was as a person, writer, and the year before, introduced Cinemascope to score, highlighting all the action, suspense, director, nothing does. “Hammer.” Hardly an the world with The Robe, and Hell and High and romance in his usual brilliant way. His understated first word. Water was to be in that glorious “You see it rousing march that occurs in the main title se- Fuller began his working life as a copyboy, without glasses!” process. Fuller was wary, quence was actually written almost a decade then at seventeen worked as a crime reporter as were many filmmakers back then. Zanuck before for an hour-long documentary called for the New York Evening Graphic. In his early screened Jean Negulesco’s film, How to Marry The Fighting Lady. In addition to Newman’s twenties, he wrote his first three novels, all with a Millionaire for him, and Fuller was impressed. incredible scoring, the film also features one classic Fuller titles: Burn, Baby Burn, Test Tube As he would later write, “I realized that Negule- of Fuller’s favorite tunes, the song “Mam’selle.” Baby, and Make Up and Kiss. His 1944 novel, sco made Cinemascope serve the story, and Newman’s interpolations of it are simply won- The Dark Page, was turned into the 1952 film, not the opposite.” derful and give the Widmark and Darvi ro- Scandal Sheet. In 1936, Fuller wrote his first mance real warmth. The score is yet another film, Hats Off. As he saw the films made from Fuller fully embraced the new widescreen Newman classic from an era in which he simply his scripts he was usually dissatisfied with the process and Hell and High Water became the could do no wrong. result. When offered a deal to write three films poster child for Cinemascope and the movie for producer Robert Lippert, Fuller agreed only Zanuck would show to nervous filmmakers be- PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET if he would be allowed to also direct them – at cause Fuller had found a way to keep Cinema- no additional fee. That, of course, was happy scope fluid even in claustrophobic scenes in a The year prior to Hell and High Water, Fuller news to low-budget producer Lippert and Full- submarine. made a noir classic for Fox, Pickup on South ’s directing career was launched with the Street. It’s classic Fuller, with its anti-hero film I Shot . That was followed by Hell and High Water begins with voice-over pickpocket Skip McCoy, police informant Moe, , starring , narration: who informs on her friend Skip, who doesn’t and then came , the first film mind (“Moe’s okay, she’s gotta eat”), a fetching about the that was actually shot “In the summer of 1953, it was announced than female named Candy, a Commie spy named during the Korean War. Filmed in ten days on a an atomic bomb of foreign origin had been Joey, tough cops, and various other noir types budget of $105,000, the film was so successful exploded somewhere outside of the United all lurking around the peculiarly Fuller land- that the major studios sat up and took a look at States. Shortly thereafter it was indicated that scape. this young director. One of those who sat up this atomic reaction, according to scientific was Daryl F. Zanuck at Twentieth Century Fox, reports, originated in a remote area in North The story kicks off on a crowded subway train who signed Fuller for a seven-picture deal. Pacific waters, somewhere between the north- when Skip lifts the fetching female Candy’s ern tip of the Japanese Islands and the Arctic wallet. The wallet, however, contains microfilm Fuller’s first film for Fox was Fixed Bayonets! Circle. This is the story of that explosion.” that she was delivering for her ex-boyfriend, (note the exclamation point – understated, Joey, who’s told her the microfilm contains isn’t it), released in 1951. As Fuller noted in A group of scientists, businessmen, and states- stolen business secrets – alas, what it really his memoir, A Third Face: My Tale of Writing, men believe that the Communist Chinese are contains is top government secrets because Fighting and Filmmaking: “Zanuck had always building a secret atomic base on an island Joey is a nasty Communist spy. From there we championed me. He didn’t always agree with north of Japan. But they must have proof so are fully in Fullerland and the movie is by turns me but he’d tell me face-to-face, no matter. they hire a submarine commander to get proof. weird, wacky, extremely touching (especially in Once he’d Okayed a project, Zanuck was there The commander agrees (there is a lot of money Moe’s final scene), and filled with classic Fuller for me, always fighting for my vision.” in it for him) and he assembles his crew – also touches – in other words, a movie like no other. on board are a scientist, Professor Montel, For this CD set of Fuller at Fox, we pick up and his comely assistant Denise Girard. What The film is filled with great performances, espe- with the next three films Fuller would make for happens is by turns taut, romantic, dramatic, cially from its stars, Richard Widmark as Skip, Zanuck and Fox – Pickup on South Street, Hell exciting, and with occasional moments of as Candy, Richard Kiley as Joey, and High Water, and , three Fulleresque brevity. and most especially the extraordinary Thelma classic Fuller films that also happen to have Ritter as Moe, certainly one of her greatest performances in a career filled with them – what’s to come – jagged, bluesy, and jazzy. Once again, Fuller turned to Leigh Harline for her heartbreaking turn as Moe earned her an The film’s music perfectly defines its charac- the score and Harline turned in what was and Oscar nomination. The supporting cast is no ters, drama, and milieu. It’s a great score for is one of his best scores. It is lush with melody less terrific and includes such stalwarts as Wil- one of Fuller’s finest films. and orchestral color, and the Fox orchestra has lis Bouchey, Murvyn Vye, Milburn Stone, and rarely sounded more beautiful. As with all great Parley Baer. HOUSE OF BAMBOO main titles, we immediately enter the sound world of the film – the swirling strings and brass While the film received some middling reviews From Julie Kirgo’s wonderful notes for the Twi- statements draw us in instantly. From there, (now, of course, it’s a masterpiece, but it was light Time release of House of Bamboo: Harline’s score really does run the gamut, hit- a masterpiece back in 1953, just not one crit- ting every mood and story point with absolute ics were quite ready for), it was a big success “In the fall of 1954, fresh from the back-to-back and unerring precision. Harline remains one for Fox and Fuller. But it raised the ire of none hits Pickup on South Street and Hell and High of the most under-appreciated of the Golden other than Mr. J. Edgar Hoover, so much so Water, writer-director Sam Fuller was in Lon- Age composers, but hopefully with each CD that Zanuck and Fuller were summoned to don, taking advantage of a clause in his con- release, new fans will emerge and people will meet him at a Hollywood restaurant called Ro- tract with Twentieth Century Fox that allowed appreciate just how great he was. manoff’s. Hoover took exception to Widmark’s him six months off to work independently. What character – when asked for his help in catch- he had in mind was ‘a yarn about a bank heist All three scores have had previous releases. ing the Commie spy, the character replies, committed by some ex-GIs’ – but no one was For this release, Hell and High Water has re- “Are you waving the flag at me?” And Hoover biting. With characteristically impeccable tim- ceived a loving upgrade from Mike Matessino, also took exception to the notion that the Feds ing, Fox studio chief Daryl F. Zanuck picked and he has newly mastered the other two would pay an informant, which Hoover assured just this moment to give Fuller a call, offering scores. We are thrilled to follow up our release the two men would not happen. And then he the tough little maverick a very alluring carrot, of Preminger at Fox with this tribute to one of asked Fuller and Zanuck to either cut or re- indeed. How, this shrewdest of all executives the most interesting and one-of-a-kind direc- shoot those scenes. As Fuller later wrote, “Po- wondered, would Fuller like to shoot a picture tors in all of cinema – Fuller at Fox – with the litely, Zanuck refused. ‘Mr. Hoover, you don’t in Japan, where no major Hollywood produc- music of two wonderful composers who knew know movies,’ he said. He might as well have tion had gone before? Fuller had a two-word exactly what Samuel Fuller and his films were been telling the director to go fuck himself.” No answer: ‘Let’s go!’” all about. scenes were cut or reshot, but Zanuck did re- move some references to the FBI in the film’s The script Zanuck gave to Fuller was by Harry — Bruce Kimmel advertising. Kleiner, one he’d written for the 1948 Fox film, The . Of course, Zanuck The score for Pickup on South Street was knew that Fuller would Fullerize it and so he written by Leigh Harline. At that point, Harline did and the result was another unique Fuller had already won an Oscar for Best Song with classic. House of Bamboo features a stellar “When You Wish Upon a Star,” from Walt Dis- and solid cast, including , Robert ney’s Pinocchio (lyrics by Ned Washington), Stack, Shirley Yamaguchi, Cameron Mitchell, and one for Best Original Musical Score for , , DeForest Kel- that film. He was with Disney for a decade be- ley, and Biff Elliot. The stunning Cinemascope fore he left to write scores for other studios, and color photography is once again by Joseph for some terrific movies such as The Bachelor MacDonald. Julie Kirgo sums up its story as and the Bobby-Soxer, Mr. Blandings Builds “focusing on a tough Army cop () His Dream House, They Live By Night, The posing, we swiftly learn, as Eddie, a coarse Boy with the Green Hair, and, for Fox, Monkey piece of American rough trade. Clumsy on Business – after which he became a very busy purpose, Eddie crudely rousts the bosses of a Fox composer. couple of Tokyo pachinko parlors, offering ‘pro- tection’; this gets him noticed by the real bosses Fuller was determined to use the song of the trade: a gang of ‘stockade hounds’ – dis- “Mam’selle” for the scenes involving the char- honorably discharged American servicemen – acter of Moe, so he went to Fox music head headed by the disarmingly soft-spoken Sandy Alfred Newman asking if they could purchase (Robert Ryan). Along the way, Eddie becomes the rights to the French song. According to romantically involved with Mariko (the lovely Fuller, Newman burst out laughing, saying, Shirley Yamaguchi), the fetching widow of a “That song’s not French! Edmund Goulding slain gang member; together – with some as- wrote it himself for The Razor’s Edge. We al- sistance from the Japanese police (headed by ready own it!” none other than Sessue Hayakawa) and the American MPs (amusingly led by Brad Dexter) As Newman would do a year later, Harline in- – they determine to bring Sandy and his thugs terpolated “Mam’selle” beautifully in his score, down.” Of course, Fuller imbues the story with and also uses the song “Again”, written by his kinetic style, crackerjack dialogue, and like Lionel Newman and Dorcas Cochran (for the all his films, it’s unique to him – a picture suf- Fox film Road House). But Harline’s original fused with the characteristics of its iconoclastic music is top-notch, starting with his propulsive director. main title music, which really sets the mood for