Love is a Many-Splendored Thing / The Seven Year Itch A MANY-SPLENDORED THING Holden, an amiable drinker, was in his element, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing had cost but Miss Jones had difficulties, and Holden $1.8 million to make, and returned $4 million at The Orient was enormously fashionable in the wasn’t affectionate. It was odd for him, because the domestic box office. The reviews were pos - mid-1950s - its allure irresistible to filmgoers he had affairs with many of his leading ladies. itive and the film garnered several Academy and filmmakers alike. Also very much in the air Bob Thomas, Holden’s biographer, wrote that Award nominations, including best picture at the time was a dreamy west/east romance; “Miss Jones complained about her makeup, her (Adler), best actress (Jones), cinematography the promise of forbidden love. Stories and plays costumes, the dialogue; and when Holden (Leon Shamroy), and art direction. It won Os - on the subject proliferated, and Fox, always failed to sympathize, she complained about cars for costume design and music – both the slightly ahead of the curve, had anticipated the him.” She prevailed upon David O. Selznick to song by Fain and Webster, and the score by the cultural shift and purchased the rights to a novel intercede, who sent reams of memos to Fox. incomparable Alfred Newman. by Han Suyin (a pseudonym for Dr. Elisabeth The strain between the film’s leads actually Comber), which detailed an interracial love af - works in its favor; the tension is palpable and it — Nick Redman fair between a Eurasian doctor and a British really conveys the anguish of Han Suyin’s de - journalist. Dr. Comber, herself Eurasian (half cision to have an open relationship with a mar - THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH Flemish, half Chinese), was in actuality living ried man. At one point, Holden declared a truce, in Hong Kong, working in a large hospital and and tried to warm the icy atmosphere. He pre - Just a few months previously, before audiences trying to get over the death of her husband. sented her with a bouquet of white roses – would swoon to Love Is a Many-Splendored Whilst there, she began an affair with an Eng - which she promptly threw in his face. Love Is a Thing , Billy Wilder’s film version of George Ax - lish correspondent. When her book was pub - Many-Splendored Thing wrapped in April 1955 elrod’s hilarious play, The Seven Year Itch , had lished it became a monster bestseller, after interiors were completed back at Fox’s audiences rolling in the aisles. With original star prompting many film companies to court it. Ti - home base. Tom Ewell repeating his Broadway role and the tled A Many-Splendored Thing , it was ahead of incandescent and stunning Marilyn Monroe as its time, both with the illicit nature of the affair For the music, Alfred Newman, Fox’s depart - “The Girl,” The Seven Year Itch was a huge hit, as well as the emotionally charged aspect of its ment head, decided to handle the chores him - due in part to the iconic image of Monroe stand - Eurasian theme. To wit, the displacement of a self. Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster ing on a subway grating with her dress (de - person born to two cultures – not being sure were engaged to write the title theme, and New - signed by Travilla) blowing up – it was not which is the one to belong to – and not quite fit - man realized it could be woven into the film’s possible to escape that image that year, and it’s ting in anywhere. Buddy Adler, the new head of sonic tapestry with ease. The song was pushed been hard to escape it ever since. As the tagline production at Fox, hired John Patrick, who had out to radio in advance of the movie to familiar - to the poster read: It TICKLES and it TANTA - won a Pulitzer Prize for adapting The Teahouse ize the audience, and Newman went to work. LIZES, and boy did it ever. Almost sixty years of the August Moon for Broadway, to work his As film score enthusiasts know, Newman was later, the film still tickles and tantalizes – Marilyn magic again. one of the great interpreters of music. An ex - Monroe is so dazzling, the camera loves her so, quisite composer in his own right, for movies and she is so charming and funny, that there is In casting the film, Adler lit on Jennifer Jones such as Wuthering Heights, How Green Was no way to not be captivated by her luminous to play Han Suyin. The wife of David O. My Valley, Song Of Bernadette, Captain From presence, and Tom Ewell, shuffling around fan - Selznick, Miss Jones had a reputation for Castile and The Robe , he was also the arrang - tasizing all manner of scenarios with Miss Mon - fragility, but had a good working history with ing genius behind many musicals including roe, gives a brilliant comic performance. And Fox. Indeed she had won an Oscar for the stu - State Fair, There’s No Business Like Show equally as tantalizing is the score by Alfred dio’s Song Of Bernadette (1943) and was also Business, Oklahoma! , with Carousel and The Newman. very adept at playing slightly off-kilter highly- King and I already in the pipeline. strung women. Love Letters (1945) and Duel In The score is monothematic, with many varia - The Sun (1946) had brought her further nomi - When recording commenced in July 1955, tions on the same theme – “The Girl Upstairs.” nations. To play opposite her, Fox sought the Newman brought his customary perfection to It also has a classic Newman main title that services of William Holden. According to the bear on his beloved studio orchestra. The “Main gets things off to a rousing start, and, of course, blurb at the time, Holden coveted the role of Title” is a beautiful and stirring statement of Fain Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto plays Mark Elliott, having read the book. Allegedly and Webster’s composition. Accompanying aer - a co-starring role. he cabled Para-mount, to whom he was under ial shots of Hong Kong, the music announces contract, imploring them to purchase the prop - in no uncertain terms the bold romance to Love Is a Many Splendored Thing was released erty on his behalf. Fox already had it thought, come. Newman’s stunning variations on the Fain previously by Varese Sarabande and was a but were able to engage the star in a loan-out and Webster song, along with his own gor - quick sellout. For this release, we’ve remas - deal. The truth, however, was that Holden had geous secondary themes creates a unique at - tered it and moved two early source cues, one little interest in the story but was keen on re - mosphere with a swirling tenderness that’s of which is by Leigh Harline, to after the film turning to Hong Kong, where he particularly en - almost indescribable. The music for L ove Is a score proper, giving the actual early score cues joyed the ladies and the nightlife. Henry King Many-Splendored Thing aches and roils with a bit more prominence. The Seven Year Itch is was signed to direct and received Holden’s ap - love, loneliness, lost feelings, and confused making its world premiere on this CD. We’ve in - proval. The star was at his apex in 1955, having hearts. The music is like a Chinese proverb: cluded the main title, and several variations on won an Oscar the previous year for Stalag 17. deep and unfathomable, shallow and transpar - “The Girl Upstairs,” which represents most of His string of hits was impressive: Sunset Boule - ent. It’s like a river – constantly flowing, but ever what was usable from the somewhat problem - vard, Executive Suite, Sabrina, The Country Girl changing. At the end, after Mark has died, atic original materials. The entire program is and The Bridges at Toko-Ri – all establishing Suyin returns to the high hill where their love presented in that unparalleled Fox stereo the “Golden Boy” at the top of the heap. blossomed. There, high on that windy hill, New - sound. man’s music crescendos and the Fain and Hong Kong wasn’t the safest place on Earth in Webster song takes center stage, while a cho - — Bruce Kimmel 1955, but everyone assembled there in Febru - rus introduces the lyrics, ensuring there’s not a ary for the start of shooting. Mostly the location dry eye in the house. was Aberdeen Bay, a densely populated island.