Victor Young at Paramount Aramount and Victor Young – One Bery of Funds Being Transported by the of the Greatest Studio/Composer Postal Service
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Victor Young at Paramount aramount and Victor Young – one bery of funds being transported by the of the greatest studio/composer postal service. It’s a taut and well-writ- SEPTEMBER AFFAIR Prelationships in history. Young ten yarn (screenplay by Richard L. came to Paramount in the mid-1930s Breen and Warren Duff), with excellent For our final feature, we have Septem- and worked on a huge number of films performances. Interestingly, both Jack ber Affair, a 1950 film also directed – as an arranger, composer and con- Webb and Harry Morgan play bad guys by William Dieterle. The stars of this ductor. His output was astonishing and – they went on to play opposite each romantic drama were Joseph Cotton, his gift for film scoring undeniable. He other in the 1967 redo of Webb’s classic Joan Fontaine, Jessica Tandy and was also one of the great melodists and Dragnet series. The film received excel- Robert Arthur. Bosley Crowther in The many of his themes and songs became lent reviews. New York Times summed up the film’s huge hits. At Paramount, he scored essential plot: “It is the story of a rich such classics as The Uninvited, Min- Young composed a terrific score, begin- and tired American, homeward bound istry of Fear, Love Letters, Two Years ning with an exciting “Prelude.” From from Italy, who falls in with a charming Before the Mast, The Big Clock, Golden there he provides wonderful underscor- young lady with whom he thinks he’d Earrings, Night Has a Thousand Eyes, ing for the various plot turns, with nary like to spend his autumn years. A for- The Paleface, Samson and Delilah, a love theme to be heard. This is Young tuitous set of circumstances, including The File on Thelma Jordan, The Great- in suspense and drama mode and he the wreck of a plane they should be on, est Show on Earth, Shane, About Mrs. keeps things moving along right up until gives the two an opportunity to go off Leslie, The Country Girl and Strategic the exciting final cues. quietly and live in bliss while the world Air Command, to name but a few. Along thinks them dead.” the way, Young received an astonishing THE ACCUSED twenty-two Oscar nominations (in 1940 The score for September Affair is a and 1941 he was nominated four times Our second feature, The Accused, is an- perfect example of what Young did as in the same year!). But he would not other film noir, this one from 1949. Writ- well as anyone – a gorgeously melodic, win the golden statuette during his life- ten by Ketti Frings (from the 1947 novel picturesque, touching and captivating time – he won the Oscar for Best Music Be Still, My Love by June Truesdell) score. You’ll musically visit Rome, Na- (Dramatic or Comedy Picture) posthu- and directed by William Dieterle, The ples, Pompeii and Capri, and be a party mously for Around the World in Eighty Accused starred Loretta Young, Robert to all the drama the characters face. Days. Some of his themes are among Cummings, Wendell Corey and Sam Young also subtly uses the great Kurt the most beloved of all time. Jaffe. The film had a rather controver- Weill/Maxwell Anderson song “Septem- sial plot: a student fancies his teacher ber Song” skillfully in some cues. For this CD, we are proud to present and tries to have his way with her. After three world premiere releases – a Victor she kills him in self-defense, she tries to Victor Young died too young at 56 – Young triple bill. cover up her crime and compounds her but he left behind a brilliant film music problems by falling in love with some- legacy and we’re very pleased to bring APPOINTMENT one who was close to the dead boy. these three great scores to CD for the WITH DANGER The New York Times called the film “a first time. super-duper psychological job … the — Bruce Kimmel First up is Appointment With Dan- story flows smoothly and methodically ger, a 1951 crime film noir directed by builds up suspense to a punchy climax.” Lewis Allen, starring Alan Ladd, Phyllis Variety also gave it an excellent review, Calvert, Paul Stewart, Jan Sterling, Jack stating, “The Accused exploits fear and Webb and Harry Morgan. The film is un- violence into a high grade melodrama.” usual in that Ladd plays not a standard issue detective or cop or FBI man, but a Beginning with a classic Young “Pre- U.S. postal inspector on the trail of two lude” which sets the tone for all that fol- people who murdered another postal lows, the score plays up the characters inspector. On the trail of the murderers, and their emotions. It features a beau- he has to find the witness to the slaying tiful theme, which is used throughout – a young nun – and he has to pose as the score. There’s also some suspense a bad guy to get in with the killers, who music here and there – it’s a terrific have planned a huge million-dollar rob- score straight down the line..