Just caught the Times obit but before reading came immediate memories of The Lost Weekend and The Yearling. Both had such tremendous scores. For me, the former's flashback scene [culminating in Ms. Wyman's character declaring that she was not going to lose Birnham over the bottle] is a fond scoring highlight. It's not nearly as dramatic as the DT scenes and all but the music conveyed such a sense of challenge and romance combined.
Lest we forget, she was very musical in her own right, and she held her own with Danny Kaye on the HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN LP (re-released on CD by Varese) and with Bing, in the cool cool cool of the evening.
Pre-stardom, she acquitted herself honorably with a song or two in the Warner Brothers "biography" of Cole Porter. Catch her delightful spin on the line when Porter/Cary Grant, after her audition/performance of his song, raves over her improvement, and asks her what happened since the last time he'd seen her audition:
I was kinda proud in a film quiz downtown yesterday, because I recognized Wyman in a film clip along with Rock Hudson. Of course, I didn't know what the film was Sirk's classic ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1955), but I got the two actors! I had no idea she played in that film.
Oddly enough, only yesterday afternoon, I finally caught up with “Just For You” (1952) with Jane and Bing. Great fun and Jane looks fabulous in some amazing outfits.
Here they are, having a ball with the Oscar nominated “Zing a Little Zong”.
She was a lovely actress and a big favourite of mine.
Apart from the above mentioned “Johnny Belinda” and “The Yearling” my favourites of hers are: “Lost Weekend”,“Stage Fright”, “So Big” and Disney’s “Pollyanna”.
Thanks, David. I've still never seen MAGIC TOWN, so it was nice to get a little introduction to it. Though it was written by Capra's collaborator Robert Riskin, I believe, director William Wellman felt it was a disappointment, but I'm keeping an open mind...
Favorite Wymsan score and film - Miracle in the Rain. She produced this film herself and insisted it be shot on location in New York City. They shut a lot on the streets of New York, in Central park and even inside St. Patricks Chaedral strating around 1AM every evening. Awesome score by Franz Waxman, only on a b>>t. someone should release the complete score from Warners.
Hey Joe thanks to your plug I just read the NY Times review but first noticed the movie came out precisely 60 years ago this week. Anyway, what a cast, too. Gotta get my hands on a copy, I'm intrigued, esp. with the location filming.
Hey Joe thanks to your plug I just read the NY Times review but first noticed the movie came out precisely 60 years ago this week. Anyway, what a cast, too. Gotta get my hands on a copy, I'm intrigued, esp. with the location filming.
Howard, film AVAILBE ON DVD, with even some background stuff on the film. the dvd transfer is open matte, so you can blow up the image to where the Warner Logo in on the middle horizon of your screen and you will get proper framing.
Waxman does some awesome things in this score. The love theme later becomes the theme for the miracle itself.
There is also a short motif for the roman coin, played on vibraphone (I think), but later when Wyman first goes with her friend to St. Patricks Cathedral, Waxman blasts the motif on all of the brass and makes the motif longer - a thirilling moment. Van Johnson has also never been better than here.
Hey Joe, the DVD box I received says "Standard Version Presented in a format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition" and IMDB says aspect ratio 1.37:1. Am I correct that it wasn't filmed widescreen?
Hey Joe, the DVD box I received says "Standard Version Presented in a format preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition" and IMDB says aspect ratio 1.37:1. Am I correct that it wasn't filmed widescreen?
Although the IMDB lists 1956's MIRACLE IN THE RAIN as being in the 1.37:1 ratio, this is in all likelihood incorrect, and the film almost certainly was shot for widescreen projection. The AFI Catalog gives a ratio of 1.75:1 for the film. Bob Furmanek's website on the 1950's widescreen transition notes that Warner Bros. went to a standard of 1.85:1 on May 7, 1953. "Warner Brothers shut down the studio during April, May and June to concentrate on developing their new All-Media camera system and to convert all departments to widescreen production," notes Furmanek.
The video departments of the various studios (the MIRACLE IN THE RAIN DVD was issued in 2007) are often woefully uninformed about their own studio's history.
Thanks, Bob. I mean it was 1955 so it had to be filmed in widescreen, right? It is vexing for someone like me to see the inscription on the DVD box that I placed in quotes, as if what I'll be watching is how movie audiences back then saw it. Sheesh. Beggers can't be choosers, if this is the only DVD size available.
OK so I went into this one not knowing what to expect. I've come away from watching something a bit quirky at the beginning that settled into something romantic and yet troubling; still, at its conclusion I emerged on the border of enchanted. Ms. Wyman's "Ruthie" was a portrait of humility and wholesomeness a la Donna Reed's girl next door in Wonderful Life and Betsy Blair's schoolteacher in Marty. She was positively lovely in appearance and spirit. The rest of the cast was solid, a roster of familiar faces. The music was beautiful. However, and per another thread, I'd have preferred the goofy early moments were left unscored. The music was just plain comedy yeesh. Oy. But as for the NYC location filming...aces, esp. the Central Park scenes.
A little strange, at times, but there is a sense of dignity in the production that seems of a lost era. I think that's where my taste of enchantment came from. They played it straight. Definitely worth seeing.
