I was surprised to see this thread series that I did in 2010 brought up quite a few times recently. So I thought it would be a good time to see if I am capable of adding a few more.
UN UOMO DA RISPETTARE is a kind of different choice because it never was an in-demand title and never was expanded, probably because there isn’t that much to expand. But like every Morricone score that I have taken a second look back on, there is something to discover here and it involves the pure art of film scoring. This is basically a heist film and the heist is pretty good. Kirk Douglas plays Steve Wallace a brilliant thief just sprung from jail who seems to have everything figured out except - people. Florinda Balkan as Anna need only show up for us to see why she is worth all the trouble Kirk goes through and Giuliano Gemma’s abilities to do his own stunts are utilized nicely as Marco, a trapeze performer. Nevertheless Michele Lupo directed this and his twenty years in film is totally undistinguished going from sword and sandals to westerns to Bud Spencer’s declining career films. MASTER TOUCH is probably a highlight and he even messes this one up. This heist is basically a tragic character study. I’m sure to make it commercial Lupo added fights and a car chase. During the fight in the wine shop a patron is seen passively drinking and slowly ducking for comedy effect. During the car chase it should have ended when what-looks-like cement is pours down on the pursuing car. But in the next shot the car is clean and unencumbered. When you start working at this cartoonish level it is a surprise at the end of the film when we are asked to take the main character and his tragic choices seriously. Lupo miscalculates again and again.
But Morricone does not encumber himself scoring the fights or the car chase. His main theme, if you want to call it that, is a two note piano strike that comes across like a death knell. The first time we hear it is in a police car when the camera settles on Kirk Douglas indicating in some way he is bad news. This “sound of reckoning”, as I call it, comes in at every propitious moment which tells us things are not going as smooth as they appear. Which begs the question should Morricone telegraph how this will going from the very beginning? After much deliberation the answer is yes. We do not know how this will actually go wrong so we can still root for Douglas’s efforts. And without warning us about the tone of the outcome we would probably be more bummed than if we didn’t get that heads up. Ennio even scores the love theme (A Florinda) with a regretful longing instead of passion. And scenes of normality are even scored with – what else? – the blues (L’incarico). By the time we get to the finale we totally understand what that “sound of reckoning is for as we stay on Kirk’s face and he realizes everything that has gone wrong has come from HIS bad choices. Indeed the only two elements that stay on point throughout this film is Ennio and Kirk Douglas’s performance.
The original LP, which is the only configuration this score was released in via CBS, SLC, Hexacord and Quartet, kind of conspired against itself by making the big finale the first cut. Shooting it’s wad right at the beginning. We do have respite along the way with a Bacharachish lounge theme (18 Pari) which Morricone does so well. So this is not a score that would be a compilation favorite nor a piece you would use for driving around mix. But for those of us who saw the film the tone of final reckoning placed over Kirk Douglas’s face of final revelation is indelibly meshed. It evokes the film and THAT is what such scoring is all about.
This film was among a handful of scores where Morricone handed over conducting chores to Nicola Samale. CHI L'HA VISTA MORIRE, ANCHE SE VOLESSI CHE FACCIO?,LA COSA BUFFA and SONNY AND JED are among the others. If his name sounds familiar he was a flute soloist on MOSES THE LAWGIVER, LEONOR and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY and many others.
Brilliant Henry. I never knew this was called Master Touch? Exactly what you and Stephen were saying on the zoom previously about how many times the different titles from different countries catch a collector out!
Ive always adored that 11-minute echo-trumpet theme with the incredible base guitar line. What you describe so well as the "2-note death knell" really does punctuate the opening of that track. Its always been one of my faves since i first heard it on TGs favourite double LP I Film della Violenza!!
I was surprised to see this thread series that I did in 2010 brought up quite a few times recently. So I thought it would be a good time to see if I am capable of adding a few more.
UN UOMO DA RISPETTARE
This believe it or not is actually a good movie filmed in Rome and Hamburg with his [ KD ] own production company Bryna. We have the film score CD and it is about time someone released it on BD. So far only an awful looking pan and scan DVD release is available in Europe with Kirk dubbed into Italian .
Really enjoyed reading this. Haven't seen the film, so thanks for providing the context and your personal insight. Now that the Maestro is sadly no longer with us, these posts are a great reminder of the amazing legacy he left behind. Many of these films, that most have not even heard of, will live on in many cases because of EM's music. Thanks for bringing all of this to our attention. Looking forward to reading and learning a whole lot more through these special posts.
. We have the film score CD and it is about time someone released it on BD. So far only an awful looking pan and scan DVD release is available in Europe with Kirk dubbed into Italian .
I have a dvd with Kirk's voice (English)but it's still shit quality.
Brilliant Henry. I never knew this was called Master Touch? Exactly what you and Stephen were saying on the zoom previously about how many times the different titles from different countries catch a collector out!
Yes Bill, always good to check into IMDB, Soundtrack collector database or Chi Mai website to check out on alternate titles! Otherwise these things can be sneaky.
