Showing posts with label Errol Flynn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Errol Flynn. Show all posts

Friday, 5 September 2008


GREEN LIGHT
(1937 - Music by Max Steiner)

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Directed by Frank Borzage and Starring Errol Flynn, Anita Louise Margaret Lindsay and Cedric Hardwicke

Dr. Newell Paige is a dedicated surgeon and physician who is devoted to his patients and to the ethics of his profession. Covering for his mentor, Dr. Endicott, who is consumed by personal problems, Paige operates on a wealthy donor to the hospital, Mrs. Dexter. However, Dr. Endicott rushes in at the last moment and in his haste botches the surgery. Mrs. Dexter dies. An inquiry ensues and Dr. Endicott refuses to take or pass blame. The presumption of guilt then falls on Dr. Paige, who resigns rather than blame his mentor. By accident, Paige meets and falls in love with Mrs. Dexter's daughter Phyllis. When they each learn the other's true identity, Paige leaves rather than cause Phyllis pain, since she blames him for her mother's death. Paige travels to a rural settlement to join his friend Dr. Stafford in a dangerous experiment intended to eradicate spotted fever, which has decimated the local population. Influenced by the religious and ethical expoundings of church dean Harcourt, Paige risks his life in hopes of giving something of value to mankind.



Max Steiner's music is beautifully romantic but oddly unmemorable---which is hard to believe considering his catalog of work (the rousing "Charge of the Light Brigade", for instance, or the classics "The Wizard of Oz" or "Casablanca"). The choristers (boys) of St. Luke's Episcopal Church effectively lend their voices to a few scenes, and would do so in Flynn's follow-up film, "The Prince and the Pauper".

Technical Data: {Reel Tape n.190} {59 minutes}

Music Composed by Max Steiner
Musical Direction by Leo F. Forbstein
Orchestrations by Hugo Friedhofer

This is the second score for an Errol Flynn's film. Max Steiner scored 17 films starred by him inclduing some memorables as Charge of the Light Brigade, Dodge City, Adventures of Don Juan, They Died with Their Boots On, Santa Fe Trail, The Prince and the Pauper ...

Some of them have already some kind of release (LP, CD original, CD with a re-recording). I plan to include some of the unreleased ones here.

Monday, 1 September 2008


MARA MARU
(1951 - Music by Max Steiner)

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Directed by Gordon Douglas

Starring Errol Flynn, Ruth Roman and Raymond Burr

Greg Mason, salvage diver in the Philippines, finds his partner Andy drunk and raving about treasure. Whatever it is, somebody wants it badly enough to kill Andy and frame Mason for murder. Cleared by an insinuating private eye, Mason is immersed in intrigue, with detective Rainier, sinister Benedict, mysterious Orgega, and Andy's comely widow all somehow involved. Soon various parties, not really trusting each other, are on a sea voyage to dive for they know not what...



Technical Data: Reel Tape N. 219a {8 tracks} {24:02 minutes}

Music Composed by Max Steiner

Orchestrations by Murray Cutter

Tuesday, 11 December 2007


DIVE BOMBER (1941 - Music by Max Steiner)
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Directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray

A new flight surgeon and a Navy pilot overcome personal differences to work on solving the problem of Altitude Sickness which causes blackouts at high altitude. The real stars of the film are the pre-World War II navy aircraft featured in full color

When Dr. Doug Lee fails to save the life of navy pilot Swede Larson, who blacked out and crashed after entering a steep dive, the flyer's friends take an immediate dislike to him and disparage his efforts to learn more about the problem by becoming a flyer himself. Lee's new superior officer, Dr. Lance Rogers, also exhibits resentment toward the presumptuous newcomer. They ultimately become friends and form a mutual bond of personal and professional respect when their research develops a high altitude flying suit which they hope will prevent the kind of blackouts that killed Swede. Unfortunately the process of experimental testing of the new device proves to be a dangerous undertaking.


Technical Data: Reel Tape N. 199b {12 tracks}{22:41 minutes}


Music Composed by Max Steiner

Musical Direction by Leo F. Forbstein
Music Arranged and Orchestrated by Hugo Friedhofer