GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURYOriginal Review by Craig Lysy
Actor Laird Cregar saw opportunity for a film adaptation of the popular 1941 novel “Hangover Square,” a murder melodrama by Patrick Hamilton. He convinced 20th Century Fox executive Darryl F. Zanuck to purchase the film rights, Robert Bassler was assigned production with a budget of $1.145 million, Barré Lyndon was hired to write the screenplay, and John Brahm was tasked with directing. A fine cast was recruited, including Laird Cregar as George Harvey Bone, Linda Darnell as Netta Langdon, George Sanders as Dr. Allan Middleton, Faye Marlowe as Barbara Chapman and Alan Napier as Sir Henry Chapman.
The film is set in Edwardian England circa 1903 and opens with distinguished composer George Harvey Bone brutally stabbing to death a Scottish store owner in Fulham. He returns to his flat with amnesia, unaware of the murder. His girlfriend Barbara and her father are concerned for George’s health and convince him to see Dr. Middleton who works for Scotland Yard. He is diagnosed with stress fatigue from overwork and told to rest. Yet George’s condition worsens as he almost kills Barbara, and then goes on to murder Netta, another romantic interest. Middleton eventually becomes convinced that George is the murderer and he and police go to arrest him on the night he debuts his piano concerto. In the resulting struggle a gas lamp is overturned, which causes a conflagration that causes everyone to flee, except George who returns to the piano where he plays his concerto as the flames consume him. The film was barely a commercial success earning a profit of only $27,000. It received mixed reviews from critics who wrote that the film’s lack of mystery hurt its narrative. The film also failed to earn any Academy Award nominations.
Director of Music Alfred Newman assigned Bernard Herrmann to the project, who was both intrigued, and highly motivated by the musical opportunities the film offered. Foremost it required a Piano Concerto, which over time came to be described as a diabolical Lisztian Concerto Macabre. Herrmann understood that the concerto had to embody Bone’s brutality, violence, and psychotic madness, as his path descended into Hell. Herrmann ingeniously utilized a number of the concerto’s motifs to support Bone’s onscreen violence and depravity, thus integrating the concerto directly into the score’s musical narrative. Herrmann’s biography author Steven C. Smith relates;
“Herrmann’s concerto uses the romantic idiom as commentary, employing 19th century harmonies to explore the tragic and solitary aspects of romanticism, and to depict the film’s doomed Romantic, George Bone. It not only reflects the distempered state of Bone’s mind, but is in a sense an apology for it, and for his whole life, a logical summation and outcome of all that has proceeded”.
For his soundscape Herrmann deconstructed portions of his Concerto Macabre to provide recurring leitmotifs, thus integrating the film’s musical narrative. Drawn from the concerto is a leaping and often dissonant piano strikes, which is used stridently to propel violence, often joined by dire muted horns, as a herald of death. The Transmogrification Theme supports the emergence of George’s monstrous, violent and rampaging alter ego. It is empowered by a discordant piano, horrific shrieking piccolos, ominous horns and woodwinds. It is, for all practical purposes, a grotesque leitmotif of evil. The Fire Theme is derived from the concerto’s scherzo, and speaks to George’s use of fire to cleanse his evil actions; consuming the shop where he murdered of the shop keeper, consuming Netta’s body, which he dumped atop a Fawkes bonfire, and lastly, his death scene where he atones for his crimes, consumed by the conflagration. Lastly, a number of contemporary source songs were infused into the score, including; “Have You Seen Joe?” by Lionel Newman and Charles Henderson, “Why Do They Wake Me Up So Early in the Morning?” by Lionel Newman and Charles Henderson, “All for You” by Lionel Newman and Charles Henderson, “Wedding of the Winds” by John T. Hall, “So Close to Paradise” by Lionel Newman and Charles Henderson, and “Gay Love” by Bernard Herrmann and Charles Henderson.
(*) “Logo” offers Alfred Newman’s iconic 20th Century Fox fanfare. In the following three cues, Herrmann masterfully sets the tone of this film noir. “Main Title” opens ominously with the first movement of the Piano Macabre. Piano brutale joined by harsh violin surges create a foreboding musical narrative, which supports the roll of the opening credits. At 0:38 horns affanato resound, soon joined by grim abyssal basses as script narrative informs us of a “Distinguished Composer”, George Harvey Bone of 12 Hangover Square, London. At 1:05 we segue into the film proper with “Fulham Waltz and The Dealer”, as we see a bustling London Street with a man playing a valzer spiritoso on a street organ. A grim diminuendo brings us into an antique shop. Growling strings minaccioso support as we see the terrified owner backing up and throwing objects at someone. We flow seamlessly into “Murder and Fire” as we see George thrust a dagger into the man’s chest supported by a dire orchestral shriek. He then takes a gas lamp and smashes it on to the floor by the corpse, unleashing a fire storm that quicky begins consuming the shop. Herrmann supports with the volatile Fire Theme, drawn from his Concerto Macabre, a hideous scherzo ardente as we see a crowd converging at the store window in horror. At 0:24 trumpets bravura resounds to support fire wagons racing to the store. At 0:29 we shift to George walking along the street, he is unsteady and bumps into three people, who confront him. The camera shifts in and out of focus as George looks at each of the people, who notice he is bleeding from his left temple. A deconstructed variant of the concerto’s first movement, shed of its terror and aggression, supports ominously in the form of a misterioso. We close with George walking away as the people are distracted by the shop fire.
(*) “George Returns Home” reveals George returning home with his arrival supported by his girlfriend Barbara playing the dramatic opening of George’s new concerto as her father Sir Henry Chapman looks on. She is concerned that he did not come home last night and then notices his head wound. Sir Henry encourages him to complete the concerto and premiere it at his estate, to which George is deeply thankful. After Sir Henry departs, we segue into “Confession” where George confesses to Barbara that he has suffered another bout of amnesia. She is very concerned and asks if he did anything, only to be told that he remembers nothing. Herrmann adeptly supports with a foreboding, woodwind borne misterioso. At 1:02 a crescendo agitato arises as he hears a newspaper boy yelling something about Fulham. George rushes out to buy a paper, brings it in and the crescendo crests horrifically at 1:18 as we see news of the gristly stabbing murder of a shopkeeper and fire by a mysterious attacker. We resume the foreboding misterioso as he frets, asking her if he could have possibly done this. She reassures him, but he is concerned at the length and growing frequency of these bouts. He informs her that he is going to Scotland Yard to seek the assistance of a Dr. Middleton who was recommended by his doctor.
In an unscored scene we see Dr. Middleton interviewing George, with Barbara at his side. George asks if he could be the murderer and offers him a knife and also that he had blood on his coat. Dr. Middleton asks what triggers these bouts, and he answers stress, when he is tense, or any discordant sound. Dr. Middleton takes a blood sample from George’s wound to determine if it matches the blood on his jacket. He then sends them home, saying he will advise them of his findings. Dr. Middleton then solicits the assistance of Inspector Clay for a possible lead in the Fulham murder case, asking that he assign two men to follow George Harvey Bone. “The Clock and The Knife” reveals George and Barbara back home, with him cleaning a violin as the clock strikes 10 pm. He is concerned that Dr. Middleton has not come by and offers to escort Barbara home. Yet before they can leave, Dr. Middleton arrives with news. Herrmann again sow a foreboding, intangible misterioso, which creates unease. The music stops with Dr. Middleton’s arrival, where he declares George completely innocent with Scotland Yard definitively ruling him out as the murderer. He then advises George that he has a work life imbalance, and that he needs to not become consumed with his music, and incorporate respites and other outlets for his emotions. Dr. Middleton then offers to escort Barbara home and he encourages her to assist in helping George follow his instructions.
(*) “The Coat and Dagger” reveals George cleaning his jacket, hanging it up, and again finding the dagger. Herrmann sow a dire musical narrative with monstrous erupting crescendos supporting him cleaning the jacket, and placing the dagger in a wall cabinet. He then finds a flier for a Smoking Concert at King’s Head Arms Saturday 29 August 1903. In (*) “Netta”, we shift to the pub where an accordion and piano supports Netta performing a burlesque act sassily singing the festive song “Have You Seen Joe?” Afterwards she is paid one guinea and exits to the pub’s back room with Mickey as a man sings with piano accompaniment, the woe’s me song “Why Do They Wake Me Up So Early in the Morning? George joins them and compliments her on her singing. He says she inspired a melody and offers to play it for her on the piano, the romantic ballad, “All for You”. Netta is drawn to him, and she and Mickey join, with Mickey providing lyrics, which they all sing together. Afterwards she asks if he would allow her to sing it in her act, and he agrees. Later, they are all a little tipsy as they walk home. At her apartment, the landlady has again evicted her cat, and George agrees to care for it, inviting her to visit anytime.
The next day Mickey surprises Netta with news that his song is being published for 50 guineas, of which he gives half to Netta. He encourages her to continue to cultivate her burgeoning friendship with George to propel her career. “Barbara” reveals her arriving at George’s and inviting him to join her and Sir Henry, but he declines, saying he has another engagement. She is visibly disappointed and Herrmann drapes us with sadness and disappointment as she departs. (*) “Perrier’s Restaurant” reveals Netta dining with George as she keeps trying to locate Mickey and Eddie. George sees she is distracted and she deflects, asking if they could take coffee in the lounge. The scene is supported musically by “Wedding of the Winds”, offered as a delightful valzer elegante. In the lounge, she continues to look about and George takes offense, only to have Mickey and Eddie, a producer, arrive. She invites them to join, but they decline and depart saying they will be soon departing for Rafinni’s. George asks her to attend a symphony concert and she reluctantly agrees. Yet as he is making the telephone call for tickets, she goes to Mickey’s and Eddie’s table and convinces Eddie to let her sing for them tonight. She then feigns a headache and tells George she is cancelling, asking that he take her home. He is visibly disappointed, but gracious.
“So Close to Paradise” reveals Netta using her feminine wiles to soothe him as she sees he is visibly upset. As she elicits his embrace, she sings the unfinished song lyrics for “So Close to Paradise”. She begs him to complete it for her (intending to sing it at Rafinni’s) and he agrees as she entices him to kiss her. We see George playing the finished song on piano (not on the album), and as he takes the manuscript, the melody shifts to an oboe tenero led orchestral rendering. He goes to her apartment and asks repeatedly that he wants to play it for her, but she declines, again saying she is tired and has a headache. He acquiesces and departs with disappointment as she watches from her window. She calls for a taxi and comes out not knowing that George is taking a coffee with a merchant. At 1:03 the music surges with anger as he sees her, and confronts her. She admits to her duplicity and callously dismisses him as she orders the driver to take her to Rafinni’s. Afterwards Barbara arrives with Sir Henry and she joins him. She admonishes him for allowing himself to be used by someone unworthy and then departs.
“The Spell” offers a monstrous score highlight, which supports George’s transformation from a gentleman into a horrific rampaging monster. The confluence of music and Laird Cregar’s facial contortions and acting is astounding. On the street and wagon hauling metal pipes disgorges them to the street, and the horrendous crashing cacophony catalyzes his mutation into a crazed, maniacal homicidal murderer. Herrmann brilliantly supports this transformation with a grotesque musical narrative empowered by a discordant piano, horrific shrieking piccolos, ominous horns and woodwinds. At 0:54 dark chords support his return to his apartment. The music becomes dire and menacing as he grabs a curtain tie, fashions it into a Thuggee Cord and departs. As he walks the streets with a vacant affect, Herrmann sows a foreboding and menacing musical narrative. In “The Murder” the calm is shattered by a woman’s scream, which unleashes a horrible torrent of orchestral mayhem as police arrive and begin a search of the square. At 0:15 an eerie diminuendo supports a misterioso as we see George walking with a vacant affect. He snaps out of it when he stumbles into a construction hole and is helped up by an old man. He goes to Barbara’s home and is advised that someone tried to murder her by strangulation. She apologizes for how she treated him earlier, and he agrees to finish his concerto for her.
“Fame and Anger” reveals George at his desk composing by candlelight with an oboe triste leading a contemplative musical narrative. He then sits at the piano and plays a few bars (not on the album). The album cue pauses at 0:29 when Netta walks in. She asks for her latest song, but is rebuffed as he says he has no time for her and must finish his concerto. She persists, trying to use seduction, but to no avail as he spurns her kiss. She goes to his piano and plays the melody she heard when she entered and asks that he transform it into a song-like waltz. He resists but Netta insists that he use his concerto melody for her song, because the song is her. He sits down and a tender, waltz version of the song unfolds on piano as Netta sings “Gay Love”. At 0:30 the album cue resumes with the melody transformed into a molto romantico rendering as he surrenders to her seduction with a kissing embrace. Yet we see with her expression that her love is not genuine and that she is happy with her deception. A 0:42 we shift into a danza spiritoso rendering of her song as we see a theater billboard poster, “Grand Theatre – Netta Longdon in Gay Love, music by George Harvey Bone”. At 0:55 the music darkens and becomes foreboding as we shift to a man lighting the gas street lamps at dusk. George arrives at Netta’s house to propose and finds her evasive and uncomfortable. When he displays the diamond wedding ring an declares his love, Eddie comes out of the bedroom and says you are too late, as they are getting married next week. George is thunderstruck, becomes enraged, and confronts Eddie with Netta’s promise to marry him. George snaps at 1:34 and begins strangling Eddie empowered by the Concerto Theme, which erupts with a monstrous torrent of violence as Netta struggles to save Eddie. George relents, and storms out as Eddie gasps for breath in Netta’s arms. A forlorn musical narrative borne by bassoon and low register woodwinds carry George back to his apartment.
In his apartment, George’s anger simmers. He looks at the ring and throws it angrily across the room. He finds the sheet music for one of Netta’s musicals “I’m A Bad Little Girlie”, tears it in half and angrily throws it across the room. It strikes a bank of violins and cello, which crash to the floor in a cacophony, which launches “Second Spell” and a horrific extended reprise of the grotesque Transmogrification Theme. A crazed look emerges and he walks over to his drapes, grabs its tie strap and again fashions a Thuggee Cord. In “The Cat and Netta’s Death” George sees Netta’s cat, a reminder of her treachery, and he moves to kill it supported by dire, menacing bass. It escapes, and his four-note theme, now emoted with menace carries his departure. At 0:22 distressed woodwinds support Netta’s cat escaping through the open apartment door. A menacing musical narrative supports his return to Netta’s apartment. The music ascends and becomes eerie as he hides in the shadows and observes Eddie departing after a loving kissing embrace. At 1:34 the music descends grimly as he enters her apartment through an unlocked French door. Herrmann sows a diabolical menace as we see him walking with the camera focused on his hands holding the Thuggee Cord. At 1:57 a horrific orchestral shriek crowned by the Fanfare of Evil supports George crushing her windpipe, her scream masked by the death of her screeching cat by a bicycle on the street below. George then carries Netta’s corpse to the foggy street below supported by a dirge empowered by the muted Fanfare of Evil.
“The Bonfire” reveals the remarkable sight of George carrying Neta’s draped and masked corpse among a crowd heading to the bonfire that commemorates Fawkes Night, when a group of terrorists on November 5th 1605 tried to blow up parliament. A dark musical narrative repleted with the muted horns of evil supports his progress. He arrives and joins the crowd that is throwing masked mannequin corpses on a huge kindling laced pyramid structure that will support the bonfire. The shrieking piccolos of the Transmogrification Theme join at 0:40 as he climbs a ladder and deposits Netta’s corpse on the top of the pyramid. At 1:03 a crescendo di orrore commences as he descends the ladder exhorted by the impatient crowd. The crescendo erupts with grotesque, fiery violence at 1:30 as George watches the pyramid consumed in a massive conflagration.
“Recovery” reveals George arriving at his apartment and presented with news that his cat died by the gas watchman. He gives him a guinea to bury it and heads up to his apartment. A dirge carries the scene, shifting to dark narrative of woe as he unknots the curtain strap and returns it to its original position. He then calls for his cat only to realize that it is dead. At 1:47 the cue has intervening music not on the album. George sits down at the piano and plays several bars of his concerto. The next day reveals Netta’s show cancelled due to her mysterious disappearance. Inspectors from Scotland Yard arrive at George’s apartment as he practices his concerto in front of Sir Henry. They question him, but depart as they lack any evidence to implicate him. Outside Dr. Middleton remains suspicious and sets out to see if he can discovery the body. He pauses by a Fawkes Bonfire poster, and then continues on. We return to the album cue at 1:48 with “The Invitation”, a happy and bright musical narrative as and invitation displays; “Concerto for Piano and Orchestra by George Harvey Bone”. We close at 2:00 with a sad, dispirited five-note quote from the Concerto Main Theme as Barbara calls to George. He confesses that he is fretting as he needs to know what happened to Netta. He then pauses, gifts her two camelia blossoms, thanks her for her kindness, and promises to look at her whenever he can. In an unscored scene he is surprised to find Dr. Middleton waiting for him in his apartment. Middleton believes George may have murdered Netta saying he discovered the drape cord with evidence it was knotted, and that George’s pants were singed by the fire on bonfire night. He then insists that he accompany him to Scotland Yard. George protests, but acquiesces and they depart. George arrives at the estate of Sir Henry for the premiere of his concerto, with Dr. Middleton nowhere to be seen.
“Concerto Macabre: First Movement” offers an extraordinary score highlight. During the scene the camera pans through the transfixed faces of the audience, the conductor Sir Henry, orchestra musicians, and George at the piano. The concerto begins and offers classic romanticism joined with harsh dissonant chords and surging violins. At 0:23 the music descends and takes on portentous auras of tragedy joined at 0:38 by dire, muted fanfare declarations. At 0:50 the strident Main Theme is reprised, shorn of its power, instead rendered with unbearable sadness. At 2:03 thirsting strings romantico full of longing strive for love’s realization, yet fail to blossom, instead collapsing into loneliness and despair, crowned with dire, muted fanfare declarations. A change of scene reveals Dr. Middleton being release from a locked storage room and then showing up at the recital as George flows into “Concerto Macabre: Second Movement”. The music becomes an agonistic agitato, reflecting the onset of George’s alter ego and paranoia as he sees Scotland Yard officers entering through three other doors. George’s face becomes crazed as the camera reprises the blurred cascade of falling metal pipes, which potentiates the commencement of the concerto’s dissonant and maniacal unraveling descent into madness as we see a flashback of his murder of Netta, and bonfire disposal of her body.
The horrific passage culminates at 2:15 with molto tragico fanfare declarations and a descent of expiration as George collapses and asks Barbara to finish the concerto. As he is escorted out, Barbara begins playing at 2:30 and the concerto’s molto tragico romanticism returns. In a back-room George admits his memory has returned, but when asked to come voluntarily with the officers, he says he must hear the end of the concerto, throws an oil lamp against the wall and escapes, locking the door as a fire erupts. At 3:07 the music builds tragically to a stunning fortissimo climax at 3:56, which dissipates into despair. Fire and smoke cause a panic, with everyone fleeing except George who rushes to the piano to complete the performance, which resumes at 4:09 without orchestral accompiament. As the flames engulf the room, he resists Barbara’s desperate efforts to save him with Dr. Middleton eventually dragging her out. A crazed George continues to play but the concerto is shorn of its power and romanticism, transformed into a dirge, which ends with a series of death throes chords as we see George consumed. We conclude with “Coda” with a final, grand statement of the concerto Main Theme as “The End” displays. “Concerto Macabre: The Lost Movement” was not incorporated into the film and offers a sad and poignant final testament to George ‘s misfortune with a molto tragico, horn empowered presentation of the concerto.
I would like to thank Bruce Kimmel and the late Nick Redman for restoring and reissuing Bernard Herrmann’s incredible, and long coveted score to “Hangover Square”. The original source tapes were not in pristine condition, but to the fullest extent possible, the expert mastering skills of Mike Matessino improved its sound, however some aural imperfections remain. Despite this, Herrmann’s brilliance shines through, undiminished. George’s concerto was brilliantly conceived by Herrmann, offering a musical depiction of his dichotomous, tortured psyche, embracing both this endearing, and gentle man’s romanticism, but also his maniacal descent into madness and violence. The Concerto Macabre empowers the film’s dramatic finale when it is at last grandly and magnificently presented in its complete form. Masterful is how Herrmann utilizes its core, deconstructed elements to support the film’s storytelling; its string borne romanticism for George’s longing for love’s fulfilment, the harsh, strident and raging pounding piano led passages of his angry vengeful driven, and monstrous alter ego, and lastly, the portentous and diabolical muted fanfare, used as an emblem of evil. The conception and execution of these deconstructed concerto elements elevated this film in every way, offering a testament to Hermann’s genius. Also praiseworthy is his grotesque musical depiction of George’s horrific transmogrification from a gentle, and self-effacing man into a maniacal rampaging monster. There are also several film scenes where Herrmann sows a misterioso of unease, a palpable, and yet intangible sense of dread and impending doom, which masterfully keeps the audience on edge. Folks, I consider Herrmann’s effort here to be a masterpiece of the Film Noir genre and why so many believe him to be one of the greatest film score composers. This exceptional album by Kritzerland Records also offers Herrmann’s exceptional score “5 Fingers” and I highly recommend it as essential for collectors and lovers of the art form.
For those of you unfamiliar with the score, I have embedded a YouTube link to Charles Gerhardt’s performance of the magnificent Concerto Macabre:
Buy the Hangover Square soundtrack from the Movie Music UK Store
Track Listing:
- Main Title/Fulham Waltz and The Dealer (2:04)
- Murder and Fire (1:55)
- Confession (2:33)
- The Clock and The Knife (1:44)
- Barbara (0:20)
- So Close to Paradise (written by Lionel Newman) (1:21)
- The Spell (1:57)
- The Murder (0:54)
- Fame and Anger (2:11)
- Second Spell (1:20)
- The Cat and Netta’s Death (2:48)
- The Bonfire (2:01)
- Recovery and The Invitation (2:12)
- Concerto Macabre: First Movement (4:59)
- Concerto Macabre: Second Movement (6:23)
- Coda (0:21)
- Concerto Macabre: The Lost Movement (4:43)
Running Time: 39 minutes 46 seconds
Kritzerland KR 20030-1 (1945/2015)
Music composed and conducted by Bernard Herrmann. Orchestrations by Bernard Herrmann. Recorded and mixed by Murray Spivack and Vinton Vernon. Score produced by Bernard Herrmann. Album produced by Bruce Kimmel and Nick Redman.