It's sung by Italian pop diva Ornella Vanoni and it was published on 45 rpm singles only in Italy and Japan. The lyrics are written by Antonio Amurri (a famous Italian lyricist and writer back then). The piece is arranged and conducted by John Williams and it's actually based on the main theme of the film.
This remains probably Williams' most obscure post-REIVERS work to date. I tried to hunt down the film several times, but it seems impossible to find, it was never released in any form.
The film was certainly released, at least for the military theater circuit. I remember seeing it while in the army and thinking that the composer (whose name I didn't catch at the time) showed real promise (as well as a certain Herrmann influence).
Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for the link, Maurizio. I've been wanting to hear what that 45 (Seven Seas HIT-1957) sounded like for YEARS! It was downloaded immediately!
It has a definite Euro feel, almost something Morricone or Legrand could have composed (with hints of Barry as well, especially the "dramatic", Bond-like chords).
I really wish this were released some day, as I'm sure the score itself is pretty good too! If it's anything like MONSIGNOR, it's a winner in my book.
and is now also available for download from the Amazon MP3 store.
As Maurizio indicated, the film hasn't been released in any form on video. It certainly was released in theaters and played on TBS back in the 1980s.
The film is about as good as MONSIGNOR (i.e. pretty bad) but the main character is a concert pianist, so Williams' score includes some wonderful classical pastiche. The "Uno di qua" song melody serves as the main theme for the film.
Wow, it was great to hear that! Thanks. There is a great 5 minute finale cue which builds and builds to a powerful climax, at times recalling parts of CE3K. There is also a typical Williams jaunty travel-like motif as the main characters are falling in love. Plus the aforementioned classical riffs and lots of piano dominated cues. This score needs a CD release.
Wow, it was great to hear that! Thanks. There is a great 5 minute finale cue which builds and builds to a powerful climax, at times recalling parts of CE3K. There is also a typical Williams jaunty travel-like motif as the main characters are falling in love. Plus the aforementioned classical riffs and lots of piano dominated cues. This score needs a CD release.
Wow, it was great to hear that! Thanks. There is a great 5 minute finale cue which builds and builds to a powerful climax, at times recalling parts of CE3K. There is also a typical Williams jaunty travel-like motif as the main characters are falling in love. Plus the aforementioned classical riffs and lots of piano dominated cues. This score needs a CD release.
Well, I don't know if I could get ALL THAT from this song alone, but it definitely makes me curious about the rest of the score.
The film is about as good as MONSIGNOR (i.e. pretty bad) but the main character is a concert pianist
Really? I recall that it had something to do with European automobile racing! Well, it has been nearly forty years now, and the memories are not fresh.
"Well, I don't know if I could get ALL THAT from this song alone, but it definitely makes me curious about the rest of the score."
Ho Ho Thor, very funny I'm getting that info from a years old tape transfer I made direct from the TV. It sounds like crap but it's all I've had down the years.
The film is about as good as MONSIGNOR (i.e. pretty bad) but the main character is a concert pianist
Really? I recall that it had something to do with European automobile racing! Well, it has been nearly forty years now, and the memories are not fresh.
Here's the plot synopsis from the AFI Catalog:
Rome, 1953. Aspiring Swedish pianist Karin Ullman has an affair with Bruno Cardini, a brash Italian medical student, until Bruno's wife, Liliana, drives Karin away. Returning to Stockholm, Karin meets American diplomat David Frasier; they eventually marry and move to Washington, D. C. At the same time, Liliana and Bruno are involved in a car crash, which takes her life and maims Bruno's right hand, ending his medical career. Four years later, after the birth of a daughter, David is assigned to Rome, and Karin again meets Bruno, who is now that city's most popular soccer player. Though Karin rebuffs Bruno's advances, she visits him at a hospital when he is injured in a match. She grows increasingly colder toward David, who finally guesses the truth and accuses her of betraying his trust. Karin retreats to the ski resort at Cortina, and Bruno follows; however, both realize they cannot resume their former love. In despair Bruno drives his car off a mountain road. Learning of the tragedy, David reconciles himself with Karin.
It's anyone's guess as to where the tracks are for this film. The film itself was shot on locations in Rome, Cortina, and Stockholm, with interiors at Cinecitta Studios in Rome.
FYI, I found this suite from the film (It seems to be taped off TV or a Video), god this is a good score that is indeed a lost treasure that really needs to be dug up.
Yeah, that youtube suite has been around for a while (and we've done a thread on it before).
Believe me, I've done a LOT of research to track down this film (and score), but to no avail. I've tried to contact Universal (no response), various TV channels that have shown it, remaining cast members (mainly Bibi Andersson, since many of the others are dead), the director's grandson, the guy who made that youtube video and so on and so forth.
Nothing. Zilch. It remains the only Williams-scored feature film I've not seen to this date.
I most certainly can Thor. I was really getting into John Williams at that time and the only reason I knew about this film (this was obviously back when there was practically no way of knowing such info) was because the UK TV weekly listing magazine called Radio Times actually mentioned him in their synopsis/review of the film (something along the lines of 'this boring, nondescript film is probably most famous now for having a music score by Star Wars composer John Williams). I would peg the showing sometime around 1980 or 1981 (we didn't even have a video at that time, so I had to tape it live from the telly!!). It was a late showing (after 10-00 pm, I even remember it was a Friday night) so I fortunately had the telly in the other room all to myself (to avoid any family talking noise)
