"The Prince of Tides is a 1991 American romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Barbra Streisand, from a screenplay written by Pat Conroy and Becky Johnston, based on Conroy's 1986 novel of the same name. It stars Streisand and Nick Nolte. It tells the story of the narrator's struggle to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by his dysfunctional childhood in South Carolina.
"The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but received none." - Wikipedia
(Being a South Carolina native, I am not immune to the magical spells the low country of the state places upon its citizens and visitors. Pat Conroy was a state treasure, and "The Prince of Tides" is a favorite film of many "Sandlappers". James Newton Howard is also a favorite composer, and I think he brought a tremendous sensitivity and gift for melody to this score.)
"The final film score was composed by James Newton Howard and released November 12, 1991. It was well received by critics and garnered Howard his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score, though it lost to Alan Menken's music for Beauty and the Beast. The soundtrack contains two songs by Streisand, although they did not appear in the film."
"Streisand initially hired English composer John Barry to write a score for the film, but Barry eventually left due to creative differences. In a March 7, 1996, Cinemusic conference interview, Barry explained his exodus from the film, stating, 'I was asked by Barbra Streisand to do The Prince of Tides – I live in New York, she lives in Los Angeles – and I went and met with her, and she showed me some footage, and she said, 'Why aren't you moving to Los Angeles?' and I said, 'Absolutely not.' And she said, 'Well, I like to know what's going on' – Barbra's an extreme case, by the way – and I said, 'Even if I did move to Los Angeles, I have no desire to meet with you once I know what I'm going to do. I can't work with someone over my shoulder, absolutely no way.'" Barry later retitled his theme for The Prince of Tides 'Moviola' and it was released on his 1992 movie theme album of the same name. The theme also appeared in Barry's 1995 score for the 3D IMAX film Across the Sea of Time, retitled 'Flight Over New York'. - Wikipedia
I love that score, it was my fist Howard score, I was 13 years old!!
I wonder how a 13 year old boy could be interested in this one. Anyway, I remember that after this one, I started to buy everything of his.
The 90’s for me were good times, the first approach to composers I didn’t know of like Howard, Goldsmith, Horner, Kamen, etc. Oh boy, those were indeed good times
One of my favorite '90s scores, and the first JNH score for me, too. Lush, rich orchestrations and some melancholic pathos thrown in for good measure. A real gem.
I’ve just read Barbra’s very rich memoirs. There’s a very long chapter about the film of course and its post production. I always thought that John Barry had his score rejected but from what she says it doesn’t sound like he actually recorded it. She said they parted because the way he wanted to work didn’t suit her. He wanted to write the score while he was in NY and her in LA, when she was really eager to have a very close collaboration with him in studio, which he couldn’t. So she told him that wouldn’t do and without any resentment they both agreed to move on. She is not very precise about whether or not he recorded or even wrote something. When you read the book she is extremely straightforward when she doesn’t like someone or something, even with people who are no longer here. So I tend to believe that nothing was recorded.
Another thing makes me think that way. Usually, when a score is rejected, the new composer is rushed to write a new score, it’s a matter of one or two weeks. In this case, James Newton Howard was not rushed at all since they both started to have a love affair. He wooed her, she kinda resisted because he was younger but eventually really fell for him. That lasted for a month or two, he was still thinking of his ex and eventually he broke up with Streisand just before the recording of the score. Nevertheless she loved what he did for the film, and knowing that this affair would lead to nothing, she did not blame him. When you take all these things into account I really doubt that Barry actually wrote a score that was rejected (some people said he turned out to be the moviola theme, but is it true and if so, was this theme actually presented to Streisand?)
When you take all these things into account I really doubt that Barry actually wrote a score that was rejected (some people said he turned out to be the moviola theme, but is it true and if so, was this theme actually presented to Streisand?)
Some of this is documented in the first post in the thread below the Youtube clip.
But also, here's an interview remark from Barry, appearing in The Daily Telegraph, November 7, 1992, article/interview by Kate Battersby:
"It was not a Barry soundtrack, however, which graced Barbara Streisand's directorial effort 'The Prince of Tides' last year.
'I signed to do it, although everyone told me horror stories about Barbra,' says Barry. 'I wrote a theme, and she started off loving it. Then she began interfering. She thinks she knows everything, thinks she has every goddam answer. You don't buy a dog and then do the barking yourself, for Chrissake.
'So I rang her and said, "Barbra, this has been the most joyless experience of my career, and I'm off the picture." She said: 'But I love all your scores.' And I said: 'Yup, and I wrote them all without you.' Never again.'
Anyone desperate to discover exactly what Ms. Streisand found so inadequate need look no further than a new recorded collection of some of Barry's best-known scores, feebly entitled 'Moviola'. 'There isn't a film of that name, but I needed a title track for the album, so I used the piece I wrote for 'The Prince of Tides,' explains Barry with a mirthless laugh."
And from The Daily News of February 5, 1991 by Liz Smith:
"The Barbra Streisand/James Newton Howard romance continues to heat up. We told you just yesterday how publicly cozy the actress and the composer have become. (You got the scoop on this relationship here Jan. 15.) Now Variety's Buzz columnist, Michael Fleming, reports reports that Barbra's 'The Prince of Tides' will not be scored by John Barry, as was expected, but by - James Newton Howard. Surprise! Surprise!
Columbia Pictures execs deny that Barry was ever 'contracted' to score Barbra's big comeback pic. They say she had narrowed her choice to either Barry or Howard, even before she started dating Howard, and that John Barry dropped out because be and Streisand couldn't agree on the musical 'approach' to 'The Prince of Tides.' Could be. But it's much more fun (and results in far more publicity) to imagine Streisand so infatuated that she just had to have her new love scoring this all-important film."
Barry was right. Life is too short to spend it working with people who think they know everything. If you don't have the freedom to create, it's better to step aside. True art does not tolerate limitations. Barbra may be talented, but sometimes the best thing you can do is leave the tools in the hands of the master and trust the process. Otherwise, you might never know what could have been created if the genius had been given free rein.
Barry was right. Life is too short to spend it working with people who think they know everything. If you don't have the freedom to create, it's better to step aside. True art does not tolerate limitations. Barbra may be talented, but sometimes the best thing you can do is leave the tools in the hands of the master and trust the process. Otherwise, you might never know what could have been created if the genius had been given free rein.
My favorite '90s score, and Howard's masterpiece. It fits the movie perfectly! Barry would have done an excellent job, but Barbra ended up with the perfect composer for the film. I hope somebody does a deluxe expanded edition!
Yeah, as much as we all know that Barry would have delivered a typically lush and memorable John Barry style score, I'm glad the fates turned out a JNH one, which bigged-up his profile and led to a lot more work in that arena for him, delivering equally memorable scores.
