Buy it... if you appreciate the precise and emotionally encapsulating pastoralism of intimate scores from the Golden Age, or if you consider yourself an Elmer Bernstein collector of any significant degree.

Avoid it... if you expect Bernstein's last score to exhibit one final return to the fully lush melodrama of the 1950's, a tone that the restrained environment of this film did not allow.

Bernstein

Far From Heaven: (Elmer Bernstein) When director Todd Haynes decided to return to the genre of 1950's melodrama in his tribute to the socially charged films of Douglas Sirk, his task of resurrecting the genre balanced delicately between the serious acclaim of a decent recreation and a potential laugher of a parody. His aim with Far From Heaven was to perfectly capture the spirit of those 1950's melodramas, complete with technically identical settings, costumes, photography, and characteristically identical values and behavior portrayed by the actors. At the same time, Haynes distinguished this 21st Century entry into the 1950's "issue dramas" by inserting issues into the authentic mix that would not have been allowed or tolerated by industry regulations of the era. Specifically, those insertions involve homosexuality and race relations in an upscale suburban setting of 1957 Connecticut. One aspect of his method of addressing these issues in a natural setting was Haynes' attempt to further avoid the possibility of producing a parody by hiring the esteemed 80-year-old Elmer Bernstein to compose a score of appropriate tone for this context. At the time of the Sirk productions, many melodramatic scores offered simple, small ensemble themes and a low-key reverence for the characters and dialogue on screen. They sometimes exhibited a dying flash of 1940's jazz in the slight swing of their themes, but typically offered a conservative accompaniment to what was, of course, a more conservative time. Bernstein was the only well-established composer from that era who was still living and able to work in 2002. While his works of the 1950's were more inclined towards jazzy hits, he also produced a few early scores along these melodramatic lines, making him the only viable candidate to score Far From Heaven if the director wanted that truly authentic atmosphere in which to incubate his storyline.

The only other active composer in 2002 who might have been able to successfully capture that 50's spirit was Jerry Goldsmith, who debuted at the latter half of that style of scoring and may have been able to produce music with similar emotions to A Patch of Blue but a more robust urban theme. But Bernstein, with five decades of composing for major features and the classic To Kill a Mockingbird under his belt, however, was the perfect fit for Far From Heaven. Even if you cannot appreciate the smaller substance of this score in either the film or on album, you need to understand that this work was a winner the moment that Bernstein was hired for the project. It is ironic that his music had been rejected from several mainstream films of the 1990's because his methodology and style were outdated (according to the directors and producers of those films). In this case, being outdated was the best possible scenario, because the authenticity of the music that Bernstein produced for Far From Heaven is both an excellent throwback and well suited for the specific genre of 1950's melodrama. The score is emotionally compelling on a personal scale, sparingly utilizing sections of the orchestra while highlighting the rich piano performances of Cynthia Millar. Bernstein noted that the importance of the piano is accentuated by the fact that such an instrument would be readily found in the exact kind of household that is portrayed in the film. At the same time, if you have not listened to a handful of scores in this genre before, you may not be prepared for the sensible but simple, melancholy tone of this small string, woodwind, and piano kind of work. The title theme is restrained in its full statements (notably employed in the first and final cues) by an uncertainty and yearning experienced by the characters in the story. The mix of the recording is extremely close, enhancing the compositional style.

	Only $9.99

That consistent restraint may make the score frustrating for modern listeners, but a sense of understated nostalgia is central to the score's effectiveness. Yes, it would have been nice to have heard a few more readily noticeable swells of that grand Bernstein style of theme that many Golden Age film score collectors remember well. But the film did not allow for such development, even in its more redemptive moments. Instead, Bernstein delivered a gentle, character-driven score with subdued romance and melodies that require your close attention and a sense of appreciation even if you cannot really enjoy it. That experience translates well to the album release for Far From Heaven, which presents a more than adequate 45 minutes of music and also includes detailed liner notes from both the director and the composer. As an extra highlight, the album offers a full three-page collection of color photography from the studio recording sessions. The only glitch on the product is the absence of a seventh track on the listings seen on the packaging for the album. The corrected track listings available below account for the missing track ("Psych") and present a rearrangement of tracks five through seven. Overall, this is a score that gained significant positive attention from mainstream film critics, and it was no surprise when Bernstein's score received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations (though losing both to Elliot Goldenthal's Frida). The score for Far From Heaven is a remarkable journey to the past, and even if it doesn't appeal to the somewhat desensitized ears of modern film score listeners, it earns respect with its precise and emotionally encapsulating pastoralism. In an industry in which the famed composers of yesteryear fade ingloriously with putrid final scores that tarnish their legacy, this work is an extremely satisfying and incredibly appropriate conclusion to a great composer's career. ****   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Elmer Bernstein reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.33 (in 18 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.19 (in 9,458 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.