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| Goldsmith |
Islands in the Stream: (Jerry Goldsmith) The
adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novels has produced some spectacular
failures, and while Franklin J. Schaffner's 1977 translation of the
writer's last novel is floated by a very strong lead performance by
George C. Scott,
Islands in the Stream remains a little known
footnote by comparison's to the same crew's previous films (led by, most
notably,
Patton). The novel's story is one of deep personal
introspection and character analysis, studying a metal-artist and
fisherman living a lonely life separated from his family and society on
a small island in the Bahamas during the time of the outbreak of World
War II. The first half of the film follows a reunion with his visiting
sons and estranged wife, showing a man with familial feelings that are
odds with the comfort of his solitude. As the story shifts into the
setting of war and Nazi submarines begin attacking nearby refugee boats,
Scott's character is forced into action, ultimately sacrificing
everything in a desperate effort to save his family and others from the
encroaching danger. The film is effective in its emotional appeal,
though its inherent tragic nature is a major deterrent. The production
attempted to counter its distressing subject matter through gorgeous
cinematography and a whimsical score from composer Jerry Goldsmith, who
wrote some of his best music for Schaffner's films. While Goldsmith was
never happy with either the original performance or recording of
Islands in the Stream, he considered the composition among his
personal favorites. It was reportedly his self-professed top score until
The Russia House unseated it, citing a very strong personal
connection to the 1977 film (which he claimed to have brought him to
tears during spotting sessions). The delicacy with which he addresses
both nature and family in
Islands in the Stream is often
applauded vigorously by the composer's collectors. Despite its
obscurity, the score has been pressed on CD no less than four times
(three from Intrada Records focusing on a re-recording of almost all of
the score and a final entry from FSM containing the original recording),
not including fan-made bootlegs of dubious quality. Whether or not you
are encapsulated by
Islands in the Stream depends entirely upon
your opinion of the film, though. If you connect with the sorrow and
inward conflict of Hemingway's lead character, you will likely
appreciate Goldsmith's extremely careful and often feathery handling of
the sensitive topic. Otherwise, if you find the film shallow in its
tragic setup, the Goldsmith score may actually seem surprisingly dull.
Either way, it's a rare score by Goldsmith for Schaffner in which the
composer was allowed to explore his own compositional voice.
The primary theme of
Islands in the Stream,
despite most opinions that place the theme for Scott's character at the
forefront, is a ponderous swirling of woodwinds and strings heard
immediately in "The Island" (a.k.a. "Main Title") and eventually
developing into a remarkably effortless and faithful representation of
the ocean waters, itself a character in the film. By "The Marlin," this
theme has displaced the primary character theme on French horns, and its
ability to maneuver unpredictably though its slight variations in its
lengthy ostinato format is both a pleasurable and elusive reflection of
swelling ocean waves. Bernard Herrmann on occasion captured the same
flow of water with orchestral activity (as in
Cape Fear), and
here the effect defines the score. On top of this idea is indeed the
most fully realized theme of the score, the one for the lead character's
lonely existence. Performed on solo horn in the opening cue and coming
to an agonizing end on solo piano in "It is All True," this idea
strongly suggests a noir connection, a distant cousin of
Chinatown in its bittersweet tone as well. Perhaps the most
interesting aspect of this theme is its slow gain of symphonic warmth as
the score progresses. The most intelligent manipulation of the two
themes exists in "Is Ten Too Old?," a cue that turns a frightening
encounter with a shark into yet another aspect of the production that
will remind some of
Jaws. Outside of these two themes, however,
Islands in the Stream relies completely on atmosphere to address
the emotional impact of the story. As such, the music on album sometimes
wanders seemingly without direction, potentially boring a listener not
interesting in hearing a character score without an abundance of
voluminous warmth. The few moments of excitement early in the score,
some of which exuding the same spirit of happiness as
Medicine
Man's comical cues, don't last long enough to separately appreciate.
As previously mentioned, the score's original performance was
lackluster. With Schaffner in attendance, Goldsmith re-recorded most of
Islands in the Stream at the conclusion of the 1986
Lionheart sessions in Budapest, a rewarding experience for both
despite their exhaustion due to the length and volume of
Lionheart. Intrada's three identical issues of this digital
performance from 1986 to 2005 are far superior to the bootlegged
versions of the original recording. In 2010, Film Score Monthly finally
licensed and managed to find a decent copy of the original recording,
satisfying Goldsmith's most ardent collectors with a film version that
includes two additional minutes of material. Still,
Islands in the
Stream remains arguably one of Goldsmith's most overrated scores,
warm and redemptive for some listeners while cold and distant for
others. It's safe to say that it is an effective score in context, but
one that requires high volumes and a close embrace to enjoy on album.
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| Bias Check: |
For Jerry Goldsmith reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.28
(in 113 reviews)
and the average viewer rating is 3.3
(in 142,664 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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The inserts of all three Intrada albums and the FSM album
include extensive information about the score and film. A note by Bruce
Kimmel of Kritzerland Records, supplier of the copies of the master
tapes used for the 2010 FSM album, was rejected by Paramount for
inclusion in the booklet (for containing too much unsavory insider
information), but it is available on FSM's website listing for this
album.
