Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #632
Written 6/24/97, Revised 12/16/06
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Buy it... only if you are a Jerry Goldsmith collector who has done
some research into the importance of this small, intimate score and its
place in history.
Avoid it... if you expect any tiny part of this score to get your
pulse racing and you generally avoid scores that require a significant
increase in volume to even hear them.
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| Goldsmith |
A Patch of Blue: (Jerry Goldsmith) One fascinating
aspect of A Patch of Blue is that it can sometimes remind you of
its era while still remaining timeless as a whole. As seen in a 1965
grocery store, apples are sold for 23 cents/lb, and you have to wonder
about how far society has grown. At the same time, the race issues
explored in A Patch of Blue are just as applicable today as they
were in the 1960's, a major contributor to the film's success. The film
stars a rising Sidney Poitier as a man who befriends a young woman who
is both blind and abused, helping to teach her about the possibilities
of a life outside the dirty apartment she mostly exists within.
Poitier's character is just a normal guy with no intention of taking
advantage of the girl, allowing the film to remain strictly innocent.
The problem, of course, is that Poitier is black and the young woman is
white, and a mildly heartbreaking conclusion is the only logical course.
Written and directed by former cinematographer Guy Green, the film was
shot by normal Hitchcock collaborator Robert Burks, elevating the merely
normal surroundings in the film to fine art. To the surprise of MGM,
A Patch of Blue garnered a multitude of Academy Award nominations
(with one win for supporting actress) and finished as one of the top
grossing films of 1966. One of the highly acclaimed and Oscar nominated
elements in the film was the restrained score by Jerry Goldsmith, and it
was with this second nomination and popular recognition that the
composer confirmed his presence as a major artist in the field. A
Patch of Blue was a "discovery score" for many Golden Age collectors
of LPs, placing Goldsmith firmly on their radar and leading, critically,
to several more Oscar nominations throughout the early 1970's. He was
especially a revelation for those who enjoyed the jazzy, thematic style
of a young, but already-established Elmer Bernstein. As difficult as it
may be fathom today, the small and extremely intimate style of score
heard in A Patch of Blue was popular in 1960's mainstream films,
especially with the hint of jazz spread throughout.
While the film's message stands strong today, the
viability of the score for
A Patch of Blue in the digital era
largely depends on whether you were there to hear it in 1965. You can
appreciate the score in the digital age, especially given its clean
restoration on CD, but it's purely a generational phenomenon. Even as
such, though, it succeeds very well in the film. A small ensemble
consists of strings, woodwinds, guitar, harp, percussion, and the
mandatory Goldsmith harmonica of the time. The percussion is creatively
integrated, with marimba, castanets, and wood block lending to the more
colorful cues like "Bead Party." A more traditional band was assembled
for a minute and a half of radio source music. While the minimalistic
ensemble is important to
A Patch of Blue, the score is most
famous for its tender title theme. Performed by piano, strings, and
woodwind, the theme represents all the wholesome aspects of the film in
a stark simplicity that suits the issues contained within the film well.
While race may be a complicated hurdle, the score only identifies the
notion of friendship in its most basic form. The theme is one that many
Goldsmith collectors are likely to have heard at his concerts, for the
most famous variant on his film music suite contains a quick performance
of this score's theme on piano. On album,
A Patch of Blue has
been a frustrating experience for Goldsmith collectors through the
years. In 1991 it debuted on CD with a terrible and unrelated score
called
David and Lisa by Mark Lawrence on the Mainstream label.
It was one of the most embarrassing soundtrack products ever offered and
featured awful sound quality. A Tsunami bootleg the following year
appended some of the score to
Patton and also featured poor sound
quality. Finally, in 1997, Intrada Records embarked upon a full
restoration of the score and discovered the all the master tapes in very
good condition. The label removed the ambient hiss and preserved the
extremely dry and closely recorded presentation of the sound, which is
appropriate given the similarly intended effect of the score. The
score's full 31+ minutes is available on that album. Overall,
A Patch
of Blue is a largely unknown entry for modern collectors of
Goldsmith, and while its sound may be dated, it is nevertheless a vital
score in the composer's career and a cherished inclusion for anyone who
could enjoy the score during its initial debut.
@Amazon.com: CD or
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- Score as Written for Film: ****
- 1991 Mainstream Album: *
- 1992 Tsunami Album: **
- 1997 Intrada Album: ****
- Overall: ****
Bias Check:
For Jerry Goldsmith reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.23
(in 140 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.25
(in 154,807 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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