This week on “Picture Perfect,” get ready to don your ruffed collars and codpieces. It’s an hour of music from films about Elizabeth I.
“Fire Over England” (1937) is most notable, perhaps, for the first screen pairing of future husband-and-wife Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh. The couple play young lovers who face down the threat of Spanish invasion. Flora Robson is the queen (naturally). Robson would reprise her role a few years later in the Errol Flynn vehicle “The Sea Hawk.” Raymond Massey, Robert Newton, and James Mason also appear. Based on the novel by A.E.W. Mason, the film was produced by Alexander Korda, who would achieve even greater success when he spearheaded a classic version of Mason’s novel “The Four Feathers” in 1939. The music is by Richard Addinsell – yes, he of “Warsaw Concerto” fame.
Following in the footsteps of Leigh and Olivier, Jean Simmons and Stewart Granger were paired both professionally and romantically during the making of “Young Bess” (1953). The film recounts Elizabeth’s early days, from her childhood to the eve of her accession to the throne. Simmons plays the title role and Granger is Thomas Seymour. As an unexpected bonus, Charles Laughton returns to reprise his Oscar-winning portrayal of Henry VIII. Laughton had received the award 20 years earlier, for his characterization in “The Private Life of Henry VIII.” “Young Bess” was also produced by Korda (who, in addition, directed Laughton in the earlier film!). The music is by Miklós Rózsa, composer of choice for so many wonderful period pictures of the 1950s and ‘60s.
As an interlude, we’ll enjoy some flavorful dances, heavily indebted to period models, from “Elizabeth” (1998). The composer, David Hirschfelder, is an Australian keyboardist, who has performed mostly with fusion jazz, rock, and pop ensembles. Cate Blanchett, who plays the title role, returned nine years later for a sequel, “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.”
Finally, Bette Davis will bring it to a grand total of three actresses represented in the hour who portrayed Elizabeth twice. In 1955, Davis starred in “The Virgin Queen;” 16 years earlier, she appeared opposite Errol Flynn in “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex” (1939). For the latter, Erich Wolfgang Korngold provided the characteristically opulent score.
I hope you’ll join me in basking in the glory of Gloriana. Elizabeth I is our focus, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!
Clip and save the start times for all three of my recorded shows:
PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST
SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday at 11:00 AM EST/8:00 AM PST
THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST
Stream them, wherever you are, at the link!
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