gagman66
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Post by gagman66 on May 30, 2010 14:41:36 GMT -6
![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) This is a magnificent picture, and perfect for Memorial Day weekend! I can't help but think that John Ford was inspired by OVER THE HILL and Mary Carr, when He fashioned the character of Mother Bernle, brilliantly portrayed by Margaret Mann. James Hall, Ralph Bushman and the other brothers are great. And June Collyer is so easy to fall in love with. Wow, what a beautiful lady. The article in the Silent Sunday profiles seems to suggest that TCM might be playing the vintage Fox Movie-Tone track version, which I greatly prefer. But I rather doubt this to be the case. To my knowledge, the only restoration from Fox has the Christopher Caliendo score. It isn't a bad score, but pales in comparison to the Erno Rapee' Lew Pollack, Maurice Barron original. I hope that we may still see WHAT PRICE GLORY? which was initially scheduled, and for that matter LILAC TIME later on. Even though it is on DVD now, this movie continues to be a sadly overlooked film. Chris Caliendo's new score doesn't help any. It is not a bad score, in-fact for Caliendo it is among his better works,. But without the touching "Little Mother" theme and the subtle handling of the dying shoulder sequence FOUR SONS is just not the same film. fan.tcm.com/_Four-Sons-1928-Little-Mother-Theme-Mutterchen-Vocals-By-Vaughn-De-Leath-Composition-Erno-Repee39-Lew-Pollack/audio/698436/66470.htmlwww.tcm.com/thismonth/article.jsp?cid=310645&mainArticleId=297162fan.tcm.com/_Four-Sons-1928-Little-Mothe-Ending-Segment-Lew-Pollack-Erno-Rapee/audio/699420/66470.html![](http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/66470/photos/PHOTO_9221175_66470_8093159_main.jpg) Thankfully, Fox learned their lesson, keeping the unforgettable Movie-tone scores to SEVENTH HEAVEN and STREET ANGEL. But at the very least the original score should have been included with the FOUR SONS DVD as an Alternate track. It's a shame that the plans for a Raoul Walsh/Howard Hawks At Fox Collection were canceled. This certainly would have included WHAT PRICE GLORY?, and probably FIG LEAVES.
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Post by Midge on May 30, 2010 18:17:00 GMT -6
Thanks for the review and the sheet music scan, Jeffrey! I will try to catch this movie tonight (if I can arm-wrestle the remote away from Al, that is. ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) )
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gagman66
Have my own Counter stool!
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Post by gagman66 on May 30, 2010 18:27:10 GMT -6
Midge,
Where you able to hear the recording? The song will play if you click on the pause button a couple of times. I used to start playing as soon as you reached the page. Lately, that hasn't been the case.
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Post by Midge on May 31, 2010 1:10:13 GMT -6
Yes, it took a while to load, though. I thought Four Brothers was really wonderful! ![:-*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/kiss.png) I The cinematography was excellent. Ford used contrast, light, shadow, silhouettes and fog to create stunning visual images which enhanced the drama. For example, in the scene when the village mailman is bringing bad news, his moving shadow appears ominously on the wall before he walks into the frame. I also appreciated the way Ford focused on the wonderful faces of some of the minor characters. Those who are over a certain age will remember the TV game show host Bud Collyer ("Beat the Clock," "To Tell the Truth). June Collyer was his sister. She certainly was lovely, wasn't she?
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gagman66
Have my own Counter stool!
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Post by gagman66 on May 31, 2010 1:43:23 GMT -6
Midge, ![](http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/lwsroute66/smileys/huh.gif) Whoops, I goofed!. This is the version of the "Little Mother" tune I thought I had posted the link too. The other was cut off at the end from the original Movie-Tone track. Obviously, it went on quite a bit longer, but we don't hear that anymore. And now with the new score replacing the old we don't hear any of it now. So sad because it is so beautiful. fan.tcm.com/_Four-Sons-1928-Little-Mother-Theme-Mutterchen-Vocals-By-Vaughn-De-Leath-Composition-Erno-Repee39-Lew-Pollack/audio/698436/66470.htmlChris Caliendo's music is not awful by any means. But He completely blew the scoring on 4 highly crucial sequences. The Brothers dancing with the Bear Maidens on Mother Berle's birthday. The Two oldest sons marching off to war. The dying soldier scene, And finally Mother Berle Learning her ABC's. Basically, the original music could not be improved upon, it is intended as part of the film. To rip it away was unthinkable. But that is just what Fox did. When I first saw FOUR SONS in 1999 it had the vintage track, and I still think it is one of the greatest Silent Film scores ever. Yes, June Collyer was a gorgeous woman. I'm a sucker for deep dimples like those. ![](http://api.ning.com/files/yEoJ1FuiL35JqlhWwmbw2XHvFD1LrwiwXixpFEvyBvDAgo0ncwu7i*HdMf-SOEKpBDDHmUqQ*KGqRf2Jp9qVyk9pIR**3OgJ/FourSonsGiantPost.jpg)
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gagman66
Have my own Counter stool!
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Posts: 441
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Post by gagman66 on May 31, 2010 17:33:55 GMT -6
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Post by Midge on Jun 1, 2010 0:10:23 GMT -6
That is a very moving soundtrack, I agree. Thanks for posting the link, Jeffrey!
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Post by kelly on Jun 1, 2010 11:18:30 GMT -6
I did see the movie on Sunday night Gagman thanks it was good movie very approriate too bad that lead actress who play the Mom didn't really have career when talkies came in too bad one of those ironic history in Movies
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