THE BAWDY ADVENTURES OF TOM JONES [10.5.1976] review revised May 2021
In a similar situation to the film version of “Lock Up Your Daughters” this production is also based on an 18th century book by English writer Henry Fielding [Tom Jones A foundling] and scored by Grainer although, like "Lock Up Your daughters", this adaption of a 1968 stage musical [1] concentrates on lots of frantic camera work and much actor and actress running around and yelling.
The inclusion of some gratuitous female nudity earnt it a film censorship “R” rating but it is ultimately a rather tame affair for a romp with songs that are mediocre and unnecessary. The Turner Classic Movies site lists seven such ditties none of which were written by Grainer.
In an effort to boost audience numbers Joan Collins appears as an introduced character highway woman Black Bess [the reputed name of Highway man Dick Turpin's horse!].Joan Collin's acting is better here then in the 1975 film “I Don't Want To Be Born”.
Grainer handles the incidental music with his usual professionalism and once more gets to orchestrate with his arsenal of period music instruments.
KING FAISAL [April 1976] review revised May 2021
Made the year after his assassination this well funded [$225,000] biographical film on Saudi Arabian King Faisal was made in Arab, English and French language formats. Renowned for his modernising efforts in a conservative culture Faisal was an important 20th Century political figure during the years 1964 - 1975
Grainer's score was praised by the producer. “He had done a magnificent job and the contribution to the overall production was immense. It lifted the film to a very high standard”. lifted the film to a very high standard
No archive copies of the film are currently available.
It would be 35 years before another full length documentary about the Arab leader was attempted.
ONE AWAY [1976]
One for the vroom vroom crowd. Lots
and lots of motor bike reeving and action shots. Plot as such
revolves around two gypsy brothers and their efforts to smuggle a
wrongly imprisoned third brother out of South Africa after he fakes burial under a soil bank collapse.
Actress Elke Sommers character gets
involved supposedly because she has the brains to make the plan
succeed but it soon becomes obvious that as far as the film is
concerned she is just there to wear leather and show a bit of leg.
Surprisingly the final scene is quite moving as one brother gives up
his freedom to allow the pursued sibling to escape.
The movies title comes from a
scene where a warning is given by a police officer at a road block to
one of the brothers of the fugitive “Just keep driving. Don't stop
for anyone. I've got one away”.
A major disappointment is Grainer's
soundtrack which is a hodgepodge of undeveloped theme fragments and
dated arrangements that sound like someone flicking between various
1970s television drama programs in an effort to find something of
interest to settle on.
This approach may have been
insisted on by the films director for ill advised commercial reasons.
At around the 48 minute mark there
are 60 seconds or so of dynamic composition seemingly based around
the engine noise of a motor bike that sound like authentic Grainer
music but unfortunately this glimmer of original melody is not continued.
1976 reference;
[1] https://www.abouttheartists.com/plays/46760-tom-jones-by-don-macpherson-george-stiles-paul-leigh-daniel-d-bambilla-vera-guerin-john-doyle-and-others
