Search - Maurice Jarre :: Grand Prix (1966 Film) / Ryan's Daughter (1970 Film)

Thanks largely to his work with director David Lean, composer Maurice Jarre's career was at a peak during the mid-1960s. This collection presents ample evidence that his creative talents ably rose to the occasion as well. If John Frankenheimer's Cinerama Formula One racing epic Grand Prix was a sometimes schizophrenic mix of romantic trysts and innovative cinematic racing excitement, Jarre managed to produce the thematic musical glue that holds it all together, from a boisterous, action-evoking main theme to several romantic motifs, rendered in styles from Baroque to bossa nova, strident marching band to orchestral fury. His music for David Lean's underappreciated Ryan's Daughter stands in stark contrast. Atmospherically evocative and sometimes possessed of an almost Morricone-esque playfulness, it's a surprising departure from the melodic populism of such earlier Lean collaborations as Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago. This "twofer" release may take a few packaging shortcuts, but it's a welcome addition for any Jarre admirer. --Jerry McCulley