The 1950s weren't a great decade for
Max Steiner, despite the fact that he closed it out with one of his biggest hits, the "Theme from "A Summer Place"" -- his health declined and his assignments also were diminished, along with the overall ambitions and output of Hollywood.
Helen of Troy was a bright spot, a bold, sweeping drama set against the background of the ancient world, providing a grand canvas for his work.
Steiner rose to the occasion with one of his best scores of the era, a sweeping, richly colorful and memorable body of music that, in its best moments -- such as the love theme for Helen and Paris -- recalls the best work of
Wagner and
Mahler, and even manages to anticipate the "Summer Place" theme in one spot. This CD, mastered from the original tapes for the score recorded in 1954, offers excellent sound and a good account of the movie and its scoring, and is worth tracking down for serious fans of the composer.