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The Subterraneans (film)
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Wikipedia article
'The Subterraneans' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Ranald MacDougall based on the 1958 novel of the same name by Jack Kerouac.
Plot
Leo is a 28-year-old novelist who still lives at home with his mother. One night he stumbles upon some beatniks at a coffee house. He falls in love with the beautiful but unstable Mardou Fox.
Roxanne warns Mardou away from Leo, who says his love for her is causing him writer's block. Mardou falls pregnant. She and Leo wind up together.
Cast
*Leslie Caron as Mardou Fox
*George Peppard as Leo Percepied
*Janice Rule as Roxanne
*Roddy McDowall as Yuri Gligoric
*Anne Seymour as Charlotte Percepied
*Jim Hutton as Adam Moorad
*Scott Marlowe as Julien Alexander
*Arte Johnson as Arial Lavalerra
*Ruth Storey as Analyst
*Bert Freed as Bartender
*Gerry Mulligan as Reverend Joshua Hoskins
*Carmen McRae as Herself
Production
The novel was optioned by Arthur Freed of MGM as a possible follow up to 'Some Came Running'. Like that film, it was originally intended to star Dean Martin.Martin Will Star in 'Subterraneans': Freed Plans Modern Jazz Tale; Martha Hyer Sought for 'Dolls'
Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times December 8, 1958: C15. Nicole Maurey was announced to play the female lead.FILMLAND EVENTS: Nicole Maurey Will Confer With MGM
Los Angeles Times June 6, 1959: C3.
Eventually George Peppard and Leslie Caron were signed. Roddy McDowall also joined the cast, his first film in nine years.McDowall Paged for 'Inherit'
Los Angeles Times September 11, 1959: B8. Janice Rule was then married to Robert Thom, who wrote the script.anice Rule Stars in Husband's Play: 'Earthly Paradise' Is Title; Jourdan One of Viertel Three
Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times September 25, 1959: A11.McDowall Returns to Play Beatnik
Alpert, Don. Los Angeles Times October 11, 1959: E2.
This adaptation changed the African American character Mardou Fox, Kerouac's love interest, to a young French girl (played by Leslie Caron) to better fit both contemporary social and Hollywood palates. While it was derided and vehemently criticized by Allen Ginsberg, among others, for its two-dimensional characters, it is an example of the way Hollywood attempted to exploit the emerging popularity of this culture as it grew in San Francisco and Greenwich Village, New York.
A Greenwich Village beatnik bar setting had been used for scenes in Richard Quine's film 'Bell, Book and Candle' (1958), but Ranald MacDougall's adaptation of Kerouac's novel, scripted by Robert Thom, was less successful.
'The Subterraneans' was one of the final MGM films produced by Arthur Freed, and features a score by Andr Previn and brief appearances by jazz singer Carmen McRae singing "Coffee Time," and saxophonists Gerry Mulligan, as a street priest, and Art Pepper. Comedian Arte Johnson plays the Gore Vidal character, here named Arial Lavalerra.
Box-office
According to MGM records, the film earned only $340,000 in the US and Canada and $425,000 elsewhere resulting in a loss of $1,311,000.
Musical score and soundtrack
The film score was composed, arranged and conducted by Andr Previn, with the motion picture also featuring Previn's jazz trio. The soundtrack album was released on the MGM label in 1960.Callahan, M., Edwards, D., Eyries, P. & Preuss, P. [http://www.bsnpubs.com/mgm/mgm38014000.html MGM Album Discography, Part 6: E-3801 to E-4000 (19601962)] accessed February 26, 2016
AllMusic's Jason Ankeny observed: "Andr Previn had the good sense to recruit cool jazz giants including Gerry Mulligan, Russ Freeman, and Dave Bailey to perform his 'Subterraneans' score: jazz not only fueled Kerouac's work, but his prose sought to evoke the rhythms and energy of bebop. Indeed, this music comes far closer to accurately capturing Kerouac's writing than any of the film's dialogue. Previn also deserves credit for articulating the sadness of the original novel, deftly combining horns and strings to create a score that is dark and emotive".
Track listing
'All compositions by Andr Previn except as indicated'# "Why Are We Afraid" (Previn, Dory Langdon) 1:57
# "Guido's Blackhawk" 3:05
# "Two by Two" 4:00
# "Bread and Wine" 4:12
# "Coffee Time" (Harry Warren, Arthur Freed) 2:43
# "A Rose and the End" 3:24
# "Should I" (Nacio Herb Brown, Freed) 2:28
# "Look Ma, No Clothes" 1:32
# "Things are Looking Down" 5:39
# "Analyst" 4:19
# "Like Blue" 1:58
# "Raising Caen" 3:02
Personnel
*Andr Previn piano, arranger, conductor*Gerry Mulligan baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 and 810)
*Carmen McRae vocals (track 5)
*Art Farmer (tracks 4 & 9), Jack Sheldon (1, 3, 6, 8 & 10 and 12) trumpet
*Bob Enevoldsen valve trombone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 and 9)
*Art Pepper alto saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 & 810 and 12)
*Bill Perkins tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 and 9)
*Russ Freeman piano (tracks 4, 9 and 12)
*Buddy Clark (tracks 4 & 9), Red Mitchell (tracks 13, 58, and 1012) bass
*Dave Bailey (tracks 4 & 9), Shelly Manne (tracks 13, 58, and 1012) drums
*Unidentified string section, clarinet and oboe (tracks 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10)
See also
* List of American films of 1960
References
*1958. 'The Subterraneans',
Further reading
* O'Sullivan, S., [http://www.beatdom.com/alene_lee_beat_muse.htm 'Alene Lee: Subterranean Muse'], in Wills, D. (ed.) Beatdom Vol. 4 (Mauling Press: Dundee, 2009) p. 20
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