Song Without End

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Song Without End
VHS cover
Directed by	Charles Vidor George Cukor
Produced by	William Goetz
Written by	Oscar Millard
Starring	Dirk Bogarde Capucine Geneviève Page
Music by	Morris Stoloff Harry Sukman Franz Liszt
Cinematography	James Wong Howe
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	11 August 1960
Running time	141 min.
Country	U.S.A.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Song Without End, subtitled The Story of Franz Liszt (1960) is a biographical film romance made by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by Charles Vidor, who died during the shooting of the picture and was replaced by George Cukor. It was produced by William Goetz from a screenplay by Oscar Millard. The music score was by Morris Stoloff and Harry Sukman with music by Franz Liszt, and the cinematography by James Wong Howe.

The film starred Dirk Bogarde, Capucine, and Geneviève Page, with Patricia Morison, Ivan Desny, Martita Hunt, Lou Jacobi, Albert Rueprecht, and Marcel Dalio.

[edit] Background

Columbia Pictures had plans to film The Franz Liszt Story back in 1952. Oscar Saul was hired to write and produce with William Dieterle directing. When this version failed to materialize the studio announced in 1955 that Gottfried Reinhardt had been commissioned to write a new screenplay. Finally in 1958, veteran producer William Goetz took over the project with Oscar Millard as his screenwriter. Charles Vidor, who had previously directed A Song to Remember (1945), a biopic of Frederic Chopin, was assigned to direct.

As nearly forty musical selections would be heard in the film, Morris Stoloff, head of Columbia's music department, began immediate work on the soundtrack. After selecting the pieces to be played, he engaged Jorge Bolet, the Roger Wagner Chorale and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra to perform the score. The recording of the music was completed prior to the start of production so that Bogarde could learn the finger movements necessary to make him appear to be playing the piano realistically in the film. Musical advisor Victor Aller spent three weeks rehearsing Bogarde in proper piano technique.