Jerome Moross (1913-1983) was a splendid composerparticularly in the American idiomwhose film scores are virtually unavailable on CD. FSM comes to the rescue with his complete score for the 1960 Mark Twain adaptation, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, newly remixed and remastered from the original M-G-M stereo elements.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn starred Eddie Hodges as the title character, surrounded by an assortment of capable actors: Neville Brand, Patty McCormack, Sherry Jackson, Andy Devine, Buster Keaton, Royal Dano, Parley Baer, John Carradine, Sterling Holloway and a young Harry Dean Stanton. Tony Randall and Mickey Shaughnessy portrayed a pair of con men, and boxer Archie Moore turned in a fine performance as Huck's friend Jim, a runaway slave.
Matching the picturesque Mississippi River locations was Jerome Moross, composing perhaps his second-best Americana score (next to The Big Country) and effortlessly capturing the sarcasm and lyricism of Twain's storytelling. Moross wrote a veritable ribbon of melodies, not only for Huck himself but for his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri; for sweet-natured Jim; the hapless con men; the gorgeous Mississippi River; and Huck's imposing father. The transparent orchestrations and bouncy, delightful rhythms are a highwater mark of Moross's writing.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was at one time planned as a musical by M-G-M, with songs written by Burton Lane and Alan J. Lerner. Although the finished film is not a musical, snippets of the Lane/Lerner songs were retained as source music. FSM's premiere CD includes these occasional vocals (as they are intertwined into Moross's score) as well as rare demos of the primary song, "Huckleberry Finn."
Track listing
1. Main Title/Hannibal, Missouri (03:48)
2. Huck and Jim/Huckleberry Finn (vocal: Archie Moore) (00:52)
3. Pap/Pap's Cabin/Pap and Huck/Huck's Murder (04:59)
4. Huck Gets Away (02:55)
5. Starting Down the River (02:11)
6. After the Feud/Jim's Sins/On to Pikesville/The Placard (03:06)
7. In Pikesville (01:25)
8. The Blessing/Huck Hunts the Gold/Huck Gets the Gold/Huck Hides the Gold (03:49)
9. The English Uncles/On the Raft (01:51)
10. Huckleberry Finn (vocal: Archie Moore)/A Houseboat in the Fog (03:12)
11. The Raft Is Destroyed (02:03)
12. The Riverboat/I Ain't Never Felt So Good Before (vocal: Archie Moore)/I'll Wait for You by the River (vocal: Dolores Hawkins)/In the Pilothouse/The River (04:22)
13. Back to the River/Carmody's Circus (03:02)
14. Jim Is Caught/The Sheriff/Jim in Chains (02:54)
15. The Sheriff's Wife/Huck Frees Jim (01:50)
16. The Chase (02:19)
17. The New Raft (01:27)
18. Hannibal, Missouri/End Title (02:55)
19. Main Title/Hannibal, Missouri (film version) (03:48)
bonus track
20. Huckleberry Finn (demo vocal: Archie Moore) (01:10)
bonus track
21. Pittsburgh Blue (vocal: Dolores Hawkins) (02:46)
bonus track
22. Huckleberry Finn (demo vocal: George Bledsoe) (01:03)
bonus track
23. Huckleberry Finn (demo vocal: John Hawker) (01:20)
bonus track
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