I saw "The Heirless" on TCM and it was just sooo good. Montgomery Clift was just beautiful in the movie and he sang Plaisir D'amour so well! The song just melted my heart, and I was wondering if anyone actually managed to capture the wav/mp3 version of Plaisir D'amour sang by Montgomery Clift.... HELP!
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"The one trend in film that never stops is the need for beauty." - Farley Granger
I would never be able to say that Montgomery Clift was a good singer. He was a fine actor but as a singer--well, let's just say he was no threat to any singer I've ever heard. He barely got through that song on key, but it was one of my favorite scenes from the film.
shareThis is the piece that killed Aaron Copland's efforts for the film. Although the producers wanted Monty to sing a song Copland didn't want agree. So they had another composer write a song based on the old French tune. Not only that, but when Copland saw how frequently the Plaisir tune was played throughout, especially as the film's opening, he decided he would never compose another film score. The rest is history.
sharehe decided he would never compose another film scoreBut he did compose the score for Something Wild (1961).
"So did Van Cleave arrange the score that we hear in the movie, with so much emphasis on "Plaisir d'amour," on the orders of the studio?"
Yeah, from what I understand that is how it went. But I don't trust a lot of the stories (conspiracies) that came out of the "studio years"; some are bandied about for revisionist industry-wide 'political' reasons, others are pure cattle feces based on the fantasies of some star-struck enthusiast, etc.
I know more Copland's 'serious' music than that composed for a wider audience; e.g., I know more about his "The Tender Land" than "Rodeo", and I remember hearing he was quite contradictory, an attribute of highly charged busy geniuses, so it wouldn't surprise me he would go against his temper tantrum 15 years later. Work is work, even for an artist sometimes.
During this film's 'entre act' my ears & heart tell me I am 'hearing' one composer but my brain tells me I am 'listening' to two. I could be way wrong. If I had the time I would research this subject as it is a bit intriguing.
[I use these annoying apostrophies because this forum doesn't allow italics nor underlining.]
Thanks for your buttering insight, DryToast. :)
I thought it was interesting the way the music changes when the name "Aaron Copland" comes up on the screen. It gets brighter and draws more attention to itself.
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I've just watched it tonight, having had the DVD for the past year.
What a gem!
I love it.
I'm also listening to the Plasir D'amour now on Youtube. Isn't technology brilliant and gratifying. LoL
Anyone else notice this is the same tune as "I can't help falling in love with you"?
Play the game existence 'til the end...of the beginning...
Yes, indeed, I came on here to find out if I was the only one who heard "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You".
edit: Came back because I found this at Songfacts:
"The melody is based on a French song called "Plaisir D'Amour.""
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1159
Elvis probably watched the movie and liked the melody
You're not the only one. I watched the film last night (yesterday was Olivia deHavilland's birthday so TCM ran "To Each His Own" and "The Heiress" (her two Academy Award winning roles) back to back and the minute the credits rolled I heard, "Can't Help Falling in Love with You" and of course later on during Montgomery Clift's moments at the piano as well.
Lovely music, great film and terrific performances.
Wow. Were you touched by his utterly amateur attempt? I thought it more of Morris's great "technique." He knows just when to be disarmingly rough.
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Think cynical thoughts.
Elvis was too much of a Southern redneck to even know this movie existed, much less to have ever heard the original melody.
If you put me on ignore, then how can I notify you when I win the lottery?
He had another hit with the reworking of "Aura Lee" into "Love Me Tender". While he might not know of the first song, "Aura Lee" was a popular ballad, especially among the "common folk".
Besides, I imagine someone else wrote the songs. Elvis did extremely little composing as far as I recall.
(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC
You should hear Joan Baez's ethereal version of "Plaisir d'Amour." It is the best rendition possible!!! It was recorded around 1960. She sings the first and last two lines in French and the rest in English, and the English lyrics are better than those in this film.
Joan Baez had the voice of an angel. She was truly one of the greatest singers of the 20th century.