Episode 40 - The Shape of the River - Playhouse 90 (1960)

The Goldsmith Odyssey

In this episode, we turn our attention to one of America's most memorable, witty, and insightful figures: Andy, co-host of the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score. He joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to examine the Playhouse 90 installment "The Shape of the River," which details the tragedy-filled later years of writer Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain), and offers a Goldsmith score that alternates between bustling Americana and plaintive melancholy. We take a look at why this teleplay struggles to succeed despite being written by Oscar-winner Horton Foote, try to pin down Goldsmith's unusually loose and slippery thematic ideas, and even offer some reconstructed versions of cues missing from the episode (generously provided by friend of the show Carson Cohen). So give it a listen, and allow our viewing pain to become your listening pleasure!
Your handy Shape of the River Track List!
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