Overlap of Great Music/Great Movie
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
Only spoken in the movie by the selfish wife of Dana Andrew's character Fred. Angrily: "I've given you the best years of my life".
The movie ages better than any other I can think of. And Hugo Friedhofer is hardly a household name. I adore this score. Apparently William Wyler didn't. Detailed assessment here:
https://moviemusicuk.us/2015/03/16/the-best-years-of-our-lives-hugo-friedhofer/
"For the film, Friedhofer provided a multiplicity of themes including; the multi-phasic Main Theme, whose A Phrase horn fare informs us of the finest of America’s military tradition, while the B Phrase ostinato mysterioso figure suggest the uncertainty in which the returning servicemen find themselves. Next we have the spirited Copland-esque Boone City Theme, which abounds with a wondrous joie de vivre. We have the woodwind rich Neighbors Theme is filled with the optimism sought by the men’s return home. Wilma’s Theme serves as the score’s primary Love Theme. It offers a soft, tender and lyrical flowing statement carried by gentile woodwinds or strings, which perfectly captures her inner beauty. The tender and romantic Peggy’s Theme speaks to Fred and Peggy’s romance and offers the score’s second love theme. Then there is the Jazz Theme, a bluesy-jazz construct carried by alto saxophone, which reminds us of Gershwin. Lastly, we have Louella’s Theme, which emotes with a wondrous child like innocence, and the Chorale Theme, a majestic military statement carried by French horns nobile. Two final points, Wyler never warmed to Friedhofer’s score and was alleged to have despised it. Also, this was the first film to be produced using the new stereophonic Westrex Recording system, a milestone in the history of film score art...."
Much more in link.