Some reviewers mentioned the slow pacing of this film. A number of years ago I met the composer Elmer Bernstein in Oakland, California when he was there as part of a movie-music seminar at the Oakland Museum. He actually also considered the film to be slow paced, saying that after an initial viewing, he found it so slow that he composed the music the way he did to speed up many of the scenes. In my opinion, he was quite right.
The score he wrote has moved into the pantheon of great film music, up there with the giants. The way the music punches you the moment the film opens is absolutely unforgettable.
The score he wrote has moved into the pantheon of great film music, up there with the giants. The way the music punches you the moment the film opens is absolutely unforgettable.