Bill Wrobel's DVD - Film Score Rundowns

Nice, sharp print of the dvd, fine performances by James Cagney & Ann
Sheridan, good cinematography—but overall I did not care much for this movie. Steiner
had liberty with this particular film to elaborate on the “City for Conquest” material
(“composed” by a character in the movie, Arthur Kennedy) but I liked better what Steiner
did in a similar manner (another composer in that film) in So Big. That was closest to
Steiner creating a “Symphony.” I liked the commentary by well-known critic, Richard
Schickel. He commented on Steiner once or twice (the first one at about the 18 minute
location I believe). He had commented how Cagney was such a kinetic actor who could
expertly and instinctively physicalize, dance a great step, have many interesting bodily
gestures, and so forth. Well, if you extend that to Steiner, then we see how Max was a
highly kinetic composer, conveying musically action on the screen in a rather direct
manner (often not very subtle per se). This of course has a large part to do with his
instinctive habit to “mickey-mouse.”
I was never sufficiently interested in the score to spend valuable and limited time
pulling the written score, but I do have the cue sheets dated September 18, 1940.
Reels 1 & 2
Selection
Medley consisting of:
1. (a) Signature (Max Steiner) BKG. INST. :06 duration
(b) Conquest (Max Steiner) B. I. :25
(c) City For Conquest (Max Steiner) B. I. :23
(d) Theme (Max Steiner) B.I. :11
(e) Subway (Max Steiner) B.I. :27 [dvd 00:01:11]
(f) Sidewalks of New York (C.B. Lawlor/J.W. Blake) VIS. INSTR. 2:25
2. Scales ----------- :55 duration. [dvd location: 00:10:04. Scene: When the
piano student awkwardly play the scales]
3. 4. 5. City For Conquest (Steiner) VIS. INTR. :04 duration [Dvd 12:18, etc—
various times when Danny’s (Cagney’s) brother plays the theme on the piano]
6. My Old Kentucky Home (Stephen Foster) VIS. VOC. :11 duration. [dvd
00:16:05 when Mikey Miller sings the song in the boxers’ dressing area]
Reels 3 & 4
7. (a) Lullaby of Broadway (Al Dubin-Harry Warren) VIS. INST. 1:29
duration. [dvd location: 00:17:01 the start of a series of band tunes played
onstage at Rose Gardens Casino and Dancing joint]
(b) She’s A Latin From Manhattan (Dubin-Warren) V. I. 1:03 [dvd 00:18:31]
(c) Drum Roll ---------- :03 duration.[dvd 00:19:34 when the band leader
announces the start of the dancing contest]
(d) The Continental (Con Conrad-Herb Magisdon) V. I, :41 duration [dvd
00:19:55]
(e) Jalousie (Jacob Gade-Vera Bloom) :46 duration [dvd 00:20:41]
(f) I’m Just Wild About Harry (Noble Sissle-Eubie Blake) :16 duration [dvd
00:21:29]
(g) Shadow Waltz (Al Dubin-Harry Warren) 1:07 duration [dvd 00:21:46]
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