by peter on 2/28/2001
favorite track: 1
 
No one had ever experienced what a truly epic, sweeping score sounded like until 1939 when this film opened in theaters across the country. There had been an epic, swashbuckling Robin Hood score (1938) and an epic, thunderous music score for King Kong (1933), but there hadn't yet been such a sweeping and romantic score as found with this Max Steiner masterpiece. The introduction of such a score eventually had to manifest itself in a grand manner, and Steiner's music certainly succeeded in being the first and best. The music ushered in more sweeping emotion than could have possibly been imaginable for a love story based on one of the most popular novels of the day. In doing so, many feel this score paved the way for future tear-jerking scores, including Doctor Zhivago and Dances with Wolves.