``Torn Curtain'' Hitchcock's ambitious attempt at a spy thriller *Note! Contains spoilers.

Parting ways with Bernard Herrmann

Hitchcock, who repeatedly failed at the script and was not satisfied with the lead star's performance, also clashed with the composer on the music side.

The music was composed by Bernard Herrmann, who has provided memorable scores for many Hitchcock films, including `` Vertigo '' (1958), `` North by Northwest ,'' and `` Psycho .'' He is a master composer who won the Academy Award for Best Composition for ``The Devil's Gold'' (1941). However, Universal was reluctant to hire him from the beginning. The reason is simple: "I can't write hit songs." Plans were also floated to hire Henry Mancini, who was gaining popularity with his light and stylish lounge music such as `` Breakfast at Tiffany's '' (61), `` Charade '' (63), and `` Pink Leopard '' (63). , Hitchcock asked his longtime ally to do the job, despite the opposition of those around him. In order to convince the higher-ups at Universal, he even pointed out a specific direction for the score.

“Torn Curtain” (c)Photofest / Getty Images

However, the score, written by Bernard Herrmann, did not satisfy not only studio executives but also Hitchcock. Even though he had given instructions so carefully, the resulting music seemed to have been deliberately ignored. ``This is not what I requested. This is a complete violation of my requests,'' he said furiously. Bernard Herrmann panicked and asked for a meeting, but Hitchcock refused. It was the moment when their honeymoon period came to an end.

John Addison, known for ``The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner'' (1962) and `` The Adventures of Tom Jones '' (1963), was chosen to compose the song in his place. However, ironically, Herman's version, which ended up being a phantom, is now more widely distributed than Addison's version. The likes of Elmer Bernstein and Esa-Pekka Salonen have released albums in which Herrmann's scores were conducted.

Generally speaking, `` Torn Curtain '' has been Notorious as a ``failure with no sense of suspense,'' but even more than that, Hitchcock lost something major with this film.

A three-act play in which the perspectives change one after another.