Christine Soundtrack CD

Music composed by Sammy Fain. Lyrics written by Paul Francis Webster.
Principal cast includes: Maureen O'Hara, Morley Meredith, Nancy Andrews,
Janet Pavek, Phil Leeds, Bhaskar.
Recorded in New York, New York on May 1, 1960. Originally released on Columbia Masterworks (2026).
Unknown Contributor Roles: Phil Leeds; Nancy Andrews; Janet Pavek; Jonathan Morris.
Christine, which opened on Broadway on April 28, 1960, making it the final musical of the 1959-1960 season, was a show that employed proven talents, but talents who either hadn't been on Broadway lately or were untested in musical theater. Co-librettist Pearl S. Buck was a certified Great Writer, but she had never tried her hand at theater, much less writing the book for a show. Maureen O'Hara was a successful film actress, but she had never appeared on the American stage, much less sung on it. And songwriters Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster were better known as writers of movie songs such as the Oscar winners "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" and "Secret Love" than for their Broadway credentials, though Fain, at least, had been trying his hand off and on for 30 years. Not surprisingly, some of these artists worked better than others. O'Hara turned out to be just fine as a musical leading lady, possessing a strong voice. Buck's book turned out to be turgid by all accounts. And Fain and Webster's songs turned out to be adequate. This cast album showcases O'Hara's otherwise unheralded singing voice and the average song score, which is why it remains among Broadway's largely forgotten works. ~ William Ruhlmann
Christine, which opened on Broadway on April 28, 1960, making it the final musical of the 1959-1960 season, was a show that employed proven talents, but talents who either hadn't been on Broadway lately or were untested in musical theater. Co-librettist Pearl S. Buck was a certified Great Writer, but she had never tried her hand at theater, much less writing the book for a show. Maureen O'Hara was a successful film actress, but she had never appeared on the American stage, much less sung on it. And songwriters Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster were better known as writers of movie songs such as the Oscar winners "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" and "Secret Love" than for their Broadway credentials, though Fain, at least, had been trying his hand off and on for 30 years. Not surprisingly, some of these artists worked better than others. O'Hara turned out to be just fine as a musical leading lady, possessing a strong voice. Buck's book turned out to be turgid by all accounts. And Fain and Webster's songs turned out to be adequate, but not really sparkling. Yet the real problem was that the story, a sort of transplantation of The King and I from ancient Siam to modern India, didn't really work. The cast album for this failed effort showcases O'Hara's otherwise unheralded singing voice and the average song score, which is why it remains among Broadway's largely forgotten works. ~ William Ruhlmann

W/Maureen O'Hara;1st Time On CD;1960