"The Look of Love" sung by Dusty Springfield, CASINO ROYALE starring Peter Sellers and David Niven (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David)
"The Look of Love" was the Oscar-nominated love theme for this 1967 James Bond parody movie. The song was played during the love scene between Peter Sellers and Ursula Andress, the original Bond Girl in DR. NO. The song inspired Mike Myers to create the Austin Powers James Bond parody movie series. CASINO ROYALE was Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel. The theme to CASINO ROYALE was performed by Herb Alpert who has the distinction of performing the theme songs for both unofficial James Bond movies, CASINO ROYALE and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN.
"Somewhere in Time" performed by Roger Williams, SOMEWHERE IN TIME starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour (written by John Barry)
This 1980 love theme is from the first movie for Christopher Reeve after his hit movie SUPERMAN. Although SOMEWHERE IN TIME was a box office failure, the movie became a cult classic after it appeared on cable tv and was released on videocassette---it's belated success was due in large part to John Barry's haunting love theme. Barry has won five Oscars, but "Somewhere in Time" is his personal favorite. The movie is based on the novel by Richard Matheson (I AM LEGEND, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN).
"Main Title", PATTON starring George C. Scott and Karl Malden (written by Jerry Goldsmith)
This classic 1970 Oscar-nominated score is considered to be the finest score ever written for a war movie. Movie music fans were stunned when the Oscar went to the score for LOVE STORY. PATTON won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actor for George C. Scott who refused to accept his Oscar.
"Claudia's Theme", UNFORGIVEN starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman (theme written by Clint Eastwood)
Clint Eastwood was the star, director, producer and composer of the love theme for this 1992 Western that won four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Gene Hackman. Eastwood was nominated for Best Actor, but didn't win.
"I Only Have Eyes for You" sung by Mandy Barnett (cd), SPACE COWBOYS starring Clint Eastwood and Tommy Lee Jones (written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren)
This popular love theme was sung by Clint Eastwood's daughter, Alison, in this 2000 movie and first appeared in the 1934 movie DAMES. It won an ASCAP award and was a hit song for The Flamingos, Art Garfunkel and The Lettermen.
"Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey, GOLDFINGER starring Sean Connery and Honor Blackman (written by John Barry, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley)
This classic 1964 Grammy-nominated song is the theme for the best of the James Bond movies.
"You Only Live Twice" sung by Nancy Sinatra, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE starring Sean Connery and Donald Pleasence (written by John Barry and Leslie Bricusse)
This 1967 theme is my favorite James Bond theme.
"Main Theme", ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE starring George Lazenby and Dianna Rigg (written by John Barry)
This is the 1969 theme song for the first James Bond movie without Sean Connery as 007.
"We Have All the Time in the World" sung by Louis Armstrong, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE starring George Lazenby and Dianna Rigg (written by John Barry and Hal David)
This was the love theme for James Bond marrying Contessa Tracy di Vicenzo who was then killed by Ernst Stavro Blofeld. This was the last song recorded by Louis Armstrong who was suffering from a terminal illness at the time. The theme is considered to be one of the best in the 007 series.
"Diamonds are Forever" sung by Shirley Bassey, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER starring Sean Connery and Jill St. John (written by John Barry and Don Black)
This was the 1971 theme song for Sean Connery's last official James Bond movie and is one of the best theme songs in the franchise. Producer Harry Saltzman didn't like the theme song and said it was obscene. The photo below shows Sean Connery with "Plenty O'Toole"--Lana Wood, younger sister of Natalie Wood.
"If There Was a Man" sung by Chrissie Hynde, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS starring Timothy Dalton and Maryam D'Abo (written by John Barry and Chrissie Hynde)
This was the 1987 love theme for the first James Bond movie starring Timothy Dalton who succeeded Roger Moore. It was also John Barry's last James Bond score. Barry was supposed to score the next 007 movie, but he became very ill. Bond movie producer Cubby Broccoli died after THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS and his daughter and stepson took over the movie franchise. After scoring Bond classics including GOLDFINGER, THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, the new producers, in effect, fired Barry from the franchise. Ironically, Barry had a cameo role in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS at the end of the movie.
ROBIN AND MARIAN, ROBIN AND MARIAN starring Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn (written by John Barry)
Although this 1976 retelling of Robin Hood and Maid Marian had an all-star cast of Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn (who came out of retirement for this movie), Robert Shaw and Richard Harris, the movie was cursed from the beginning and was a box office failure. The producer feuded with the director, the director feuded with Audrey Hepburn and composer Michel Legrand was fired late in the production stage. John Barry was brought in with only two weeks to compose the score and said. "I don't have a lot of happy memories about ROBIN AND MARIAN. But I was pleased with the score." This score is tied with the score from SOMEWHERE IN TIME as my John Barry favorite score, and the movie is also one of my favorites. The movie features a duel between Sean Connery and Robert Shaw who were reunited after their classic fight scene in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.
"Love Theme from Chinatown", CHINATOWN starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway (written by Jerry Goldsmith)
This 1974 Oscar-nominated score for the classic movie was composed by Jerry Goldsmith in only 10 days when he was brought in at the last minute to replace a composer who was fired. In 1991, CHINATOWN was selected for preservation by the United States National Film Registry, Library of Congress.
"Main Title and Calvera", THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN starring Yul Bryner and Steve McQueen (written by Elmer Bernstein)
The Oscar-nominated score for the classic 1960 John Sturges-directed THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN is perhaps the most popular Western movie score of all time and is #8 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years of Film Scores. It later became equally popular as the theme for Marlboro cigarette tv commercials.
"Main Title", THE GREAT ESCAPE starring Steve McQueen and James Garner (written by Elmer Bernstein)
This 1963 ensemble movie reunited Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, director John Sturges and composer Elmer Bernstein from THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. The movie was loosely based on a real POW escape attempt from a German POW camp in World War II. Before becoming an actor, McQueen was a Marine tank crewman based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he went AWOL due to a girlfriend. He was apprehended in Raleigh.
"The Untouchables, End Title", THE UNTOUCHABLES starring Kevin Costner and Sean Connery (written by Ennio Morricone)
This 1987 Grammy-winning score was also nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Sean Connery won an Oscar for his role in this movie remake of the popular tv series.
"The Good, The Bad and the Ugly", THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef (written by Ennio Morricone)
The 1966 main theme for the last of the DOLLARS spaghetti Western trilogy was on the hit charts for over a year. Morricone was awarded an Honorary Acadmy Award in 2007 and was presented to him by Clint Eastwood---the first time they had ever met.
"Main Title", DIRTY HARRY starring Clint Eastwood and Andy Robinson (written by Lalo Schifrin)
This is the theme for the 1971 iconic cop film that was the first of five Dirty Harry movies. The cd version of the theme includes Eastwood's dialogue from the movie, "I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? ". Frank Sinatra originally agreed to star as Dirty Harry but had to withdraw from the role due to a hand injury from a previous movie which would have interfered with him firing the .44 Magnum.
"Burning Bridges" sung by the Mike Curb Congregation, KELLY'S HEROES starring Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas (written by Lalo Schifrin and Mike Curb)
Although this 1970 World War II bank heist comedy had an all-star cast of Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Carroll O'Connor, Donald Sutherland and Gavin MacLeod, this was one of Eastwood's rare box office failures. However, it finally found an audience when it was released on dvd. "Burning Bridges" was a hit song with the lyrics by Mike Curb who later became lieutenant governor of California. The score also included "All for the Love of Sunshine" sung by Hank Williams, Jr., which became a #1 hit for Williams. Another song from the movie titled "Tiger Tank" was included in Quentin Tarantino's INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. Schifrin's musical parody of Eastwood's THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY is used in the scene where Eastwood, Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland confront a German Tiger tank in the cowboy shootout scene (see photo).
"A Bridge Too Far March", A BRIDE TOO FAR starring Sean Connery and Robert Redford (written by John Addison)
This BAFTA-nominated score was for the 1977 war epic movie about Operation Market Garden, the Allied invasion of Holland which was the greatest Allied defeat of World War II. Composer John Addison was a British Sherman tank commander in Operation Market Garden. He won an Oscar for the movie TOM JONES, and his theme for the MURDER, SHE WROTE tv series won an Emmy. The movie was based on the book by Cornelius Ryan (THE LONGEST DAY).
In A BRIDGE TOO FAR, Robert Redford stars as Maj. Julian Cook who led 82nd Airborne paratroopers from Fort Bragg to seize the vital bridge at Niijmegen, Holland. British Lt.. Gen. Brian Horrocks said Julian's assault was"...the best attack that I ever saw carried out in the whole war." British Gen. Sir Miles Dempsey described the 82nd Airborne's attack as "Unbelievable".
"A Man and a Woman" sung by Nicole Croiselle and Pierre Barough, A MAN AND A WOMAN starring Anouk Aimee and Jean-Louis Trintignant(written by Frances Lai and Pierre Barough)
This 1966 Golden Globe-nominated love theme is from the Oscar-winning French movie.
"Tangerine" performed by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, THE FLEET'S IN starring William Holden and Dorothy Lamour (written by Victor Schertzinger and Johnny Mercer).
This popular movie song written in 1941 became popular again when it appeared on the hit album WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. The album cover is one of the most famous in music history.
"The Shadow of Your Smile" sung by Tony Bennett, THE SANDPIPER starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (written by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster)
This 1965 love theme won on Oscar. In the movie, it was performed by trumpet player Jack Sheldon, best known for being part of the band on THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW. Johnny Mandel also wrote the theme for MASH.
"Main Title", THE BLUE MAX starring George Peppard and Ursula Andress (written by Jerry Goldsmith)
This classic 1966 war theme is from the movie about a World War I German fighter pilot who stops at nothing to win the Blue Max, Germany's highest military honor. The score is considered to be one of Goldsmith's finest.
"Not Goin' Home Anymore", BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David)
This was the love theme for the classic 1969 Western movie which included the hit song "Rain Drops Keep Fallin' on My Head". The movie score won two Oscars for Bacharach and David.
"The Legend of Navarone", THE GUNS OF NAVARONE starring Gregory Peck and David Niven (written By Dimitri Tiompkin)
This score was nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy. The movie was the #1 grossing movie in 1961 and was based on the Alistair MacLean World War II novel.
"Main Title", ICE STATION ZEBRA starring Rock Hudson and Patrick McGoohan (written by Michel Legrand)
This 1968 John Sturges-directed Cold War spy thriller movie was originally supposed to reunite Gregory Peck and David Niven from THE GUNS OF NAVARONE as both movies were based on Alistair MacLean novels. Because the script took too long to write, Peck and Niven left the movie due to scheduling conflicts and were replaced by Rock Hudson and Patrick McGoohan. The movie was a personal favorite of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes who watched it countless times in his private hotel suite in Las Vegas before his death. Director John Carpenter (HALLOWEEN, THE THING) said ICE STATION ZEBRA was a guilty pleasure, "Why do I love this movie so much?"
"Why Should I Care" sung by Dianna Krall, TRUE CRIME starring Clint Eastwood and Dennis Leary (written by Clint Eastwood, Carole Bayer Sager and Linda Thompson)
This 1999 Grammy-nominated love theme was sung in the movie by jazz singer Diana Krall (Mrs. Elvis Costello) who is a good friend of Eastwood's. TRUE CRIME was a box office failure.
"Main Theme/The Mine Shaft", RAISE THE TITANIC starring Jason Robards and Richard Jordan (written by John Barry)
John Barry's score is considered the best part of this expensive 1980 box office bomb based on Clive Cussler's best-selling novel. It was nominated for three Golden Raspberry awards including Worst Picture. Producer Lew Grade said about losing a fortune making the movie, "It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic."
"Main Title/A Nasty Headache", HIGH ROAD TO CHINA starring Tom Selleck and Bess Armstrong (written by John Barry)
Tom Selleck, after being unable to star as Indiana Jones in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK due to starring in MAGNUM, PI, chose to star in this 1983 Indiana Jones-like romantic adventure movie that was a box office failure. The movie developed a cult following even though it's available on poor-quality, pirated dvds.
"Zulu Main Theme", ZULU starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker (written by John Barry)
This epic 1964 war movie about the Battle of Rorke's Drift in 1879 in which a small British outpost was attacked by 4,000 Zulu warriors made Michael Caine a star. Barry's score is considered a classic.
"Lonely (Amy's Theme)", YOU'RE A BIG BOY NOW starring Peter Kastner and Elizabeth Hartman (written by John Sebastian)
This 1966 love theme is from Francis Ford Coppola's master's thesis at UCLA film school. John Sebastian was the founder of the Lovin' Spoonful and had a #1 hit with his theme song for the WELCOME BACK, KOTTER tv series.
"Strangers in the Night" sung by Frank Sinatra, A MAN COULD GET KILLED starring James Garner and Melina Mercouri (written by Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder)
Although this 1966 movie love theme won Sinatra two Grammy awards, was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was his most commercially successful album, Sinatra said the song was, "A piece of sh*t" and, "The worst f*cking song I've ever heard."
"Main Title", THE SAND PEBBLES starring Steve McQueen and Candice Bergen (written by Jerry Goldsmith)
This 1966 movie set aboard a Navy gunboat in 1920s China received eight Oscar nominations including Best Actor for Steve McQueen and Best Original Score for Jerry Goldsmith.
"Main Title", STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy (written by Jerry Goldsmith)
This score was another major Oscar-nominated disappointment for Goldsmith. Regarded as one of his very best scores, this score marked the return of Star Trek franchise as the first movie after the end of the iconic tv series ended. The "Main Title" was also used as the theme for STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION tv series.
"Main Title", COOL HAND LUKE starring Paul Newman and George Kennedy (written by Lalo Schifrin)
This 1967 movie received four Oscar nominations including Best Actor for Paul Newman and Best Original Score for Lalo Schifrin. Strother Martin's, "What we've got here is failure to communicate" is #11 on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Most Memorable Movie Lines.
"Now That We're in Love" sung by Steve Lawrence, WHIFFS starring Elliott Gould and Jennifer O'Neill (written by George Barrie and Sammy Cahn)
This 1975 love theme was an Oscar nominee and was co-written by George Barrie, film producer/owner of Faberge who created Brut cologne. The bank heist comedy movie itself quickly faded into obscurity.
"Theme for Summer of '42", SUMMER OF '42 starring Jennifer O'Neill and Gary Grimes (written by Michel Legrand)
Legrand won an Oscar for his score to this coming-of-age movie which was the surprise #4 box office hit in 1971. Based on a true story by Herman Raucher about a beautiful woman who learns her husband has been killed in action in World War II and seeks consolation in the arms of a teenage boy. Raucher's book version of the movie became a best-seller.
