Episode 73 - Far and Away

John Williams had really hoped to take a break from film scoring in 1992. But when Ron Howard approached him about writing music for the tale of two Irish settlers in America, the Maestro could not say no. He realized his chance to write Irish music for a film about the Irish had finally arrived. That film is "Far and Away," starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Host Jeff Commings is joined by Colin Stokes as the two talk about the strengths of the score that elevate the clunky film and often mask Cruise's obvious overacting in terms of obtaining his accent. The music includes appearances by the popular Irish band The Chieftains, who provide a lush Irish flavor in several moments before Williams transitions to a more American flavor for the climactic land race sequence that closes out the film.