CONNIE FRANCIS SINGS THE GREAT MOVIE HITS

THROUGHOUT her career Connie Francis has had links with the  movie  world as a teenager "ghosting" the singing voices of such diverse leading ladies as Tuesday Weld ('Rock! Rock! Rock!', Distributors Corporation of America, 1956), Freda Holloway ('Jamboree', Warner Brothers, 1957), and the unlikely-sounding combination of Jayne Mansfield ('The Sheriff Of Fractured Jaw', 20th Century Fox, 1958), followed by her own starring roles in the M.G.M. films 'Where The Boys Are' (1960), 'Follow the Boys' (1963), 'Looking For Love' (1964) and 'When The Boys Meet The Girls' (1965), together with a vocal sound-track "appearance" in the otherwise all-male movie 'Flight Of The Phoenix' (20th Century Fox, 1966).

With such a close affinity to the silver screen, it is small wonder, therefore, that Connie should have chosen to record well over 100 items first introduced in motion pictures.

The supreme accolade for any movie theme is to be awarded the Hollywood 'Oscar' for "Best Song" and, when it was announced that Connie Francis was to be one of the artists presenting the five nominees for 1960, she was immediately offered the sophisticated hot favourite "The Second Time Around" ('High Time', 20th Century Fox, starring Bing Crosby & Fabian). Connie preferred to identify with the provocative outsider "Never On Sunday" (from film of same name, Lopert Pictures, starring Melina Mercouri), which went on to upset the form book by winning the coveted trophy.

It was this sound musical judgment that caused Connie to request lyrics for Lara's Theme from 'Doctor Zhivago' (M.G.M. 1966 starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie) and so, with the addition of words written expressly for Connie, "Somewhere My Love" was born

The song now ranks high in the list of all-time popular movie songs but missed out on Oscar honours because, to qualify for the 'Best Song' category, a song title must be featured in a motion picture with both music and lyrics Other worldwide cinema favourites similarly affected by having words added, almost as an afterthought, are included on this album

They are the haunting theme from 'Mondo Cane' (Times, 1963, Documentary), now better known as "More"; another item of Italian origin, the poignant "Summertime In Venice" ('Summertime', United Artists 1955, starring Katherine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi), and the reminiscing "Strangers In The Night" ('A Man Could Get Killed', Universal 1966, starring James Garner and Melina Mercouri) Despite these titles firmly destroying the myth that the best song always wins the Oscar, Connie nevertheless presents some of the world's most beautiful love songs that deservedly landed the golden statuette They are, "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" (from film of same name, 20th Century Fox, 1955, starring William Holden and Jennifer Jones), "You'll Never Know" ('Hello Frisco Hello', 20th Century Fox, 1943, starring Alice Faye and John Payne), "All The Way" ('The Joker Is Wild', Paramount, 1957, starring Frank Sinatra and Mitzi Gaynor), "Secret Love" ('Calamity Jane', Warner Brothers, 1953, starring Doris Day and Howard Keel); "The Days Of Wine And Roses" (from film of same name, Warner Brothers, 1963, starring Jack Lemon and Lee Remick) and "The Shadow Of Your Smile" ('The Sandpiper', M-G-M, 1965, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton)

Academy Award losers (!?!), further depicting the many moods of love, are the tender "True Love" ('High Society', M-G-M, 1957, starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra), the confessing "Around The World" ( Around the World in 80 Days'. United Artists, 1956, starring David Niven, Shirley MacLaine and Cantinflas), and the dramatic "I Will Wait For You" ('The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg', Allied Artists-Landau, 1964, starring Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo)

The late Susan Hayward received the second of her five Academy Award nominations for My Foolish Heart' (R K O Radio, 1950), from which comes the cautious title song, while the James Bond spoof adventure film 'Casino Royale' (Columbia, 1967, starring Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven and Deborah Kerr) provided the frank and endearing "Look of Love"

"The Anniversary Song", given a rare reading in both Yiddish and English by Connie, was featured in 'The Jolson Story' (Columbia, 1947, starring Larry Parks and Evelyn Keyes) and personifies the fulfilment of love in the shape of wedded bliss

Another successful marriage has been brought about with the great movie love themes assembled on this album - a successful partnership between some of the most beautiful songs to have emanated from motion pictures, and Connie Francis not only the world's foremost female record seller, but one of the very finest actresses of song!

Ron Roberts