I got the impression that George Fenton really loved working on this score
a lot of enthusiasm and sincerity shines through. It sparkles; it bounces
and it’s high-spirited and good-humoured. I am sure this music helps
to make the slight tale (again from Nora (Sleepless in Seattle) Ephron)
seem more credible than it really is; it’s about the romantic
misunderstandings involving two e-mail correspondents, based on the 1940
James Stewart/Margaret Sullivan classic The Shop Around the Corner).
Most of the music is essentially trad jazz-based with a honky-tonk piano
and banjo. A tuba and a rasping muted trumpet seem to be often bickering
through the score. It’s rather like the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (I will
admit that she is my favourite film star and can do no wrong – well
very little wrong!) characters in the film, i.e.- when they are not meeting
via their computers. There are some nostalgic touches, plenty of perky-quirky
comic capers (one cue is roughly a cross between Elfman’s Pee Wee and
Rota’s music for Fellini’s films) and a bit of Latin (complete
with castanets). There is also some lovely heart-catching romantic material,
a lovely melody meltingly orchestrated.
I enjoyed this album very much – goofy but glorious.
Reviewer
Ian Lace
OST 
