Hornet's Nest [Complete Soundtrack] (1970)

Hornet's Nest [Complete Soundtrack] (1970)
Composed by Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)

Tracklisting:

1. [00:00] Main Titles
2. [02:09] Looking for a Partisan Doctor
3. [02:36] Bianca, the German Doctor
4. [07:38] Guns in the Tunnel
5. [09:31] Radio / Research
6. [11:36] Opening Window
7. [13:03] Radio / Contacting
8. [14:45] The Dike
9. [15:39] Research in the Wood
10. [17:47] Bianca and Turner
11. [18:59] Dialogue Doctor / American Soldier
12. [20:30] Dialogue with the Boys
13. [21:48] Boys Running to the River
14. [23:56] Blowing the Dam
15. [30:27] Death of a Boy
16. [31:03] Boy and German Officer Fighting
17. [32:23] End Titles
18. [36:07] Research in the Wood (Alternate)
19. [38:15] Dialogue Doctor / American Soldier (Film Version)
20. [39:38] Boy and German Officer Fighting (Alternate)
21. [40:57] End Titles (Single Edit)

Directed by Phil Karlson (1908-1982) from a story (apparently based on an actual incident) written by S.S. Schweitzer (1925-2006) and Stanley Colbert (1927-2010), this Italian / American war film stars a number of well-known actors of the time including Rodd Dana, Andrea Bosic (1919-2012), Giacomo Rossi Stuart (1925-1994), Gérard Herter (1920-2007), Jacques Sernas (1925-2015), Mino Doro (1903-2006), Rock Hudson (1925-1985), Sergio Fantoni (1930-2020), Sylva Koscina (1933-1994), and Tom Felleghy (1921-2005). The Italian print of the film bears the name Franco Cirino (1926-1979) as co-director. An occasional actor, Cirino was often called in as second-unit director on American films shot in Italy. The presence of Sylva Koscina (one of Italy's best-loved stars during the 1950's and 1960's) helps the film immensely, bringing sympathy to her role as a German nurse who is faced with a crisis of loyalty between her nation and her sworn oath to the preservation of life. Sergio Fantoni is well cast as Captain von Hecht, who will stop at nothing to stop Turner (Rock Hudson) from destroying an important dam. However, it is the children that are the stars here. Mark Colleano is excellent as Aldo, the fanatical leader of a group of angry and frightened orphaned boys who resort to horrible things after witnessing their parents being slaughtered by German soldiers. Though not the best of films in the genre, 'Hornet's Nest is nevertheless an impressive film presented in a unique way, exploring the humour, stupidity, and outright tragedy of children caught up in the horrors of war.

The film benefits greatly from a somber yet melodic score by Ennio Morricone. The effort is essentially monothematic, with a main theme that blends classical and offbeat pop (with whistling), lending a classical frame to the story whilst making it fresh, modern and accessible... Morricone's career in a nutshell. It is hard to imagine another composer who could score the story of children at wartime with such delicacy, and yet Morricone never pulls his punches as far as writing a fully developed and well-crafted melody. He evokes the humour of the boys' essential childlike natures on one hand whilst lamenting the horror of their involvement with war on another (with the main theme) without ever sounding patronizing or saccharine. As the boys' story threatens to erupt into anarchy, on screen it is the presence of Rock Hudson who anchors them with guidance; to the audience, it is Morricone who presents an honest expression of their essential selves whilst lamenting what has happened to them, which in the end is justified. This is Morricone's complete score with Bruno Nicolai (1926-1991) conducting.

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