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Stavisky was a French film directed by Alain Resnais (Lat Yer At
Marienbad), starring Jean Paul Belmondo and Charles Boyer. So how
did Messr. Sondheim get invited to this Gallic party? Well, as it
turns out Resnais was a big fan of Sondheim, having seen
Follies
on Broadway. So, when Sondheim was in Cannes for the showing of
"The Last of Sheila",
he got a call from Resnais to score the film.
Interesting aside: On the set, Resnais would play the cast album of
A Little Night Music
to set the mood for the actors.)
Sondheim scored the movie in New York, working at his piano with a
video. Ultimately, only about half of what he wrote was used in
the film.
- Bruce Kimmel