Program Notes

Franz Waxman received his tenth Academy Award nomination for the musical score to Victor Saville’s production of The Silver Chalice (Warner Brothers, 1955).

The film, based on Thomas B. Costain’s bestselling novel, with a screenplay by Lester Samuels, centers on Basil, a young artisan commissioned to design a chalice for the cup Christ used at the Last Supper. But his task is not easily achieved. Opposing him is Simon (Jack Palance), an evil sorcerer bent on destroying the sacred cup and proclaiming himself the true Messiah.

The Silver Chalice is an ambitious Biblical drama in the tradition of Demetrius & The Gladiators. The production was designed more like an opera set than a film by Rolf Gerard. William V. Skall’s photography was also nominated for an Oscar.

The cast included Virginia Mayo, Pier Angeli, Lorne Greene, E.G. Marshall, Natalie Wood, Joseph Weisman and Alexander Scourby and the first film by Paul Newman, as Basil.

Together with Rebecca, The Silver Chalice was one of Waxman’s favorite scores. He reused the “Fight For The Cup” sequence in 1958 as part of his score for The Nun’s Story. Similar orchestration from the film can be found in his 1959 oratorio based on the book of Joshua.