For some reason, Hollywood keeps remaking classic movies. This summer they’re releasing a new version of the 1939 MGM classic, The Women. And back in 2004, Hollywood saw fit to remake Robert Aldrich’s 1965 masterpiece, The Flight of the Phoenix.
The premise is simple: A plane filled with passengers from different walks of life, crashes in the Sahara. After a few deaths and no rescue attempts, the remaining survivors attempt to rebuild the plane from the wreckage and fly themselves to safety.
I saw the original version last year on the Fox Movie Channel and I expected a good movie–what I got instead was a great movie, filled with interesting characters and a plot twist near the end that will either make you laugh or gasp in horror. For weeks after my initial viewing, I became obsessed with this movie. I must have watched it six times in two weeks. I just couldn’t stop. I loved the characters, their problems and the way they banded together despite some serious personality clashes. The story unfolds beautifully, leading to an ending that you won’t forget. Some people say The Flight of the Phoenix is a bit too long, but I don’t know what you could cut out to make it shorter. All the parts are important.
The majority of the film is mostly dialogue-based and while you might expect a movie of that nature that to be boring, it’s not. It’s exciting because of the top notch performances put in by Jimmy Stewart, Hardy Kruger, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and Ian Bannen. My personal favorite of the bunch is Dan Duryea, who portrays a meek, religious businessman (a far cry from his villainous days opposite Stewart in many Anthony Mann westerns). This film was also my introduction to Richard Attenborough, an actor I’ve really come to enjoy over the past year of my ravenous movie consumption. And as always, Aldrich keeps the energy of the film afloat with many different subplots that focus on the personalities of each character. I love Robert Aldrich. Very rarely am I ever disappointed with one of his movies.
Sadly, stunt pilot Paul Mantz lost his life during the filming of this movie and if that weren’t disheartening enough, The Flight of the Phoenix bombed at the box office when it was released in December of 1965. In a 1974 interview, Aldrich lamented about it’s misfortune: “There are failures you never think are right or justifiable or understandable. For example I put Too Late the Hero, Flight of the Phoenix, and The Grissom Gang in a category that says these are all fine movies, very well made. People understood what they were about, what they aimed to say. They were entertaining and exciting and should have been a success. That they weren’t means that something else was wrong besides the way the picture was made. Maybe in another five years Phoenix will break even. I think it deserved to do infinitely better than it did.”**
I saw the 2004 remake a few weeks ago and was disheartened by how it lacked in comparison. There are (of course) CGI effects for the plane crash and the PC casting adds a woman to the crew. There’s a “music video” sequence to Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and somehow, the crew has working power tools in the middle of a desert. But mainly Dennis Quaid is no Jimmy Stewart. The one reason why I loved the original Phoenix so much was because Stewart wasn’t a very likable guy. In fact, his Captain Frank Towns is a stubborn jerk whose old methods are being replaced by modern ones and I liked that, mainly because Stewart is always the hero. I love when actors are cast against type because they’re fun to watch. Aldrich had plans to use him and John Wayne in a comedy called …All The Way to the Bank***, but that fell through when Phoenix bombed and Aldrich went on to making The Dirty Dozen instead. A good twist of fate!
One of the highlights (in a film of many highlights) is during the scene where everyone is stuck inside the plane during a sandstorm and Trucker Cobb (Ernest Borgnine) is playing around with his radio. And as he fiddles with the knobs, a faint love song comes across the airwaves. The injured Gabriel (Gabriele Tinti) hears it and perks up; he’s desperately missing his sick wife. With a bit of prodding from Towns, Cobb begrudgingly hands the radio over to Gabriel, but smiles as soon as he sees how much happiness it brings to him. See the You Tube Clip here.
The ballad in question is called “Senza Fine.” It’s sung by perky 60’s singer and actress Connie Francis and it has an absolutely gorgeous and haunting melody. The snippet used in the movie doesn’t do the song justice. While she’s best known for songs like “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Where the Boys Are”, “Senza Fine” is one of those lost treasures that seem to be forgotten by record companies today. A search on Amazon brings up only one item, an out-of-print cd that includes the soundtrack to both Phoenix and Patton (one copy is selling for almost $160!).
This site discusses it a bit:
“The English version of the LP “Movie Greats” has the song Senza Fine (means Without End) from the movie Flight of the Phoenix. Senza Fine was only done in two versions that is known. There is a single version which is a beautiful release from England on a single and also released on CD there a few years ago. The other is on the LP “Movie Greats of the 60s.” Connie did one whole version in English and one in Italian and they spliced in and out different versions.”
I found my copy through a file sharing service. This is the version that combines both the Italian and English verses and it has a running time of 3:12 (the version on the Patton soundtrack runs at 2:14 seconds). It took me a long time to find, but when I did, I was beyond thrilled. It’s a gorgeous song, one of my favorites and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when I first heard it:
Download MP3: “Senza Fine (Love Song From The Flight of the Phoenix)” – Connie Francis
Do not direct-link download. Page will open in another window and follow the link from there.
* The picture is scanned in from the book, What Ever Happened to Robert Aldrich: His Life and His Films by Alan Silver and James Ursini. Much of this information comes from this book as well. It’s a great read.
** From the book, Robert Aldrich Interviews edited by Eugene L. Miller Jr. and Edwin T. Arnold.
*** …All The Way to the Bank centered around “two retired safecrackers who steal money from a mob boss’s safe deposit box to benefit an old folks home.” Aldrich attempted to sell this project to 20th Century Fox, but fell through when he decided to make The Dirty Dozen instead.
Believe it or not, I’m actually trying to keep up with you here, since you watch movies that ordinarily wouldn’t make it onto my list. So i added Flight of the Phoenix to my Netflix queue and watched it last night.
I don’t think it’s the best Aldrich movie ever, but it’s good. I like Stewart best in the roles where he’s not such a nice guy — the Mann westerns, Shenandoah, this one. Part of that is having real trouble with him as an actor since finding out that he was such a racist in real life. I can’t reconcile that with Elwood P. Dowd, but I can roles like this.
And I do love the Connie Francis tune. I even moved it onto my iPod, where it’s woefully out of place with all the indy rock.
So Yellow Sky is coming from Netflix, and I set the DVR for On the Beach and Trial. I’ll comment when I get through them. You’re good to be able to watch and write about a film as fast as you have been. Don’t burn out on me.
Because I have to ask: what kind of bands to you listen to? Seriously, you can’t get past an ex-music queen with a line like that!
I’m glad you liked Flight of the Phoenix. Some people really don’t like it, but then I’ve never really gotten into Kiss Me Deadly or The Big Knife. I might re-watch those in the next few weeks, just to see if I’ve changed my opinion. That’s happened a lot to me.
The Jimmy Stewart racist thing: I thought I was the only one who thought like that. It really, really bugs me to know that he was like that, but I try to not think of their off-screen lives with their on-screen.
I’m so happy you’re giving a lot of these movies a chance. With some of them, I’ve had these ideas floating around in my mind for ages–it’s just getting the words out that’s hard. I tend to think about movies to the point of distraction no matter what I’m doing, and before I know it, I’m sticking a spoon in the food processor. Not really, but you get the idea. I’m trying to pace myself though, because my arms are killing me from all the typing I’m doing!
This movie [Orig] was great i have the dvd.I haven’t seen the remake.
I am a Connie Francis collector.
RE: SENZA FINE [Soundtrack recording]
Rec in 1965 date unknown???
Featured in the movie[by a snippet over the radio.
Can anyone who has this CD release confirm whether it was released in its entirety?????
SENZA FINE [FIRST Recording]
MGM 65-XY-132
Recorded 25th Sept 1965
issued UK-45 MGM 1295
Finland 45 MGM 10038
UK-EP MGM EP 792 CONNIE FRANCIS
UK-CD POLYDOR 519 132-2 :-
CONNIE FRANCIS THE SINGLES COLLECTION
UK-LP POLYDOR 519 132-1
CONNIE FRANCIS: THE SINGLES COLLECTION reached No 12 on the NME in 1993.
SENZA FINE [SECOND Recording]
MGM 65-XY-??? [unknown]
Recorded 8th December 1965.
issued on LP MGM E/SE 4382 MOVIE GREATS OF THE 60’s
This version was also issued on 45 in
COSTA RICA MGM 3005 b/w The Shadow of Your Smile
Any of you would like any of these let me know
Roger from Greece
Hi, Roger. I could be interested in both!
Beautiful version of this song — however, for years, I have been trying to find the version that appeared as the title track in Billy Wilder’s “Avanti!” (1972).
Actually, I’ve been trying to find that entire soundtrack — but I fear it doesn’t exist. Sigh —
I saw Flight of the Phoenix, when it first came out, but didn’t connect with the song. But I did when I saw Jacques Rivette’s “Va Savoir,” which ends with the principals dancing to Peggy Lee’s version.
This isn´t the version in the film .this have a very much orchesta .In the movie was the connie francis´s voice and two or three instruments. I got it approximately five years ago, unfortunately I erased(smeared) it without realizing and now it is practically impossible to obtain it and it was much better than the version of this web.
Sorry for my English and cheers from Spain.
FYI: muziekmonnik in YouTube has the 3.20 mins version of Senza Fine by Connie Francis. It reads, “Connie Francis – The Phoenix Love Theme.”
Mille Grazie! 🙂
I too have searched for this song high & low for many years. It must’ve been over 20 years ago I saw this movie and the scene with the song “Senza fine” is so memorable. I just loved this song- the melody is haunting and the lyrics romantic.
I agree with you too about this being a great movie. I have it on DVD after burning out my vhs copy & never felt it needed to be remade. (Perhaps the only remake I’ve ever liked was Sabrina.)
This movie just had such great performances and memorable characters. From Attenborough’s tenacious hope to Stewart’s irrascible stubborness to Bannen’s droll humor (“I’ve got a story for the Daily Minnow when I get back- how I quit smoking in 3 days.”)
Thank you for making this lovely song available.
Mille grazie… senza fine 🙂
I should notify u about this.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Flight of the Phoenix – and in black and white at first until years later I discovered that it was originally produced in color. I find it to be a work of art that requires one to look at it again and again to discover all the nuances the actors put forth. It is regetable that more folks don’t appreciate it.
Remember seeing this as a kid, with my parents at the “drive-in!” The song I will never forget… have searched for it for many years. C.Francis did make a later orchestrated version, but the “original” was hard to find. It is on the Jerry Goldsmith “Patton/Flight of the Phoenix” sountrack. There are a few file sharing sites on the web and you will find it there. Also, Monica Mancini made a great italian version (from the movie, “Ghost Ship.” as well. She made an album , “Cinema Paradiso” and you can get it on Amazon.
The movie is one of my favorites. Who knows how many times I’ve watched it, LOL. I finally got the DVD as a gift several years ago and watch it whenever I need a lift.
I’m a licensed pilot and the nuances in the movie – the attention to details (which you don’t see in movies now including long emotional camera shots) – this film had it all.
The engine sputtering to a start while the passengers clap their hands to try and help the prop blades keep turning, Jimmy Stewart preparing to fly the ‘toy airplane’ as he puts his leather gloves on – everyone looking back at the crash site as they fly away finally free of their desert prison – all great details!
I also found the song after searching for a long time on the Web. Whenever my Dad hears this song played (he’s a WWII vet) he becomes very melancholy and teary-eyed.
BTW the links for the movie on YouTube may have changed but if you search for the movie you will find it again.
Just love it, a real classic that has real actors that can act and a beleivable plot. Great cast and great overall story. definately rates in my top ten of all time. rob crawford. Australia.
It’s interesting that the same song, with similar arrangements, would be featured in movies separated by decades; “Flight of the Phoenix” and “Ghost Ship.” The song, “Senza Fine” is a true classic.
Thanks for this mp3. I’ve looked for it high and low for years and Monica Mancini’s version just isn’t the same as I have the same affection for the original Flight of the Phoenix.
The song Senza Fine sung by Connie Francis is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs of the past century. It is a shame we can not find it and be able to download it to our I pods. Also a shame we do not have talent like that anymore!
Just discovered that Senza Fine as sung by Connie Francis in the movie Flight of the Phoenix – not the orchestral version – is available on iTunes but … you won’t find it by searching for “Senza Fine” or “Connie Francis”.
Instead search for “Flight of the Phoenix” and select the Frank DeVol version released in 2007. Frank DeVol is the composer.
The length of the song is 2:15.
I couldn’t find it… can you leave a link here? 🙂
The link to the connie francis song is to a virus download. Is there a real link available?
Read Mp3 under Singles Collections has the Connie Francis version. Discovered it in YouTube yesterday.
FYI: Muziekmonnik in YouTube has Senza Fine by Connie Francis. Found this as “Connie Francis-The Phoenix Love Theme.
FYI: muziekmonnik in YouTube has the 3.20 mins version of Senza Fine by Connie Francis. It reads, “Connie Francis – The Phoenix Love Theme.”
Saw original Flight From Phoenix movie. Song on radio stayed in my memory. Heard instrumental version by Brass Ring Trio around same time. Both times, it was unknown to me that was Senza Fine I was hearing. Ghost Ship movie had a singer adlibbing the song. Sounded differently. Discovered Connie Francis was original songstress recently. Wish Google Play would include that single by Connie Francis for us to buy on our Play Music. Her version is the best. I have compared and I have good taste in music and voice quality.