Music by: Miklos Rosza

A film by Jörg Bundschuh & Peter Glaser

Miklos Rosza, born in Budapest in 1907, was the last composer of the "Golden Era" of Hollywood and a unique personality in the young history of film music.

From 1937 to 1961 he wrote the scores for almost 100 motion pictures and won three Oscars for his work: 1945 for "Spellbound" by Hitchcock, 1947 for "A Double Life" by George Cukor and 1959 for "Ben Hur" by William Wyler.

But although he worked for Hollywood during four decades – of which he spent 14 years as a studio composer for MGM – he always kept his distance to the film business. Unlike most emigrants he still considered himself an European, who never permitted himself to be americanised inspite of becoming one of America's greatest composers. And although he participated in the production of a host of films of different styles he always remained a "classical composer".

His concerts for string orchestra, violin, cello or piano were performed by such famous conductors as Bruno Walter, Leonard Bernstein and Andre Previn and played by such virtuosi as Jascha Heifetz, Pinckas Zuckerman and Janos Starker.

Rosza was the only American scorewriter who has been recognized as an outstanding composer in the film studios just as well as in concert halls. He lad a "Double Life" – which in fact is the title of his autobiography. His personality reflects this exceptional life between two continents and two worlds of music.

The TV-portrait of Rosza by Jörg Bundschuh and Peter Glaser focuses on his career as a score writer and his experiences with the Hollywood studio-system. He talks about the peculiarities of his scores and his work with producers and directors such as William Wyler and Billy Wilder.

In addition Tony Thomas, film historic and music theorist, and four renowned colleagues of Rosza refelct upon his work. Among them Hans J. Salter (born 1896), a Vienna emigrant, who was a studio score writer for Universal for 30 years and a long time friend of Rosza.

Among these colleagues are Oscar winner Elmer Bernstein (born 1922) and Rosza student Jerry Goldsmith (born 1929), who recorded Rosza's compositions, and who summarise and honour his life's work.

The German scor writer Peer Raben interprets and explains musical elements of Rosza's pace setting filmscores on the piano.

Miklos Rosza died on July 27, 1995 in Hollywood.

Author and Director	Jörg Bundschuh, Peter Glaser
Director of Photography	Armin Fausten, Hans Fromm, Peter Bonilla
Sound Mixer	Günter Hablik, Mike Ramirez
Editor	Matthias Bauer
Co-Producer	Roland Johannes (WDR)
Producer	Jörg Bundschuh

A Kick Film production in coproduction with WDR