Powerful film by Steven Spielberg about an American lawyer (Tom Hanks) who is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union.

When we were recording Tommy Newman’s poignant score to the film, our cue sheets (notated musical selections to accompany each specific scene) were entitled SJP;  some in the orchestra (perhaps readers of the book?) surmised the working title must have been Saint James Place.

Think Private Ryan – we’re talking Academy Award Nominations here.  And Tommy’s music was effective, understated yet expressive;  Steven mentioned to the orchestra that he could not have made a better choice for composer than Tommy Newman.  (Note: John Williams, his go to guy, was unavailable being occupied on music in a Galaxy far, far away!)