My local classical radio station has a program every Saturday morning where they play film scores. Today they reminded me of
Patrick Doyle's first movie -
Kenneth Branagh's Henry V. Doyle was an actor and a musician (he has a small part in the film) but Branagh trusted him with the music for his Shakespearean history. The results were spectacular, and Doyle definitely helped Branagh make this budget film seem bigger than it actually was.
Here is Henry's famous St Crispen's day speech with Doyle's underscoring, inspiring his troops to battle. It then cuts to after the battle to the Latin hymn-like piece
Non Nobis Domine.
Speaking of making a little look like a lot, Doyle's music combined with that tracking shot where Henry carries his dead servant through the bloody aftermath is genius. Brannagh makes about 50 men look like thousands, and if you've seen the film you realize that he is also showing you how each of the supporting characters either did nor did not survive the battle. The last close-up of Henry's face at the end sums up the Latin lyrics - not our glory (but God's).