PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman is a 1951 British drama film made by Romulus Films and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the United States, based on the legend of The Flying Dutchman. The film starred Ava Gardner and James Mason, featuring Nigel Patrick, Sheila Sim, Harold Warrender, Mario Cabré, and Marius Goring. MGM delayed its release until Gardner’s star-making performance in 1951’s Show Boat could be seen. The tactic worked, and this film solidified her status as a rising star. (More from Wikipedia)
There were personal connections to many of Jim Sullivan’s songs that were not at all obvious to the casual listener. “Jerome” opens the album and is about a ghost town in Arizona – but it also happened to be the name of Kathie’s hometown. “So Natural” was written in honor of his older brother, Jack Sullivan, an insurance salesman who died of a heart attack on his way home from work. “Whistle Stop” was inspired by the 1951 film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (a personal favorite of mine as well), starring James Mason as the cursed seaman who was able to escape his fate with the help of a beautiful and spoiled village girl played by Ava Gardner.
(October 2011)
