A Jewish Aloha

In 1953, at age 65, Steiner learned that Warner Bros. would not be renewing his contract. After 16 years as a staff composer, he was forced to freelance—an especially daunting challenge given his age and failing eyesight. This chapter focuses on the plight of a proud but increasingly debilitated man forced to reinvent himself, in an industry obsessed with youth and novelty. Still massively in debt, Steiner sought a fresh start in multiple ventures: his own publishing company (a flop) and another attempt at a hit song for a major film (The Caine Mutiny; Oscar nomination for score, but no hit record, alienating its makers). Fortunately, Jack Warner was willing to bring Steiner back to his studio on a per-film basis. The resulting scores belied Steiner’s age, culminating in his final screen masterwork: John Ford’s The Searchers.