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Franz Waxman

Franz Waxman

Composer · Died February 24, 1967, aged 60 · Königshütte, Upper Silesia, Germany [now Chorzów, Slaskie, Poland]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Franz Waxman (né Wachsmann; 24 December 1906 – 24 February 1967) was a German and American composer of Jewish descent, known primarily for his work in the film music genre. His film scores include Bride of Frankenstein, Rebecca, Sunset Boulevard, A Place in the Sun, Stalag 17, Rear Window, Peyton Place, The Nun's Story, and Taras Bulba. He received twelve Academy Award nominations, and won two Oscars in consecutive years (for Sunset Boulevard and A Place in the Sun). He also received a Golden Globe Award for the former film. Bernard Herrmann said that the score for Taras Bulba was "the score of a lifetime." He also composed concert works, including the oratorio Joshua (1959), and The Song of Terezin (1965), a work for orchestra, chorus, and children's chorus based upon poetry written by children in the Theresienstadt concentration camp during World War II. Waxman also founded the Los Angeles Music Festival in 1947 with which he conducted a number of West Coast premieres by fellow film composers, and concert composers alike.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 24, 1906
Died
February 24, 1967 (aged 60)
From
Königshütte, Upper Silesia, Germany [now Chorzów, Slaskie, Poland]
Works as
Composer
Titles
113 on MovieCove · 163 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

What are Franz Waxman's films like?

Across their 101 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama46 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
27%
Morality
26%
Self
18%
Power
11%
Society
8%
Survival
7%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love24 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception17 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption13 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage11 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition13 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom10 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 101 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 28 · Serious 30 · Dark 43

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 38 · Stylized 50 · Heightened 13

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 19 · Charged 46 · Intense 36

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 47 · Shifting 51 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 68 · Some laughs 21 · Funny 12

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 35 · Even-paced 62 · Relentless 4

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 46 · Engaged 49 · Full focus 6

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 23 · Affecting 46 · Heavy 32

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 82 · Open-ended 16 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
72
Melancholic
47
Romantic
33
Dread
20
Joyful
12
Other
84

How their films linger

Bittersweet39 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful36 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good26 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting26 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy31
  • Bittersweet52
  • Tragic13
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Franz Waxman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 113 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Franz Waxman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

163 credits, 113 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Screenwriter John Michael Hayes on 'Rear Window' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Composer

  • To Die in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Composer

  • The Longest Hundred Miles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Composer

  • Lost Command(1966)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Taras Bulba(1962)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man(1962)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • My Geisha(1962)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein(1961)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Return to Peyton Place(1961)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Cimarron(1960)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Sunrise at Campobello(1960)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Story of Ruth(1960)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Beloved Infidel(1959)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Career (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Nun's Story(1959)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Count Your Blessings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Composer

  • I Married a Monster from Outer Space(1958)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Run Silent Run Deep(1958)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Sayonara(1957)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Peyton Place(1957)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Spirit of St. Louis(1957)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Back from Eternity(1956)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Crime in the Streets(1956)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Miracle in the Rain(1956)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Indian Fighter(1955)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Virgin Queen(1955)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Mister Roberts(1955)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Untamed(1955)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops(1955)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Silver Chalice(1954)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • This Is My Love(1954)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Rear Window(1954)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Demetrius and the Gladiators(1954)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Elephant Walk(1954)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Prince Valiant(1954)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • A Lion Is in the Streets(1953)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • I, the Jury(1953)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Stalag 17(1953)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Man on a Tightrope(1953)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Come Back, Little Sheba(1952)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Botany Bay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Composer

  • My Cousin Rachel(1952)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Lure of the Wilderness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Composer

  • Phone Call from a Stranger(1952)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Decision Before Dawn(1951)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Blue Veil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Composer

  • Anne of the Indies(1951)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Red Mountain(1951)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • He Ran All the Way(1951)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • A Place in the Sun(1951)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Only the Valiant(1951)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Dark City(1950)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Sunset Boulevard(1950)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Furies(1950)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Night and the City(1950)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Composer

  • Task Force(1949)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Rope of Sand(1949)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Night Unto Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Composer

  • Alias Nick Beal(1949)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Whiplash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Composer

  • No Minor Vices (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Composer

  • Sorry, Wrong Number(1948)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Paradine Case(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Unsuspected(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Dark Passage(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Cry Wolf(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Possessed(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Two Mrs. Carrolls(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Nora Prentiss(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Humoresque(1946)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • That Hagen Girl(1947)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Her Kind of Man(1946)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Last Bomb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Music Score Producer

  • Confidential Agent(1945)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Pride of the Marines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Composer

  • The Brighton Strangler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Additional Music

  • The Horn Blows at Midnight(1945)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Hotel Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Composer

  • Objective, Burma!(1945)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • To Have and Have Not(1944)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • God Is My Co-Pilot(1945)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Skeffington(1944)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • In Our Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Composer

  • Destination Tokyo(1943)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Old Acquaintance(1943)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Edge of Darkness(1943)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Air Force(1943)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Reunion in France(1942)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Journey for Margaret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Composer

  • Seven Sweethearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Composer

  • Her Cardboard Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Composer

  • Tortilla Flat(1942)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Woman of the Year(1942)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Kathleen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Composer

  • Design for Scandal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Composer

  • Suspicion(1941)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Honky Tonk(1941)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Feminine Touch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Composer

  • Unfinished Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Composer

  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1941)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Whistling in the Dark(1941)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Philadelphia Story(1940)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Escape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Composer

  • Boom Town(1940)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Sporting Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Composer

  • Florian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Composer

  • Rebecca(1940)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Strange Cargo(1940)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Flight Command(1940)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • I Love You Again(1940)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • At the Circus(1939)

    Composer · Music Director

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • On Borrowed Time(1939)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Ice Follies of 1939(1939)

    Composer · Music Director

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn(1939)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Lady of the Tropics(1939)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Christmas Carol(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Dramatic School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Composer

  • The Shining Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Composer

  • Too Hot to Handle(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Young in Heart(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Port of Seven Seas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Composer

  • Three Comrades(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Test Pilot(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Arsène Lupin Returns(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Love Is a Headache(1938)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Man-Proof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Composer

  • The Bride Wore Red(1937)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Emperor's Candlesticks(1937)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Captains Courageous(1937)

    Composer · Songs

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • A Day at the Races(1937)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Night Key(1937)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Personal Property (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Composer

  • Love on the Run(1936)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Postal Inspector(1936)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • His Brother's Wife(1936)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Devil-Doll(1936)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Fury(1936)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Trouble for Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Composer

  • Absolute Quiet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Composer

  • Love Before Breakfast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Composer · Music Director

  • Sutter's Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Composer

  • First Offence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Composer

  • Next Time We Love(1936)

    Composer · Music Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Invisible Ray(1936)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Great Impersonation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Composer

  • East of Java (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Composer · Music Director

  • Remember Last Night? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Composer

  • 3 Kids and a Queen(1935)

    Composer · Music Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Diamond Jim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Composer

  • Bride of Frankenstein(1935)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Bad Seed(1934)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Liliom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Composer

  • The Only Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Music Arranger

  • The Only Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Composer

  • Paprika (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Composer

  • The Little One of Montparnasse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Composer

  • In the act (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Composer

  • The Man in Search of His Murderer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Music Director

  • Burglars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Composer

  • The Cabinet of Dr. Larifari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Composer · as Piano

  • The Blue Angel(1930)

    Orchestrator

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 158 titles from 1930 to 2001.

Biggest box office

Rear Window (1954)

$38M worldwide

Highest rated

Rear Window (1954)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Rebecca (1940)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 158: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleMusic154 of 158: 142 only music, 12 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rdOther crew15 of 158: 4 only other crew, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rd

158 titles, 12 with more than one role — music and other crew overlap on 11 of them.

By decade

1930s50 · 1 acting · 50 crew1940s52 · crew1950s44 · crew1960s11 · crew2000s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Franz Waxman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72nd percentile, the median of all 112; across their 101 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 101

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 101

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 101

Midcredits score across 113 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up52
  • 50th to 74th42
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

66 of their 113 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved23
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser66
  • Broadly Agreed10
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · composer

3 Kids and a Queen (1935)

76th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Rear Window (1954)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 66/100 in their films, across 88 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Franz Waxman's work okay for kids?

Across up to 17 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and profanity run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles16–37 · median 32 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity17 titles1–26 · median 15 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles2–7 · median 3 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles28–44 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense14 titles26–49 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Franz Waxman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Franz Waxman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jack L. Warner shares the most, 14.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles