Green Mansions is a 1959 American romantic adventure film directed by Mel Ferrer. Based upon the 1904 novel Green Mansions by William Henry Hudson, the film starred Audrey Hepburn (who at the time was married to Ferrer) as Rima, a jungle girl who falls in love with a traveller played by Anthony Perkins. Also appearing in the film were Lee J. Cobb, Sessue Hayakawa and Henry Silva. The score was by Heitor Villa-Lobos and Bronislaw Kaper.

The film was intended to be the first of several projects directed by Ferrer and starring his wife, but ultimately this was the only one released. It was one of the few critical and box office failures of Hepburn's early career. Originally, Vincente Minnelli had been slated to direct the film, but delays in the project led MGM to choose Ferrer to direct it.

Foresta do Amazonas

Villa-Lobos was originally commissioned to write the full score for the film. However his music was inspired by the original novel, rather than the film adaptation. Consequently, it had to be re-edited for the film by Bronislaw Kaper. Unhappy with the way his music had been used, Villa Lobos adapted his full score into a cantata, Forest of the Amazon (Foresta do Amazonas). It was premiered in 1959 in New York with the Symphony of the Air and the soprano Bidú Sayão under the composer's direction. The same forces recorded it a year later for United Artists Records.

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