Chaplin

1992
CD: Epic Soundtrax EK 52986

  1. Main Theme (3:06)
  2. Early Days in London (3:45) [features music from the song "The Honeysuckle and the Bee," by William Penn and Albert H. Fitz]
  3. Charlie Proposes (4:01)
  4. To California / The Cutting Room (3:45)
  5. Discovering the Tramp/The Wedding Chase (4:01)
  6. Chaplin's Studio Opening (1:58)
  7. Salt Lake City Episode (2:11) [rerecorded from the movie City Lights]
  8. The Roll Dance (2:34)
  9. News of Hetty's Death/Smile (3:42)
  10. From London to LA (3:42)
  11. Joan Barry Trouble/Oona Arrives (2:15)
  12. Remembering Hetty (2:57)
  13. Smile (2:05) [lyric by John Turner Geoffrey Turner, Music by Charles Chaplin]
  14. The Roll Dance (1:47)
  15. Main Theme/Smile (4:48)
  16. Smile (3:38) [vocal by Robert Downey, Jr.]

r Chaplin

The Movie

I don't think screen biographies work when the time-span is too great. The best film biography that I can think of, Patton, only dealt with a 2 year period. Citizen Kane and It's a Wonderful Life were not biographies (Kane was inspired by, but true to, Hearst), so they could be structured better.

It's not a bad movie—it has its charm. But in the end I did not feel that I knew Chaplin any better than when I went in.

The Music

Chaplin himself wrote the melody for "Smile," and Barry uses it heavily in the score. "Smile" is downbeat, and Barry's later work is the same—so on the one hand it's a perfect match; on the other hand, it's a score that can make you cast a sharp eye on a bottle of sleeping pills if you're not careful. I never cared for "Smile" and I find the score unbearably depressing. It works better in the movie, but as a stand-alone album, the only reason I have it is just to complete my Barry collection.

Release Notes

The score was nominated for an Oscar. The CD release was wide and remains easy to find.

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