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Chaplin as a composer 239
manner bits of "How Dry I Am," "I Hear You Calling Me," etc., are called upon for comic comments.
There are two love themes — one a light romantic waltz played very rubato to action, and a tragic piece associated with the tramp's hopeless love. Played also behind the tragic close of the picture, with its grim and fateful chords, the second has a distinct Puccini flavor. A sprightly theme on the bassoon accompanies many of the tramp's more humorous moments, such as his mishaps behind his streetcleaner's cart; and there is a singularly amusing use of a tango during the boxing sequence. The fight itself is underlined by a feverish musical "hurry," also used behind other fast action.
It is true that one or two of the minor numbers are reminiscent. A short dance piece resembles "I Want To Be Happy." The famous apache dance is a paraphrase. The crooked-fighter theme sounds a bit like "Look out for Jimmy Valentine." Some Debussy chords herald the morning, and the "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" is cleverly jazzed up for a little chase scene. Nevertheless, the principal themes are Chaplin's. A film eighty-seven minutes long calls for a score of about a hundred and fifty pages and a little "borrowing" here and there can be overlooked.
"City Lights" ends with the following music. The tramp, let out of prison, searches for the blind girl.
Sequence Music
Cue 91. Tramp comes to corner where girl used to sell
flowers "La Violetera"
(played slowly)
Cue 92. Tramp wanders the
streets Tramp theme
(played slowly and tragically)