On Wednesday evening, the OSM offered a small gift to the omnivorous Montreal public at the Maison symphonique. A pearl (tragic though it may be) from the cinematic repertoire, amplified and musically enhanced by an orchestra whose quality is no longer in doubt.
The Great Dictator, released in 1940, is a gem of its genre. Charlie Chaplin’s first truly spoken-word film features meticulous attention to sound aesthetics, such as found in Modern Times four years earlier, and exemplary choreography that is Chaplin’s hallmark. The film is almost like a ballet, evoking both grace and human misery. The globe scene is particularly striking in this respect. It’s necessary to contextualize the film, which was made long before the horrors of the Second World War were understood, but you can’t help but smile and laugh at the universal, well-judged humor.
Certainly, the presence of an orchestra like the OSM to provide the soundtrack enhanced, or rather illuminated, the experience. The musicians, led by Timothy Brock, accompanied the audience with clarity and fidelity to the original material. The brass were in demand, given the military nature of many scenes, and were perfect. At times, they even managed to elicit a few laughs of their own. As for the strings, which were very plentiful (especially in the double basses), they provided the foundation for the orchestra and the realization of the softer, darker emotions on screen.
The film’s music certainly doesn’t have the ambition or scope of a Mahlerian symphony, but it does have certain qualities that are to be applauded! The music is full of humor and freshness. Despite its highly functional aspect (music is essentially a dramatic tool), it’s fun to observe how the score is used to accentuate gags or emotions, whether sadness or joy, confusion or hope. Indeed, leitmotifs are frequently used.
Charlie Chaplin himself said he bitterly regretted making the film after the atrocities of the concentration camps were revealed to the world in 1945. In his view, it was no longer a laughing matter. Its presence in today’s context is also troubling. The film has many echoes of today’s situation – too many, in fact. We can’t criticize the OSM for having programmed this work, not knowing what was going to happen, but we can salute the organization for having kept it, with its above all optimistic and humanistic message. A welcome comfort.
The ciné-concert is performed this Thursday evening at 7:30pm, and other ciné-concerts are offered throughout the OSM season. For more details, visit the upcoming concerts page HERE.
