458 The Journal of film music

EricJames:Making Music with Charlie Chaplin: An Autobiography

Lanham,MD:ScarecrowPress,Inc.,2000[xvii,122p.ISBN:0-810-83741-2.$28.95]

DANBLIM

I ntheintroductiontoEricJamessslightbutentertainingautobiography,JeffreyVancebeginsbypointingoutthatCharlieChaplin,despitenotbeingaformallytrainedmusicianorcomposer,receivedcreditforthemusicalcompositionsthataccompaniedhisfilms.WhatmightinotherhandsbetheimpetusforascholarlyexaminationofChaplinscompositionaltechniquesandskillsishereahistoricalfootnote,andonethatcarvesouttheroleEricJameshasplayedinbringingthesecompositionstofruition.Chaplinwas,welearn,adamantaboutreceivingcompositionalcreditforhisworks,andunderstandablyso.Foradirectorwhocameofageduringthesilentfilmera,musicisofutmostimportanceinconveyingthefilmsmessage.Eveninhistalkingfilms,musicremainsapivotalpart.VancesintroductionsetsaforegroundofmusicsimportancetoChaplinsart,establishingaparallelbetweenChaplinandJamesregardingtheirlifelongfascinationwithmusic.FrombothVancesintroductionandJamesschoiceoftitleMaking Music with Charlie ChaplinthereaderviewsJamesintermsdefinedatleastpartiallybyChaplin,athemethatloomslargethroughthesecondhalfofthebook.

Jamessautobiographyisdividedintotwoparts.ThefirsthalfsummarilydealswiththetimebeforehebeganworkingwithChaplin.Here,Jameschroniclesthestandardbiographicalmilestones,butalsorecallsthosemomentshefindsmeaningfulatthelatterstagesofhislife,chieflythosethatexposehisearlyandcontinuousloveofmusic.Heconveysthesesceneshisfamilybuyingapiano,hislessons,teachers,firstpaidgigalittledryly,buthisownconvictionandenthusiasmringthroughclearly,evenifitdoesntalwaystransfertothereader.Muchofthissectionfeelslikecursoryexposition,asuccessionofscenesofgrowingupinLondonthatflashpastthereader.Jamesslanguageisroughattimes,withawkwardlapsesintothethirdpersonandaproclivityforsuperlatives,butithasasubtlywarmingearnestnessunderneath.Thereisnotmuchdepthorretrospectioninthesememories,butJamesbringsthemoutwithtouchesofwryhumorandoccasionalpathos,whichmakessucheventsfeelmoreintimatelyfamiliarthanclichd.

Towardtheadultpartofhisearlycareer,thefamiliarmemoirterritoryisleftbehindinfavorofasuccessionoftalesandanecdotes.Forthemostparttheyarepleasantlyamusing,and

severalarethezany,uproariouslybizarretalesfoundmoreoftenonNationalPublicRadiosThisAmericanLifethaninyouraveragemusiciansautobiography.ThereisnotawholelottobegleanedintermsoflargerculturalcontextfromtheseanecdotesuntilJamesembarksuponhisbriefmilitarycareer(thetaleofhowhewasdraftedisoneofthemoreamusingepisodes).Asamusician,hemanagedabafflingcommandofthearmysresourcestoproduceshowsforstationedofficersaswellasfortheBBC.Therearenumeroussidelinesofinteresthereaboutwartimeentertainment,itsproduction,anditspopularityburiedbeneathJamessamusingarrayofanecdotalmoments.

Afterthewar,Jamescontinuedtoentertainthemilitary,andshortlyaftermovingintothepublishingbusinesshereceivedthepivotalphonecallthatbeginsthesecondhalfofthebook.Thescrapbookformatofanecdotes,asides,andbigmomentsremains,butherethestoriesaremorefocusedonthemusic-making.JamesbeganhisworkwithChaplinonthesetofA King in New York(1957),fillinginaccompanimentalpianomusicforascene.Hewasaskedtoreturnayearlater,beginningwhatwouldbeafruitfultwenty-yearcollaborationthat

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includedworkforChaplinslasttwofilms,theaforementionedA King in New YorkandA Countess from Hong Kong(1967),aswellasreissuesofseveralearliershortsandfeatures,includingChaplinsclassicThe Kid(1921,reissued1971).

JamesemploysgreatdetailwhendescribinghisworkwithChaplin,layingoutthedailyroutinewithallitslittlerulesandcustoms.Thereisenoughhere,certainly,aboutthecreativeprocesstosatisfythefascinationsofreaderscuriousaboutChaplinsmusicalscores.Thereisnodiscussionoranalysisofthemusicitself,butJamesisnotamusicologist,noristhisbookintendedforsuchscholarlypurposes.Heoffersinstead,andinampleservings,thosethingsthatheknowsintimately:thecompositionalprocedures,

hisrole,andChaplins.Jamesdiscusseshisjobwithdetailandfranknessanddoesnotshyawayfromconveyingtothereaderhisfrustrationatseveraljunctures(nordoesheseemtohaveshiedawayfromtellingChaplin).Despitesuchmoments,thetwosharedadeepbondofrespectandcollegiality.James,inthecourseofhisemployment,wasprivytothepersonalsphereofChaplinslife,andhepaintsanaffectingandaffirmingportraitofthegreatfilmicon.

ChaplinwasatoweringfigureforJamesinhisyouth,andheloomsjustaslargeinJamessadultlife.ChaplinspresenceisessentialtoJamessautobiography,andawelcomeaddition,butattimesitfeelsalmostoverpowering.AlmostnothingofJamesslifeawayfromChaplin,aftertheircollaborationbegan,existsinthebook.Jamess

divorceandsubsequentremarriageiscastoffinasinglesentence,andthereaderisleftwithvariousquestionsaboutwhathedidbetweenassignments,orafterChaplinspassing.ChaplinalsoremainsidolizedinJamessbook.ThisisnottosaythatJamesfindsnofaultswithChaplin,butheisratherquicktorationalizethemandtodefendChaplinagainstothercritics.ThissayslessaboutChaplin,though,andmoreaboutJames,whoselifeandpassionformusicculminatedinthistwenty-yearfriendship,andevidenceshisgratitudeandloveforChaplin.Acceptingtheseslightprejudicesoftheauthor,Chaplinbuffswillgainsomenewinsightsandafreshperspective,whiletherestofuscanenjoythewonderful,grandfatherlystoriesJamespresents,embellishments,badjokes,andall.

Eric James: Making