Within the era of classical Hollywood filmmaking, music became a definitive and fundamental storytelling convention. By extension, the classical cinema ultimately possessed its own musical scoring model. The melodic, orchestral score was primarily associated with classical films, but, more specifically, with the melodrama film. This scoring model functions as a tool to evoke character emotions, signify the psychological state of a character, and convey key associations of their lives. George Burt states: “While music is unable to describe something, it does allow for associations, particularly when combined with pictures. Music appeals to our emotions. It can tell us something about somebody, and it certainly can contribute to our sense of the ambience or atmosphere of a given situation.” (Burt, 1994, 16). To that point, the classical Hollywood score used patterns for each film it served. These patterns are used to invite the spectator into the world that the characters live in. The patterns consist of gendered musical codes, temporal and spatial narrative gaps filled in by the musical score, which ultimately became a form of synchronisation, as well as being used to evoke character emotion, and the main attribute of the classical Hollywood scoring model, the leitmotif.

Among the pre-existing codes and conventions within the classical Hollywood score, by which they are used to highlight and convey the complexities and development of character relationships as well as the characters themselves, the musical score has been deemed the unheard melody by being invisible, through the use of the muzak approach. Therefore, through a considerate exploration of techniques and attributes central to the classical Hollywood scoring model, this research essay will use two Hollywood films--one from the classical era of Hollywood, and one from contemporary Hollywood--to examine how these techniques and attributes are utilised in conveying melodramatic film elements by being unobtrusive. In doing so, the two films that will be examined are Michael Curtiz’s film noir-drama Mildred Pierce (1945) and Steven Spielberg's dramatic comedy The Terminal (2004).

Research Essay

The audio-visual relationship in the classical era of Hollywood created a reality in which characters on screen are possessed and represented by an orchestrated, coded score. Kassabian suggests: The skill that generates consistency in encodings and decodings of film music is “competence.” Clearly, competence in this sense can only function for speakers (and listeners) of the same language (or musical genre), and the consistency will vary according to fluency (extent of experience in the genre), personal history, etc.” (Kassabian, 2001, 20). This quote aims to validate the primary functions that not only film music can achieve, but also what the classical Hollywood musical score can achieve, as it belongs to a model of dramatization. Therefore, in order to discuss the pre-existing attributes within the model of classical Hollywood scoring, it is important to first adhere to the emergence of the score as well as where the influences for the score originated. The first attribute that will be discussed is gendered musical codes. These musical codes originated in the 19th century, as feminine musical codes were associated with opera. Women were stereotypically represented through music as they were associated with the irrational. This characterisation was thematically dangerous in film. It emerged from the European Renaissance during the 1300s to the 1600s.

However, throughout the Baroque period, which occurred from the 1600s to 1725, feminine and masculine associations with music began. The first association, known as 'ornamentation' is considered a weak musical code. Ornamentation is characterised as feminine, whereas direct melodies are an association that is linked with masculinity, embodying a strong musical code. Additionally, musical artists were primarily male, as women were not part of the artistic endeavour; instead, they were associated with modesty, and, to that end, produced gendered musical codes. Another attribute of the classical Hollywood score is spatial and temporal gaps in films that are filled by the score. With the classical Hollywood narrative relying on music, it functions the narrative in many forms. One of these forms is its ability to fill gaps to create a sense of continuity for the spectator. With that point, a temporal function, therefore, creates continuity for the film, by filling in the gaps of the shots. Whereas, a spatial function indicates to the audience where the scene is set, as it focuses on localising the source of the sound and the location it is situated within. These functions relate to how music acts as a glue for continuity editing, as it combines the shots and, in turn, relates to how the film will be perceived by the spectator. The relationship between sound and the human auditory system is a vital function that creates an opposing argument for the critique of the classical Hollywood score being unobtrusive, as the score becomes visceral.

Moreover, the leitmotif is a key attribute that is relied on for the structure of the classical Hollywood scoring model. It is a German musical term that serves as a function of character representation. This consists of an orchestrated theme song introducing a character, or it is originally played in relation to a character on screen. However, it becomes a leitmotif once it denotes a character (primarily the protagonist) by being used repeatedly. In addition, it functions effectively within a narrative when there is no dialogue on screen, and, as a result, it will speak for the character. With these attributes arising, Hollywood studios preferred symphonic scores during the studio system era, which led to the studio system generating a scoring model in the 1930s, to which it was assigned to classical cinema, with the attachment of these specific attributes.

With the attention firstly directed upon the attributes of the orchestrated musical score within Mildred Pierce, it is key to recognise the composer behind the film’s orchestrated score, and many other fundamental scores within classical Hollywood - Max Steiner. Steiner was the first composer to pave the way for the classical Hollywood score, also known as the unheard score. He initially began composing during the 1930s when he created a romantic and realistic score for Merian C. Cooper's monster film, King Kong (1933). Kalinak suggests: “The presence of the music signalled the entry into the fantastic realm, facilitating the leap of faith necessary to accept Kong as real.” She goes on to say: “The score became a crucial element in films of this genre where music inherited the responsibility of creating the credible from the incredible.” (Kalinak, 1992, 71). This statement offers progressive claims regarding the subtext of the score, which was used as a method of commentary for the character's identity and the romance projected on screen. Therefore, with the qualities and attributes situated in the King Kong score, this paved the way for the classical Hollywood score to evolve and become its own scoring model. Steiner began revolutionising the romantic and emotive style of scoring, which paralleled the Romanticism movement in the 18th century. In turn, Steiner used this style of scoring for Mildred Pierce, which became the epitome of the classical Hollywood scoring mode.

The opening title credits within Mildred Pierce introduce Steiner’s classical Hollywood score, which is not only consistently used throughout the film but is also consistently relied on. The opening score is initially conveyed through the use of a c-minor musical approach, indicating the introduction of masculine scoring as it is executed through brass horns. The score then transitions into a c-major musical function, which is characterised as female scoring as it consists of a woodwind, string-led, soft melody. This results in a symbolic indication of the romance, and most importantly, the danger that Mildred will encounter, not only with herself, but with the people around her. Therefore, this scoring is used as Mildred’s theme, as it indicates her struggling with her emotions and embodying masculine characteristics. Thus the male and female scoring attributes are functioning to represent her identity changing. This confirms that the film is articulated through Mildred’s perspective and demonstrates how the leitmotif is incorporated into dramatic scenes, as it reoccurs and denotes Mildred throughout the film. The string-led melody is associated with romantic scoring and emotion, which demonstrates the contrast of masculine and feminine scoring in Mildred’s theme, as the theme represents a connection between the two genders. As Mildred's theme continues to be utilised throughout the film, it ultimately becomes her leitmotif.

The leitmotif is dramatically used once again during a scene that involves Mildred demanding Veda leave their home. This scene conveys Mildred’s identity shifting, as the soft melodic score transitions into her leitmotif, a technique consisting of masculine characteristics – the direct musical approach. As the score transitions, a close-up of Mildred’s face is shown, displaying her resentment towards her daughter, emphasising how Mildred embodies masculine characteristics through melodramatic traits, as horns are used within Steiner’s orchestration. Mildred’s leitmotif is once again played in the climax of the film, as Veda pleads to Mildred to reconsider turning her over to the police. As a dramatic moment occurs, indicating Mildred’s identity is in jeopardy, the leitmotif reveals the drama through the score. The scoring is direct as Mildred is infuriated; however, it becomes associated with femininity as the scoring becomes soft and the melody moves upward, signalling Mildred resisting and ultimately, digressing, which connotes virtue and kindness. This attribute reiterates that she has emotional responses to the score, and Steiner’s orchestrated score is coded to ultimately rely on gender.

Another scene that demonstrates gendered scoring is the opening scene of the film, as Monte Beragon is murdered, which is articulated through a gun firing towards him, resulting in him collapsing to the ground, calling for Mildred. The scene ends with a mysterious individual fleeing the crime scene in a car. The scoring within this scene consists of masculine instrumentation and a c-minor direct melody approach, which indicates dramatic tension and emphasises the danger on screen, which is a key characteristic of the film noir genre, indicating its contrast with the melodramatic scoring characteristic, the soft melody. This occurs as the film transitions to an introduction of the protagonist, Mildred Pierce, gazing at the ocean.

After Mildred encounters her friend, Wally Fay, at the pier, they progress to a beach house. After various attempts to manipulate Wally, Mildred retreats from the beach house, leaving Wally alone to discover the crime scene. Furthermore, as Wally discovers Mildred has retreated, he begins to walk towards the exit, which is conveyed through the Mickey Mousing technique. This technique is used to play in sync with his footsteps, which is articulated through the use of piano instrumentation, representing mystery, and to indicate to the viewer that an important moment, arising from tension, is about to occur. The music fills spatial and temporal gaps as the Mickey Mousing technique indicates to the audience how the scoring will influence each given moment, and how the music fills the space. As Wally navigates through the beach house, the Mickey Mousing technique becomes louder and the tempo increases. Wally attempts to escape through every door and window, which is demonstrated by a stinger cord. Neumeyer suggests: “A “stinger chord” is a sharply attached, but not necessarily loud, chord used to reinforce moments of surprise or revelation. Steiner was very fond of the stinger chord and most of the films he scored contained at least three or four.” (Neumeyer, 1990, 4). The technique uses a playful melody and is used to emphasise Wally’s realisation that Mildred’s vanishing is unnatural. Wally’s footsteps are once again accompanied by the piano score, as the Mickey Mousing technique builds further tension as he could get caught by the police at any given moment. Suddenly, Wally discovers Monte’s body on the floor. His curiosity is reaffirmed by the Mickey Mousing technique, as he hears the telephone ringing and walks towards it. Therefore, the musical score builds as it consists of a flute, piano, and horns, a combination of musical techniques and masculine scoring.

An example of how music evokes emotion occurs within a flashback scene involving Mildred reminiscing to a detective regarding her ex-husband, Bert Pierce. Additionally, this scene demonstrates how spatial gaps are filled, as the music is representative of a memory. As the scene transitions into a flashback, the soft melodic score evokes Mildred’s memory, as string-led instruments are dualized with Mildred’s voiceover, indicating the romance and emotional moments she shared with her husband. The music begins to play before the moment of intimacy or emotion arises, confirming its use of stimulation. As Mildred bakes in the kitchen of their home, her husband sits in the living room. The score represents ‘the wife’, which is a melodrama scoring characteristic, as light music is heard, indicating the coding of the gendered score. The scene progresses to Mildred and Bert discussing their daughter, Veda Pierce, which, ultimately, becomes temperamental. However, as Burt turns to walk away, soft melodic scoring begins to play, and Mildred is framed through the use of a close-up, conveying her emotion as she cries and tells him to leave. This indicates that music provokes emotion upon women in classical films, whereas men are unaffected by the music. Additionally, it demonstrates that they are beginning to share an emotional moment as a soft melody is associated with romance and emotion. Thus, it indicates an example of how music evokes emotion in the film and classical Hollywood scoring.

Not only does the score rely on gender, but the cinematography can also rely on gender, as the gaze of the camera is gendered. This is articulated when Mildred sits on a chair in Wally’s office. The camera becomes gendered as it frames Mildred’s legs through the use of a close-up, indicating to the spectator that Mildred is obtaining Wally’s attention, as well as the spectator’s attention. This technique occurs once again as Mildred is organising her restaurant. She is framed through a medium shot as she stands on top of a ladder. Her legs are dangling off the ladder, which intrigues Monte upon his arrival at the restaurant. These scenes establish the male gaze within the film and sexualise Mildred. The cinematography becomes increasingly important as the narrative unfolds. This is demonstrated when Curtiz captures Mildred through window frames to convey her being positioned outside of her old life, looking in, which once again represents her identity shifting. Mildred’s family and friends are symbolically placed within a different realm, her old reality. This also symbolises her imprisonment in her mind as Mildred is wrapped up in her several businesses and plans for Veda, so that she is missing out on the events of the present time. In particular, a scene that displays this involves Mildred returning home to find Wally and Veda sitting in the living room of her home, to which Veda announces that she is already married and chose not to inform Mildred. Upon returning home, Mildred is framed through the inside window, as the window panels are used to represent her imprisonment by her desires and goals, and foreshadow how Mildred could be imprisoned for covering her daughter’s murder.

In addition, the significant moments in the film are conveyed through shadows and low-key lighting, which are characteristics of film noir. This initially occurs when Mildred makes a deal with Wally in the first act of the film during a flashback sequence. Next, as Mildred and Monte become married, Monte is framed on a chair, tearing the newspaper article up that declares their marriage. Furthermore, in the third act of the film, when Mildred walks into the beach house to discover her husband, Monte, kissing Veda, as well as Mildred returning to the beach house moments later after hearing gun-fire, these are all framed through silhouettes. This expressionistic, film noir technique is met with a direct musical approach, as horns have no light, similar to the shadows. Therefore, this demonstrates how the music influences not only the characters' emotions but also the cinematography.

With the classical Hollywood scoring attributes acknowledged in Mildred Pierce, it is key to acknowledge a direct parallel between the scoring of Max Steiner and the scoring of John Williams, within his contemporary studio film, The Terminal. John Williams’ orchestrated score in The Terminal adopts and demonstrates the key attributes from the classical Hollywood scoring model. More specifically, he utilises these attributes as a method of conveying character and cultural identity, as well as highlighting how the protagonist, Viktor Navorski, systematically navigates his way through an unknown environment, JFK airport, and romantically connects with a US citizen, Amelia Warren.

During a scene involving Viktor becoming aware of a televised news report articulating that his home country, Krakozia, has been demised, his country's national anthem begins to play. Viktor runs in the direction of the television, in distress at what he witnesses. As the news report abruptly ends, he runs towards a set of escalators, hoping to find the news report on a different television within the airport. Similar to Mildred Pierce, the use of the Mickey Mousing technique is introduced in this scene and the film on various occasions. As Viktor runs up the escalator to the second floor of the airport, his footsteps are in sync with the piano scoring, as the Mickey Mousing technique overlaps with the dramatic piano scoring, evoking his emotional response. It proclaims that the implications of Viktor’s identity are a fundamental aspect of the narrative and how his actions are synced to the score, which is representative of him. As Langer states: “The tonal structures we call ‘music’ bear a close logical similarity to the forms of human feeling, forms of growth and of attenuation, flowing and stowing, conflict and resolution, speed and arrest, terrific excitement, calm of subtle activation of dreamy lapses” (Langer, 1953, 36). In this case, the dramatic piano scoring acts as Viktor’s cry for help, with the score echoing through the scene, which is used as a form of synchronisation as Viktor runs through each section of the airport. Additionally, the use of cinematography is utilised as an overtone of the drama occurring, as the camera movement represents Viktor’s movement and positioning, as he glides through the airport. Next, when Viktor runs up the escalators, he is framed through a high angle, symbolising his weakness as he is faced with a critical dilemma. In the closing moments of the scene, Viktor is framed through a long shot as he runs through the second floor of the airport, highlighting his diminishment in the sequence. As the scene draws to a close, the camera pulls back, away from Viktor, framing him between a crowd of citizens, as he is now isolated within a culture that he is unfamiliar with.

Viktor’s theme song, “The tale of Viktor Navorski” reoccurs throughout the film, as the cultural instruments that consist of the clarinet, piano, cadenza, and cymbal, as well as the A”A Tempo”, are articulated throughout the narrative in the form of a melodic score, to convey his identity on screen. Therefore, his theme song is once again orchestrated during a scene that involves him collecting luggage carts in the centre of the airport to accumulate money for food, which denotes him and becomes his leitmotif. This technique runs parallel to Mildred’s leitmotif in Mildred Pierce, as it arises when a dramatic or identity shift is occurring. Therefore, this concerns the function of the musical score as it connotes Viktor’s identity crisis.

John Williams’ symphonic, orchestrated score demonstrates how the gendered scoring attribute, originally used within classical Hollywood scoring, can convey romance and emotion. In the third act of the film, the soft, melodic, c-major classical Hollywood score is used as a method of gendered scoring, demonstrating it evoking character emotion when Viktor is navigating through the second floor of the airport at night and stumbles upon Amelia, an American woman, whom he has formed a connection with throughout the plot. As Amelia walks into frame, the score becomes representative of the classical Hollywood soft, melodic piano scoring, which evokes emotion from Amelia as she argues with Viktor and begins to cry. As the scene progresses, Viktor presents Amelia with a view of an abstract fountain, which is a gift from Viktor. The romantic score becomes lighter as Amelia forgives Viktor for his lack of honesty. In addition, this symbolises Viktor being transitioned into Amelia’s world, the American culture. This also confirms that the score is representative of Amelia and their romance as it provides context of what is occurring through the emotive musical instruments, such as the warm tone of the strings and piano, as well as the despairing tone of the flute and the clarinet, which functions in a c-major musical approach. These functions fill spatial and temporal gaps within this scene as it highlights the space in which Viktor is trapped within as well as emphasises that his every move is accompanied by the orchestrated score. The functions not only fill the gaps in the plot, but also convey that every moment is contributing to and foreshadowing his isolation and his identity crisis manifesting.

Conclusion

Placing the attributes of the classical Hollywood scoring model at the core of the research essay’s intention, it became clear, upon reflection, that although Mildred Pierce and The Terminal are not strictly melodramas, they possess melodramatic traits. The classical Hollywood scoring within both films allows for human reality to be conveyed on screen as the orchestrated scores are associated with feeling and subjectivity. As Neale suggests: “The classical Hollywood film score can best be understood not as a rigid structural or stylistic manifesto but rather as a set of conventions formulated to sustain and heighten the active reality of the classical narrative film.” (Neale, 2012, 264). Furthermore, Max Steiner’s scoring in Mildred Pierce, which paved the way for the orchestrated score being a key attribute in contemporary studio films, demonstrates how attributes within the classical Hollywood scoring model are vital to the narrative and how the scoring model can be used in modern filmmaking. Although it is inclusive that the spectator will become used to the classical Hollywood score through the muzak approach, the classical Hollywood score is more important than background music in both films discussed within this essay, as it evokes emotion from the characters through gendered scoring, associates with the characters through the use of the leitmotif and indicates to the spectator of the suspenseful moments occurring on screen through the use of spatial and temporal gaps being filled within the narrative, which ultimately establishes the films aesthetic. Although the attributes must be used within the scoring model, the classical era in Hollywood would be ineffective without them. As a result, the classical Hollywood scoring model is a function that will live on, as it has historically influenced musicology within film and, more impressively, is an important function in cinema today.