Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Film Music Structure for Arsenic and Old Lace

Number	Scene Type	Time	Theme	Variant	Gesture	On-screen
1	opening title sequence	0:00:00	Signature			WB shield
2		0:00:13	Happy Land	Allegretto		Main title
3		0:00:21	Happy Land	Chromatic		Cast list
4		0:00:29	Transition			Cast list
5		0:00:39	Happy Land	Screwy Gavotte		Cast list
6		0:00:47	Happy Land	Gospel		Cast list
7		0:00:54	Happy Land	Marcato		Cast list
8		0:00:58	Chromatic Fall			Max Steiner's name
9		0:01:10	Sidewalks of New York	Misterioso		New York City
10	sporting event	0:01:20	Take Me Out to the Ball Game			Fans yelling at a ball game
11		0:01:38			Punching and falling	A fight starts on the field
12	transition	0:01:53	Sidewalks of New York	Expressivo		A ship sailing under a bridge
13	establish character	0:01:59	Here Comes the Bride	Marriage License Bureau		"Marriage License Bureau" sign
14		0:02:20	Underscoring (Comical)			Mortimer hides from the reporters
15		0:02:42	Here Comes the Bride	Wow Wow Trumpet		Reporters talk
16		0:02:51	Two by Two			The marriage clerk sings
17		0:03:34	Here Comes the Bride	Modulating		Hiding in a telephone booth
18		0:03:53			Hanging up	Mortimer hangs up the phone
19		0:04:17	The Old Maid			Mortimer talks to Elaine
20		0:04:54	Here Comes the Bride	Modulating		Mortimer and Elaine rush off
21		0:05:00	Here Comes the Bride	Chinese		Chinese girl turns around
22		0:05:05	Here Comes the Bride	Comical		Goofy man turns around
23	establish setting	0:05:13	Sidewalks of New York	Quasi Barcarolle		The Brewster home
24		0:05:30	Sidewalks of New York	Walking		Cops patrol the neighborhood
25	establish character	0:06:25	Rondo Alla Turca			Teddy plays the harpsichord
26		0:09:05	The Aunts			Aunt Abby scurries across the room
27		0:09:11	Happy Land	Lento		Reverend talks about the Brewster sisters
28	advance plot	0:12:26	The Aunts			Reverend leaves
29		0:12:31	Happy Land	Lento		The aunts talk
30		0:13:16	The Aunts	Grazioso Con Moto		The aunts talk
31		0:13:34	Happy Land	Grazioso		The aunts talk
32		0:13:48			Wind blowing	Wind blows the curtains at the window
33		0:13:52	The Aunts	Allegretto		The aunts run to the window
34		0:13:59			Opens window	The aunts open the window
35	love scene	0:14:00	Here Comes the Bride	Full		Elaine appears in the window
36		0:14:10	Here Comes the Bride	Modulating		Mortimer calls to Elaine
37		0:14:41	Here Comes the Bride	Religioso		Mortimer and Elaine in the cemetery
38		0:14:48			Chasing	Mortimer chases Elaine around a tree
39		0:14:51	Underscoring (Mysterious)			Mortimer flirts with Elaine
40		0:15:02	Here Comes the Bride	Appassionato		The aunts peek out of the window
41		0:15:17	Here Comes the Bride	Church Bells		Mortimer follows Elaine
42		0:15:25	Here Comes the Bride	Appassionato		Mortimer and Elaine kiss
43		0:15:36	Here Comes the Bride	Modulating		Mortimer and Elaine talk
44		0:16:10	Here Comes the Bride	Appassionato		Mortimer and Elaine kiss
45		0:16:22	Here Comes the Bride	Church Bells		Mortimer and Elaine talk
46		0:16:31			Chasing	Elaine runs off
47		0:16:37	Here Comes the Bride			Elaine whistles
48		NIF	Here Comes the Bride	Modulating 2
49		0:17:02	Here Comes the Bride			Mortimer whistles
50	advance plot	0:18:44	Break the News to Mother			Teddy sings
51		0:18:54	Jonathan			Jonathan Brewster's picture is shown
52		NIF	The Aunts
53		NIF	Happy Land	Lento
54	advance plot	0:19:52	Here Comes the Bride			Mortimer at the window seat
55		0:20:06	Happy Land			Abby sings
56	turning point	0:23:14	Jonathan			Mortimer reacts to the reveal
57		0:23:44	Here Comes the Bride	Elaine Whistles		Elaine whistles out of her window
58		0:23:58	Here Comes the Bride	Running		Mortimer runs to the door
59	advance plot	0:24:16	Happy Land			Abby, Martha, and Mortimer in the kitchen
60		0:26:22	Here Comes the Bride			Elaine whistles on the phone
61		0:29:30	Break the News to Mother			Mortimer listens to Teddy sing
62		0:31:04	Here Comes the Bride			Elaine whistles in Mortimer's ear
63		0:39:01	The Aunts			The aunts talk
64		0:39:06	Happy Land	Screwyoso		The aunts talk
65		0:39:28	Happy Land	String Quartet		The aunts set the table
66	establish character	0:39:58	The Aunts	Frightened		The aunts see shadows at the door
67		0:40:30	Jonathan 2			Jonathan enters the house
68		0:40:54	Scar			The scar on Jonathan's face
69		0:41:03	Home Sweet Home	Ominous		Jonathan looks around the house
70		0:41:31	Scar	Misterioso		They see the food
71		0:41:42	Home Sweet Home + Scar	Expressivo		Abby talks to Jonathan
72		0:42:08	Underscoring (Tense)			Jonathan talks to the aunts
73		0:42:29	Scar	Face		Jonathan talks about his scar
74		0:42:41	Mysterioso Pizzicato			Martha talks about scary movies
75		0:42:56	Underscoring (Tense)			Jonathan glares at Dr. Einstein
76		0:43:08	Jonathan 2			Jonathan talks about the operation
77		0:43:20	Scar			Dr. Einstein talks to the aunts
78		0:43:28	Home Sweet Home	Ominous		Dr. Einstein talks to the aunts
79		0:43:40	Home Sweet Home	Tranquillo		Jonathan sits down
80		0:44:00	The Aunts	Frightened		The aunts go into the kitchen
81		0:45:22	The Aunts	Frightened		The aunts peek through the kitchen window
82		0:45:29	Scar			Dr. Einstein describes how he will fix Jonathan's face
83	advance plot	0:49:12	Jonathan 2			Jonathan threatens the aunts
84		0:49:36	Scar			Dr. Einstein calls to Jonathan
85		0:49:45	Underscoring (Tense)			Jonathan follows Dr. Einstein
86		0:49:45	When Johnny Comes Marching Home			Dr. Einstein spies on Teddy
87		0:50:14	Scar	Dark		Jonathan and Dr. Einstein watch Teddy dig
88		0:50:20	The Aunts	Frightened		Jonathan and Dr. Einstein talk
89		0:52:20	The Aunts	Grazioso Con Moto		The aunts move through the kitchen
90		0:52:32			Wind blowing 2	The aunts walk to the window
91		0:52:41	Stinger			Jonathan suddenly appears at the window
92		0:52:48	Jonathan 2			Jonathan comes in the window
93		0:53:35	Jonathan	Fragmented		Jonathan and the doctor go up the stairs
94		0:53:55	The Aunts			Aunt Abby goes to the front door
95		0:54:01	Underscoring (Mysterious)			Aunt Abby goes up the stairs
96		0:54:12	The Aunts	Molto Misterioso		Aunt Abby faces Jonathan
97		0:54:30	Underscoring (Tense)			Jonathan goes up the stairs
98		0:54:54	Happy Land	Dirge		Teddy looks for the body in the dark
99		0:55:21	Funeral March			Teddy carries the body down the stairs
100		0:56:27	Underscoring (Dark)			Einstein looks around in the dark
101		0:56:48			Blows out match	Einstein blows out the match
102		0:57:04	Jonathan 2	Dark		Jonathan exits
103		0:58:10	Underscoring (Tense)			Someone knocks at the door
104		0:58:28	Here Comes the Bride	Tense		Elaine comes in the door
105		0:58:39	Scar	Tense		Close-up on Dr. Einstein's face
106		0:58:55	Jonathan 2			Jonathan emerges from the shadows
107		1:00:36	Jonathan 2	Ominous		Jonathan backs Elaine into a corner
108	conflict	1:01:21	Underscoring (Dramatic)			They take Elaine into the cellar
109		1:01:40	Organ Stinger			Aunts emerge in black upstairs
110		1:01:49	The Aunts	Frightened		Aunts talk to Jonathan
111	funeral	1:19:56	Happy Land			Mortimer with the taxi driver
112		1:22:17	Happy Land			Mortimer talks with Elaine through her window
113	advance plot	1:27:02	Symphony No. 5: I			Teddy plays the bugle
114	conflict	1:29:57	Molto Agitato			Jonathan ties Mortimer to a chair
115		1:30:11	The Victim			Mortimer tied up in a chair
116		1:31:05	Knives			Mortimer looks at the knives
117		1:31:48	Panic			Einstein agrees to do the torture
118		1:32:11	Scar	Fast		Einstein finds some wine
119		1:32:25	How Dry I Am	Mysterious		Einstein and Jonathan start to drink the wine
120		1:32:35	Underscoring (Tense)			They toast to Mortimer
121		1:32:56	Bugle Call			Teddy plays the bugle
122	climax	1:49:14	Bugle Call			Mortimer blows the bugle
123		1:50:41	Happy Land			Mortimer sings
124	resolution	1:57:05	Happy Land	The End		Mortimer carries Elaine away
125	end title sequence	1:57:20	Happy Land	March		Cast list