Film 360

Essay 1

Instructor: Todd Decker

Summer Sun

02.23.2025

Psychological Turmoil in Sound: Miklós Rózsa’s Film Scores

Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend (1945) and Youssef Chahine’s Cairo Station (1958),

though different in genre and setting, both depict characters struggling with mental instability.

Surprisingly, both films feature music by Miklós Rózsa— Despite originally composing the

score for The Lost Weekend, Rózsa’s music was later borrowed directly in Cairo Station. While

the same musical themes are present in both films, Wilder and Chahine employ them in distinct

ways to shape their narratives and deepen the audience’s understanding of their protagonists’

psychological struggles. This paper will examine how Miklós Rózsa’s score is used in The Lost

Weekend and Cairo Station to evoke empathy for characters suffering from mental illness.

The Lost Weekend

“Don’t wipe it away, let me has my vicious cycle” [13:43]

The story begins with a view of the New York skyline, depicting the tumultuous weekend

of Don Birnam (played by Ray Milland), an alcoholic struggling with his addiction. Over the

course of the weekend, the film explores both his love story and the depth of his dependence on

alcohol. The line, “Don’t wipe it away, let me have my vicious cycle,” serves as a powerful

summary of Don’s life—his drinking is a cycle he cannot escape, and even when he makes

attempts to improve, he inevitably falls back into his old patterns. This cyclical nature is

mirrored in the film’s prelude, New York Skyline, where the melody briefly rises before returning

to its repetitive notes, reflecting Don’s endless struggle. Similarly, Don Stays Home, often

referred to as Don’s Theme, uses strings and the theremin to heighten the sense of instability.

The theremin, an instrument known for its eerie, wavering sound, introduces an unpredictable

element—its sudden pitch shifts mirror Don’s uncontrollable addiction, as he seems powerless to

resist alcohol’s grip on his mind. Notably, Don’s Theme recurs frequently when his thoughts are

overtaken by alcoholism, reinforcing his internal turmoil.

This is reflected in the scene when Don steals the housekeeper’s money and heads to the

bar to drink. Starting at [11:20], as Don enters the bar, the mise-en-scène in this shot is

interesting—the foreground is filled with liquor bottles, with Don positioned between them. A

zoom-in shot then reveals a conversation between Don and the bartender. The soundtrack at this

point contains both diegetic and non-diegetic elements, featuring Don’s Theme in the

background along with the dialogue, though the focus remains on the conversation. Between

[11:20] and [12:35], Don buys apples and goes to another bar, with Don’s Theme continuedly

playing in the background as a repetitive string motif. At [12:37], when he enters the bar and

greets the bartender, Nat, the score momentarily softens and brightens as they engage in casual

chit-chat, making Don appear charming for a brief moment. However, at [12:48], the music

suddenly shifts to a more intense melody as Don brings up his desire for a drink. Then, at

[13:03], the music becomes more intense and faster-paced when Don pulls out the money. At

[13:10], as Nat fills the glass with liquor, the theremin is introduced. The theremin continues for

20 seconds as Don lights his cigarette, hesitating before drinking. Finally, at [13:33], Don’s

Theme reaches its peak as he drinks the glass of liquor. The moment he finishes, the music stops.

During the scene, the score gradually grows louder. The volume of Don’s Theme

represents how deeply his mind is consumed by alcoholism. As the scene progresses, the

layering of music reinforces his escalating mental struggle, introducing fast-paced strings and the

theremin intensifying the tension. However, Don’s Theme dose not only appear when he is

drinking. The thing that keeps him trapped in this cycle is perhaps not just alcoholism, but also

his inability to face any setbacks.

This is reflected in the music as well. At [39:20], Don is in the hotel lobby waiting for

Helen’s parents. The score here is initially soft and bright. Then, at [39:40], the music gradually

fades away, leaving only diegetic sound, emphasizing the parents’ worrisome conversation about

Don being unemployed. At [40:15], although he has not been drinking for a while, Don’s Theme

is gradually reintroduced as he overhears their negative remarks about him. As the music grows

louder, Don becomes increasingly uneasy. Finally, at [40:30], with the introduction of the

theremin, he abruptly leaves his seat, attempting to escape.

The introduction of the theremin here once again reveals Don’s inner turmoil. While

often associated with his alcoholism, Billy Wilder uses this element to represent Don’s broader

psychological struggles. As the audience, whenever we hear the theremin, we immediately

recognize that Don is experiencing mental struggles.

Cairo Station

“Thousands of people meet, thousands of others bid farewell.” [00:17]

In 1950s Cairo, the bustling train station is a melting pot of stories, unfolding as trains

arrive and depart. Cairo Station follows Qenawi (played by Youssef Chahine), a mentally

unstable newspaper vendor whose obsession with Hannuma (played by Hind Rustum) ultimately

leads him to commit murder. Director Youssef Chahine directly borrowed the score from The

Lost Weekend, particularly Don’s Theme, to portray Qenawi’s shifting mental states. Once again,

the score serves as a crucial tool in helping the audience understand the protagonist’s

psychological struggles.

At [41:50], Qenawi feels betrayed as Hannuma walks out of the barn, and Don’s Theme

begins. However, instead of a gradual transition, the theme enters abruptly with the theremin,

directly expressing Qenawi’s anger. Interestingly, at the same time, a diegetic sound of a

newspaper vendor announcing the news of a mutilated body in a truck can be heard, creating an

ominous parallel to Qenawi’s growing instability. Right after this, at [41:56], as Don’s Theme

grows louder, the diegetic sound of Qenawi breaking a glass is introduced, reinforcing his

emotional turmoil. Then, at [42:00], the orchestral version of Don’s Theme shifts to a piano

arrangement, as if Qenawi is quietly scheming something in his mind. At [42:04], the scene

transitions to a knife seller, and the orchestral version of Don’s Theme reoccurs. By [42:10], the

theme fades away as the knife swings in front of Qenawi, seemingly “Mickey Mousing” the

tone—syncing the music with the visual action. The sequence ends with the return of soft piano

notes, leaving a lingering sense of unease.

Youssef Chahine’s direct use of the theremin section from Don’s Theme might seem

abrupt, possibly due to the limitations of scoring technology at the time. However, to me, this

direct quotation of the theme’s climax does not feel out of place. Unlike Don, who struggles with

mental instability but remains rational, Qenawi is portrayed as a true psychopath. His emotions

are far more extreme, and a single event can trigger an immediate transformation into a state of

rage. The use of the piano here further emphasizes Qenawi’s unstable mental state. Accompanied

by the diegetic sound of the announcing news about a mutilated body in a truck and Qenawi’s

actions, the piano suggests that he is already plotting to murder Hannuma the moment he feels

betrayed. The subsequent knife seller scene further confirms this. Therefore, even though this

quotation of Don’s Theme might initially seem sudden, it perfectly aligns with Qenawi’s

characterization in my opinion.

Raise before Fall

Notably, both Cairo Station and The Lost Weekend feature musical moments where the

score briefly rises to match a warmer scene before transitioning into the theremin’s unsettling

tones. As discussed above, scenes like Don waiting in the lobby or casually chatting with the

bartender are accompanied by a softer, brighter section of Don’s Theme. Cairo Station has

similar moments; for instance, at [01:02:00], when Qenawi imagines the cat as Hannuma, the

music softens to match the tenderness of the scene. However, instead of using the same part of

Don’s Theme, Youssef Chahine incorporates a more Islamic-influenced score. This serves the

same narrative function but adds a distinct cultural flavor, reinforcing both the Cairo setting and

the film’s nuanced portrayal of a pathetic character.

Through its use in both The Lost Weekend and Cairo Station, Miklós Rózsa’s score

serves as a powerful tool for shaping audience perception of psychological turmoil. While The

Lost Weekend portrays alcoholism as an inescapable cycle of self-destruction, Cairo Station

intensifies this theme by associating the same music with a character descending into psychosis

and violence. Ultimately, despite their different contexts, both films demonstrate how music can

evoke deep empathy for troubled protagonists, reinforcing the emotional weight of their

struggles.