Liliom

Ferenc Molnar according to David Ewen's book on Richard Rodgers turned down Giacomo Puccini to do an opera on Liliom. He said that he would rather Liliom be remembered as a Molnar play than a Puccini opera. Sad to say that if remembered it's remembered as the source of the Rodgers&Hammerstein musical Carousel. Watching Liliom now is like watching George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, you just drop in the songs where they go. A bit more difficult for Liliom as the locale was changed to coastal Maine from Budapest. Still it can be done.

Charles Boyer, soon to take up permanent residence in Hollywood and Madeline Ozeray are perfectly cast Liliom and Julie. The character of Liliom seems perfect for Fritz Lang's dismal view of the world. Liliom would like to do better for himself, but he seems condemned to barking for a carousel ride and providing the female owner a lift now and then. Seeing Julie who is not quite as innocent as she is in Carousel is him reaching for a last chance at happiness.

One hopes there is a heaven where one might get a chance to do something that might merit decent digs there. I did like the surreal black and white images of traveling to and arriving in heaven that Lang employed.

Joseph Schildkraut did an acclaimed Liliom on Broadway and there is an earlier American talkie version of Liliom starring Charles Farrell. Drop songs in if you must, but this Liliom is a classic unto itself.