Carousel

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, but sad!
Review: The VHS version of "Carousel" is good, but not like on a widescreen. The location of Maine is just beautiful and takes you back to that time in the 1870's. Shirley Jones captures the essence of "Julie" and she gives her depth to stand up to "Billy". She falls completely in love with him no matter what he says to her. The issue of spousal abuse is evident when it's brought up that he hit her. She defends him because he is unhappy and gives her support to that. Billy on the other hand,isn't the type to be married as he can't do what he wants. (I wonder how Frank Sinatra would have played this part) Gordon MacRae is good and paired again with Shirley to play a different pair. They do have the screen chemistry here very much. As far as the plotline for Billy goes, he changes his tune after he finds out he's to be a father and decides to provide for his family. But, when he and his ruffian friend, Jigger plan a robbery and it goes wrong, who is the one that is blamed?

Billy of course and he falls on his knife. No matter what kind of person he was, I think he has changed in all the time he was waiting to get into heaven. He almost spoils it by slapping his daughter. Louise seems to be just like he was at the age of fifteen. She is young and impressionable and thinks alot of people are conceited. Her schoolmate, the elder son of the Snow's isn't convinced of her actions. His mother, Julie's friend Carrie isn't too happy to be the mother of the many children and says so to her husband. Although, you know that she wanted to be "Mrs. Snow" as earlier in the play. But, the main focus is on Julie, Billy and their young daughter. The song "If I Loved You" seems to be the main theme of the star-crossed lovers. Does he love her? Does she love him? In the end you know they probably did love each other. The final scene of the graduation and "You'll Never Walk Alone" is so touching and when you see Billy go back, you know he did something right. It gives you hope for Julie and Louise ,her daughter. I think you have to have a heavy in this film as it would change the meaning of how it was written. You know that Billy is not a bad guy, but underneath a good guy.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful film, damaged by Hollywood tampering
Review: This is a beautiful film, and very moving. The scenary is breathtaking, as it was shot on location in Maine. Shirley Jones shows more depth as an actress than in "Oklahoma" or "Music Man", and although Gordon McRae is too old, and a bit out of shape for those tight sweaters, he sings brilliantly. The real problem is the screenplay, which changed the original play libretto to begin the film with Billy (McRae) already dead! So the movie is a flashback. I see no reason for this, except that the times dicatated that musical comedies cannot involve death, so this approach made it less threatening, and easier to take. But, it has always bothered me because the dramatic suspense is now gone. You know that Billy will die, just not how. The "flashback" approach is not appropriate here. But this was 1956. The choreography is good, but for some reason, Agnes DeMille was not engaged as she was for "Oklahoma". She did receive credit for "Louise's Ballet" since the choreographer used her concepts for his work. But, it does not have the energy and polish of "Oklahoma".

Rating:
Summary: A great musical; a fine movie
Review: This is a very fine movie adaptation of a great musical. It can be difficult today to understand how groundbreaking this show was, not only in terms of subject matter, but in the way Rodgers and Hammerstein revolutionized the treatment of songs and their relationship to plot and characterization. Before R&H, few musicals addressed serious issues. The musical numbers tended to be showstoppers designed to showcase the strengths of the performer: it wasn't unusual to lift a number out of one show and insert into another to suit the whims of whoever was the star of the moment. After Rodgers & Hammerstein this became impossible: one could never, for example, take a song from The King and I and arbitrarily put it into Oklahoma! Gordon MacRae might not be John Raitt, but he's wonderful in this film, and Shirley Jones gives one of the best performances in the history of American movie musicals. There really isn't a weak link in this cast. I'll admit that, by today's standards, Carousel might seem a bit sentimental. If you're at all interested in American theatre history, you must see this. If, like me, you love musicals, you'll have to own it.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best, but not too bad!!
Review: This movie isn't the best, certainly not as good as Oklahoma, or The Sound of Music, but I found it pretty good. The music, I loved. June is Bustin' Out All Over is a great song! It's a cute, sweet, musical movie, and I like it!

Rating:
Summary: Great Songs, Great Musical, Great Message
Review: This musical has about the best songs of any musical ever written/composed. The lead male character has, with the passage of time since the late 1950s, been given a complete pass on his personal behavior due to his membership in the Democratic Party, which ignores such activities if the perpetrator's ideology is congruent with theirs. Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae were at their peaks, they were just terrific.

Rating:
Summary: One of Roger and Hammerstein's most under-rated musicals
Review: Until about a month ago, I knew almost nothing about this musical, Carousel. I only had a vague awareness of one tune ("If I Loved You"). However, I came across an LP (yes!) of the film soundtrack and, on a whim, decided to buy it (what the heck, it was only 10 cents). After listening to the entire LP, I was thoroughly astounded. I happen to love Hollywood musicals, yet here was a new one for me. Shirley Jones and Gordon McRae sounded fantastic on the soundtrack, and I quickly purchased the DVD of Carousel. Needless to say, it is one of my most pleasing DVD purchases. For those who do not know, Carousel is Roger and Hammerstein's second Broadway musical, after Oklahoma, from the mid-1940s and was made into a film in the mid-1950s. It was supposedly filmed in cinemascope 55 (actually 35) and reunited Jones and McRae, who had starred together in the film version of Oklahoma.

The film was a flop when it was released, unfortunately. The reasons are multifold. First, the film cut out a few of the songs from the musical and cut out parts of other songs. These songs are present in full length on the soundtrack. Personally, this did not bother me, as I felt the cut songs are a little weaker than the rest, and the partially cut songs only had the intros cut, which wasn't a big deal for me. But it probably disturbed the purists during the film's initial release. Secondly, the musical, beautiful as it might be, is a bit of a downer at the end, which might have turned some audiences off. By the time West Side Story made it to the big screen, audiences' tastes had changed sufficiently but not yet at Carousel's initial release. Thirdly, the storyline is changed somewhat in the movie from the Broadway version; it starts at the end and is told mostly in flashback. I feel this was probably a bad decision on the screenwriters but was probably their way of compensating for the melancholy ending. At any rate, on my DVD, I just skip the first seven minutes and watch the film from there, so no problem. Lastly, some of the original choreography from the play was changed in the film; it was retained for the Louise's Ballet near the end but changed elsewhere. Again, this did not bother me, but then again, I haven't seen the theater version, so I cannot judge for sure. However, the choreography for Louise's Ballet was quite beautiful.

Anyways, the story deals with the bittersweet love between a young Maine girl and a carousel barker and the consequences that befall them after they run off to get married and return to the girl's coastal town. Along the way, we get to hear some truly breath-taking singing by Shirley Jones and Gordon McRae, especially in "If I Loved You," McRae's "Soliloquy," and "What's the Use of Wond'rin." I've rarely heard better singing in a musical. And the rest of the singing cast is superb as well, especially in the songs "When the Children are Asleep" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."

The DVD has been THX-remastered and it sounds quite heavenly (however, you need to change audio to hear it, as the DVD will by default start with the original 2-channel soundtrack). The picture quality is good enough (not superb, since there are some blemishes and the film's age shows here and there), but overall, the film looks great. Plus, we get to see some of the astounding cinematography of the cinemascope process that usually gets chopped when seen on TV.

I'm glad I finally saw this musical. For whatever faults the film version may possess, I think the music and the dancing and the poignancy of the storyline make this truly a worthwhile film to see. It is at any rate better than South Pacific or King and I or State Fair.

For lovers of musicals, I highly recommend Carousel!

Rating:
Summary: Not family entertainment
Review: We purchased Carousel as part of a boxed set. Having found R&H musicals to be excellent family fare, suitable for our 8 year old with plenty of re-watchability, we found this title to be disappointing.

While I suppose the gloomy storyline and adult oriented themes may be pleasing to some, our entire family found this picture to be unpleasant. The few good production numbers (i.e. "June is Busting Out All Over") aren't enough to overcome the negative feel. We will probably not play this movie again, unlike others in the set such as Oklahoma, The King & I, and Sound of Music which we view over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: If I have to see this movie again, I will scream!
Review: When I rented this film, I thought that it would be rather interesting. However, I found it to be very dull, depressing, and long. Also, the characters speak about clams for around ten minutes! How DULL! However, the ending makes you think how much you should'nt take life for granted and brought tears to my eyes. OK for watching once, but, a second time could kill you.

Rating:
Summary: MISTER RODGERS'S FAVOURITE MUSICAL
Review: Yes i know FRANK SINATRA was supposed to play BILLY;the first song YOU'RE A QUEER ONE JULIE JORDAN was cut and the screenplay is different from the 1945 stage version ,but those wonderful romantic songs are timeless and FRANK has recorded them more than once(his 1963 versions of some of these songs are wonderful:the title is THE CONCERT SINATRA)Honours must go to GORDON MacRAE who had to learn the part quickly and does a good job in the handling of SOLILOQUY.

Rating:
Summary: Takes you on a magical ride !
Review: Yes I totally agree this movie should have been PG ,but this movie takes your breath away like all the other Rodgers and Hammerstein's films this also has romance there is Anna and the King Of Siam , there's : Laurie and Curly ,there's also : Captain Von Trapp and Maria , let's not forget: The medical nurse ,and the dashing young salior , last but not least :Billy and Julie . See Roger's and Hammerstein's films are full with roamnce every last one of them . But the classic musical I'll never forget till my dying day is the one and only Carousel .