THE STORY & GENRE -- Carnival barker commits suicide and meets the afterlife in the final 30 minutes of this tragi-romance.
THE VERDICT -- My heresy is that IMO this film version is better than Fritz Lang's 1934 LILIOM, and just as good as CAROUSEL. Maybe it's that the philosophical markers are better lit here, not striving for Lang's hard watch or Carousel's artiness. I don't have a problem with Liliom's abusive nature because it's the antithesis of his carefree public demeanor, and it's a lesson also. If all we focus upon is what a person "ought to be" then we will not address the intricacies of the human relationship. The film does not purport to be Frank Capraesque or Kubrickese, there is no particular direction you're supposed to turn. I think many viewers have a hard time with that, although by no means would I call this an art film.
FREE ONLINE -- There is a 94-minute version with exit music, and a 92-minute version without exit music. Both can be found. The 90-minute with exit music just runs fast.
THE VERDICT -- My heresy is that IMO this film version is better than Fritz Lang's 1934 LILIOM, and just as good as CAROUSEL. Maybe it's that the philosophical markers are better lit here, not striving for Lang's hard watch or Carousel's artiness. I don't have a problem with Liliom's abusive nature because it's the antithesis of his carefree public demeanor, and it's a lesson also. If all we focus upon is what a person "ought to be" then we will not address the intricacies of the human relationship. The film does not purport to be Frank Capraesque or Kubrickese, there is no particular direction you're supposed to turn. I think many viewers have a hard time with that, although by no means would I call this an art film.
FREE ONLINE -- There is a 94-minute version with exit music, and a 92-minute version without exit music. Both can be found. The 90-minute with exit music just runs fast.