"Carousel"

Title: "Carousel"
Director: Henry King
Producer: Henry Ephron
Editing: William H. Reynolds
Composer:
- Music: Richard Rodgers
- Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Starring:
- Gordon MacRae as Billy Bigelow
- Shirley Jones as Julie Jordan
- Cameron Mitchell as Jigger Craigin
- Barbara Ruick as Carrie Pipperidge

Plot and Critical Review: At long last we've reached a musical. One of the many projects immortalized by the legendary team of Rodgers & Hammerstein, "Carousel" is widely regarded as the musical containing Rodger's most beautiful songs and Hammerstein's most poignant lyrics. Keep in mind these that these comments have been made against other well-known R&H shows such as "South Pacific, "Oklahoma!", and the epic "Sound of Music." Of all their shows this is also regarded as being the most serious.

"Carousel" is the story of Billy Bigelow, a carousel barker (one who stands on the carnival midway and calls people to a certain attraction) who falls in love with the naive and achingly sweet Julie Jordan. The film begins, however, in heaven. We first come upon Bigelow while he's perched on a ladder shining stars. A fellow approaches him and tells him that his family (on Earth) is having a difficult time. Although remorseful, Bigelow shrugs, believing there's nothing he can do. What a surprise when he's told that he is allowed to return to Earth for just one day! Billy goes to talk to the Starkeeper (God) and is asked to give up the story of his life to prove that he's worthy of returning.

We go to the carnival the night Bigelow first tells Julie he likes her. Julie can't resist Bigelow's charms and soon the two are married (in the land of the musical, yes, it can happen that easily!), but at the expense of Bigelow losing his job. Julie's affection for Billy remains steadfast even when Billy hits her (not beats, as he boldly protests to said claims) and his attitude begins to fail while the depression of unemployment hits him hard. An unexpected but welcome blessing arrives when Julie announces she's pregnant. Although Billy is initially terrified he accepts and embraces the idea of a son and sings the charming "Soliloqy." Concerned that he and Julie won't have enough money to support their child Bigelow agrees to go along with his friend Jigger (a scurvy New Englander) on a plan to make some cash. In the midst of their cash-grab they're caught. Rigger runs. Billy runs too but in his attempt to escape falls on his own knife and dies in the arms of his wife. Cousin Nettie comes to Julie and assures her with the beautiful ballad "You'll Never Walk Alone." Serving the same purpose as the inspirational "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from "Sound of Music," "You'll Never..." has found a place in the sphere of Christian music. Here are the lyrics:

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone.

We go back to the office of the Starkeeper who decides that Bigelow is worthy of going back to Earth for a single day. Billy returns to find his beautiful 15-year old daughter (!) constantly teased by the other children (there's a prophetic appearance of a strict father with 7 children in perfectly ascending age and height) for the crime her father attempted to commit. Billy is granted the ability to appear only to whom he desires and when he appears and tries to comfort Louise (his girl) she runs away from him. He requests more time so that he can attend Louise's graduation. He is granted his request and at the graduation he silently/invisibly encourages his daughter and wife, assuring them of his everlasting love. Frowns transform into smiles as "You'll Never Walk Alone" is lifted up by all those in attendance as a great anthem of victory over sadness and sorrow. The film ends with Billy standing by the sea, his head lifted high and his eyes bright with the knowledge that he has redeemed his mortal foolishness.

My Rating: 8/10

The "Reel Revelation": "Second Chances"

We've all been there, stuck within the perilous moment when the realization sinks in that we've done something wrong and we would give anything to reverse our actions. And then, to add insult to injury, we remind ourselves that going back in time is impossible, that what's done is done. How many times have you felt that way? More than you can count? More than you'd like to admit, perhaps? If you answered yes to any of those questions then it seems you're as human as everyone else and subject to making the same mistakes; committing the same sins, and likely to feel the same sense of crushing regret.

We make mistakes. Period. It happens! Something slips through our lips that we thought was buried deep within. Sometimes it's "I love you!" followed by an eternity of blushing and sometimes it's "I hate you!" followed by...yikes. Or maybe your feet step forward and your hands reach out and you commit an act (whatever kind of act you please) that you never thought you would or were even capable of! A while back I learned a wonderful saying: "The only difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the Christian is saved!" While being saved and sanctified through the blood of Jesus should make all the difference, thoughts like this should remind us that we are just as capable of making mistakes and committing sin as anyone else! Anyone else!

We don't have to think very hard to remind ourselves of the consequence of something we've done wrong. If you do have to think for a while you're probably not as honest with yourself as you should, and I don't think that's too strong a thing to say given the subject matter. Remembering what we've lost because of the dark deeds we've committed can cause us to wish more than anything that we could go back and undo the damage in our past, the damage that still causes our hearts to tremble in the present. But we cannot. Even though there are certain things we might do to relieve the tension between ourselves and those we've wronged through reconciliation and the exchanging of words of forgiveness, we cannot reverse the ultimate consequence of sin.

Ah, but rejoice!, for what we cannot do, God can! Jesus is the Second Chance for all humanity. He was sent by God to save us from the eternal consequences of the first "mistake" Adam and Eve made so long ago. Even though we are still subject to worldly consequences when we do wrong (so long as we defend righteous codes of justice in our country and the world) Jesus bled and died that we would escape the everlasting condemnation of sin.

But what does this means for us during Lent? It means that we can live with the confidence that even though our sins are great and the consequence of our sin is all the greater, our God will rescue us from the eternal consequence we ourselves cannot escape. And God won't stop with plucking us out of the mire of this dark world; he will empower us to live righteously and peacefully that the world may see Jesus in and through our lives. And the ever-present Spirit of God will teach us the ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness so that the sins we do commit against our neighbors may be forgiven, that we might not cause anyone to stumble or fall.

See you tomorrow - E.T.