As a rule in his Hollywood films Charles Boyer was never called upon to show much animation - of course I haven't seen them all as I can take or leave him - and usually personified gravitas, ruthlessness even, stone- face etc. In fact the only role I can think of where he unleashed any exuberance was a late one, in Barefoot In The Park, so it's something of a revelation to see him in the opening scenes of Liliom, breaking in and keeping warm the striped jersey for Gordon Macrae in Carousel. Trivia buffs will appreciate an early glimpse of Viviane Romance and Florelle is also on hand in her pre-Le Crime of Monsieur Lange days. Anyone who has seen Carousel will be struck at how closely it adheres to Liliom and vice versa. Personally I failed to detect any Langisms but I do take exception to one poster who dismissed Billy Wilder's work in France as 'negligible' and lauding Weill's insipid Seven Deadly Sins. If 'Mauvaise Graine' is negligible then 'Les Enfants du Paradis' is ho hum at best.
Review of Liliom
