misswonderly3 Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Did anyone catch this delightful 1953 MGM musical this morning? I don't care, some might scoff and say it's too sentimental or too simple or too something or other, but I love this sweet little movie and always will. Maybe partly because the first time I saw it was as a young girl, and since it's almost guaranteed to appeal to young girls, I fell in love with it. With Mel Ferrer, too. Despite the big production values (Lili's dream sequences, the vivid Techincolour, etc.) *Lili* always feels to me like a sweet and innocent story. The puppet sequences are both funny and touching, as is Leslie Caron's interaction with them, and her performance in general. Maybe part of its appeal is the circus/travelling show mileau, I've always loved carnival settings in movies. They seem so unlike everybody else's lives, these carnival performers. Not an easy life, but at least not a boring one. I always feel like I want to be in the world of the travelling carnival shows in movies. And no "maybe" about it, definitely part of why I enjoy *Lili* so much is Mel Ferrer. He may seem to some an odd choice for a fave as a sexy actor, but I find him extremely attractive, and never more than in *Lili*. I like his unusual face and expressive eyes. Of course the catchy little song doesn't hurt, either. I always have it going through my head for a while after I see this lovely little movie. By the way, I much prefer this 1953 MGM production starring Leslie Caron to the more famous one that followed 5 years later. Of course I'm talking about *Gigi*, also an MGM musical, also starring Leslie Caron, and also about an innocent young girl's coming of age. Anybody else a fan of *Lili* ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I saw LiLi for the first time when TCM showed it about 8 or so months back. The story really moved me and I agree that it is a 'sweet little movie'. Ferrer and Caron really click in this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougieB Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 Totally a fan, though I didn't see it this morning. I too saw it as a nipper; it's the first movie I have a clear recollection of. I agree about the innocent appeal of the thing, but I remember as a kid also being very aware of the more mature aspects of the adult relationships. I knew that Leslie Caron and Zsa Zsa Gabor played two very different characters and I got what the difference was, but it all played out so matter-of-factly that it was still comprehensible to a child. (When you think about it, there's plenty of erotic tension in many kid's stories, like "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty".) I agree about Mel Ferrer's appeal, and so did Audrey Hepburn apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet0312 Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I'm a fan too. Friday nights there used to be some sort of wholesome family time movies shown when I was a kid. Lili was one of them. I noticed this morning that it's not a very long movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonesomePolecat Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 This is one of my absolute favorite movies, actually. And I know it's not a "great" movie, but I don't care. This movie makes me so happy. It's one of those that no matter how rotten I feel, I always feel completely happy after I watch it. I'm sure we all have those movies that do that for us. LOVE *LILI*!! "I care, Lili!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misswonderly3 Posted July 14, 2013 Author Share Posted July 14, 2013 You guys all seem to get why *Lili* is such a charming movie. Speaking of charming, here's a pic of the extremely attractive (to me, anyway) Mel Ferrer in *Lili* . I know he isn't traditionally good-looking, but I tend to go for men who look intelligent (and yes, sensitive) more than straight-forward handsomeness. Edited by: misswonderly on Jul 14, 2013 9:28 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Thanks for posting this MissW....Lili is a film I've never seen, but will now seek out. I too love circus/carnival themes and enjoy the principle actors involved. I too like Mel Ferrer...a quick IMDB search revealed he was born in NJ and attended Princeton! Wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badartfilm Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 I also saw "Lili" as a child on ABC'c version of "The Wonderful World of Disney" on Friday nights, and me and my siblings fell in love with it. It's a charming little movie. I love the sweet, magical final moments of the film. As an adult, the big surprise is the fine performance of Zsa Zsa Gabor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMeingast Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 > {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}You guys all seem to get why *Lili* is such a charming movie. > > Speaking of charming, here's a pic of the extremely attractive (to me, anyway) Mel Ferrer in *Lili* . I know he isn't traditionally good-looking, but I tend to go for men who look intelligent (and yes, sensitive) more than straight-forward handsomenes. You have your good taste in men in common with the late Audrey Hepburn. She was married to Mel Ferrer for 14 years (1954-1968): http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/audrey-hepburn-and-mel-ferrer/images/30642635/title/audrey-mel-photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misswonderly3 Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 Thanks, RM. Those were sweet pictures. I looked Mel Ferrer up, and found out that he came from a very sophisticated and educated family. Also, that he married five times. Can't recall which marriage he was on with Audrey. Ferrar wasn't in a great many well-known films. I think his most famous movie is *Scaramouche*. I must admit, even I hadn't heard of a lot of the films he was in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoraCharles1934 Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Well, besides Lili and Scaramouche, Ferrer's better-known films as an actor would probably include Nicholas Ray's Born to Be Bad (with Joan Fontaine), King Vidor's War and Peace (with Audrey and Henry Fonda) and Henry King's The Sun Also Rises (with Tyrone Power and Ava Gardner). He also did some work as a director, again with his then-wife in Green Mansions, and a producer - Wait Until Dark starring, oh you know . . . The pair also appeared together on Broadway in Ondine in 1954, Ms. Hepburn winning a Tony for her performance: Funny you mentioned Gigi because Audrey actually originated that role on Broadway, too (non-musical, though). I guess Ferrer seemed to pair well with the gamine-types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonesomePolecat Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Plus I just saw Mel Ferrer in THE LONGEST DAY -- but everyone is in that. Had to do a shoutout for the puppets, which is partly why I love the movie so much: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misswonderly3 Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 Thank you, LonesomePolecat, for that lovely still of the puppets and Lili. It captures some of the charm and simplicity of the story. Even I kind of forgot for a while that Mel Ferrer's character was manipulating those puppets the whole time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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