Inspiration: Carousel

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Carousel, 1956

Carousel is decidedly dark, but I love it all the same. It wasn't my favorite musical as a child (although I did have a major crush on Billie Bigelow. I love a man in high-waisted trousers and a turtleneck), but it's slowly grown on me as the years go by. Carousel has the soul of New England, beautiful and idealistic, yet sad and hopeless at the same time. It was actually filmed in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. My family did a lot of ocean boating out there when I was a child, and one day we set out to visit the filming locations, particularly the pier where "June is Busting Out Allover" was filmed. Well, after lots and lots of searching, it turned out that everything all burned down sometime in the 60s. Sad.

UPDATE as of April 15 2011: I wrote this entry without having watched this movie in over 15 years. Upon a recent viewing I realized I completely blocked out that whole domestic violence subplot.

Louise Bigelow: I didn't make it up, Mother. Honest, there was a strange man here, and he hit me hard. I heard the sound of it, Mother, but it didn't hurt. It didn't hurt at all. It was just as if he kissed my hand.
Julie Jordan: Go into the house, Louise.
Louise Bigelow: What's happened, Mother? Don't you believe me?
Julie Jordan: I believe you.
Louise Bigelow: Then why don't you tell me why you're actin' so funny?
Julie Jordan: It's nothin', darlin'.
Louise Bigelow: But is it possible, Mother, for someone to hit you hard like that - real loud and hard, and it not hurt you at all?
Julie Jordan: It is possible dear, for someone to hit you, hit you hard, and it not hurt at all.
[they embrace]

um, yeah.