Lili is an orphan descendant of French immigrants who, in search of her father, reaches a circus. Despite being a teenager, she is extremely naive and is captivated by the tricks of a handsome magician, this arouses the jealousy of the young and grumpy puppeteer who had been a great acrobat but an accident cut short his career. One day the young Lili, abandoned and alone, decides to commit suicide by throwing herself off a trapeze, but at the moment she is about to climb on it, she is interrupted by the puppets that call her and make her forget that intention. Lili at no time realizes who is the person who manages the puppets, she simply continues her conversation with them with naivety and amazement. Without knowing it, Lili begins to be part of the puppet show and night after night her conversations with these nice characters delight the public. Until one day, when she decides to leave the circus, she realizes that the man behind her puppet friends is none other than the grumpy man who has fallen in love with her and has used her puppets to express all his feelings. The young woman feels deceived and when she leaves down an almost fairytale path, she begins to imagine that she is accompanied by her beloved dolls, this makes her reflect and understand that behind her wooden friends was her true love, that man who tried to protect her without for her to notice, and finally runs into her arms. The film is extremely charming, subtle, it's like a fairy tale. Leslie Caron is perfect in this role, and despite the fact that the actress is already an adult, her portrayal of a virginal and innocent young woman is absolutely wonderful and believable. Mel Ferrer accompanies it in an outstanding way. A film to recover the innocence of the purest loves of our childhood.
Review of Lili
Lili
(1953)
A NAIVE, CHARMING FILM WITH A ROMANTIC PURE LOVE STORY
14 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers