Lili

Lili (1953) is an American film. An MGM release, it stars Leslie Caron as a touchingly naïve French girl, whose emotional relationship with a carnival puppeteer is conducted through the medium of four puppets. The screenplay by Helen Deutsch was adapted from "The Man Who Hated People," a short story by Paul Gallico which appeared in the October 28, 1950 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Following the film's success, Gallico expanded his story into a 1954 novella entitled The Love of Seven Dolls.

It won the Academy Award for Original Music Score and was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Caron), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Color) (Cedric Gibbons, Paul Groesse, Edwin B. Willis, Arthur Krams), Best Cinematography (Color), Best Director (Charles Walters) and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was also entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.

Leslie Caron and Mel Ferrer's rendition of "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" was released as a single and became a minor hit, reaching #30 on the pop music charts.

The film was adapted for the stage under the title Carnival.

Read more about LiliPlot Summary, Critical Response, Production, Music, Love of Seven Dolls, "The Man Who Hated People" (short Story), Early Smiley Emoticon