The story of Carousel began as the play "Liliom", from turn of the century Hungarian author Ferenc Molnar. A silent version from Hungary was directed by future legend Michael Curtiz in 1919. An early talkie was made in 1930. The most famous version was Liliom (1934), starring Charles Boyer and directed by Fritz Lang. This Hollywood film was adapted into a Broadway musical in 1945, with the familiar Rodgers and Hammerstein songs. Some of the songs were removed or truncated for Carousel, but the negative aspects of Billy's character, companion and actions were left intact.

On the surface at least, the film had much in common with Oklahoma!, released the previous year. Besides the widescreen, technicolor format and the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, both films starred rugged bass singer Gordon MacRae and smiling, angelic young Shirley Jones. Both had period Americana costumes and elaborate choreography.

But Carousel is a much darker film. The male lead, who sees the majority of the screen time, is a troubled loser. He's a surly bum who won't look for work, who hits his girl, and who hangs out with a hardened, cynical criminal. He also begins the film already dead, passing time polishing plastic stars in a drab purgatory corner of heaven.

It's a strange set-up for a 1950s musical, and it must have alienated contemporary audiences. From a commercial point of view, the problem was in the adaptation. The King and I had ruthlessly stripped away all the negative vibes from Anna and the King of Siam in its transition from drama to musical. But Carousel had remained relatively faithful to the original play.