Director Maria Friedman attempts for a second time to capture a live performance of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along, having directed a version in 2013, so she's had time to figure out how to make the show visually interesting as a film. This 2023-2024 Broadway revival follows three friends—Franklin (Jonathan Groff), Charley (Daniel Radcliffe), and Mary (Lindsay Mendez)—in reverse chronological order, from 1976 to 1957, chronicling how their respective dreams of becoming creative artists did (or didn't) come true, and the price they paid for it.
It's no surprise it was a notorious flop when it premiered in 1981, considering the melancholic fatalism of the structure and the premise's open antagonism toward crowd-pleasing art, but it remains quintessentially Sondheim in its unique musical structures, including a great deal of dizzying lyricism and overlapping singers. The three lead performances are solid, but most interesting is how Friedman uses close-ups, including the opening number which focuses on Groff's mostly impassive face even when he's not singing, and the astute decisions about when to cut from the speakers/singers to reaction shots. The result is something that doesn't try to replicate the experience of being there, but offers something only a film could do with the same source material. Available December 5th in theaters.
Director: Maria Friedman
Writer: George Furth
Stars: Natalie Wachen, Sherz Aletaha, Krystal Joy Brown
As far as movie musicals go, the world may still be dusting off its brooms and letting out its best battle cries, much to the annoyance of its neighbors, but Wicked isn't the only film hoping to bring a little musical theater to the masses this holiday season, as the recent Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along hits theaters.
You may have heard about another Merrily We Roll Along film currently in production, starring Paul Mescal, Ben Platt, and Beanie Feldstein. That one is being filmed over 20 years, so it's still about 15 years away from release. If you're wondering why it's so long, it's because Merrily We Roll Along unfolds over 20 years, beginning in 1977 and working its way back to 1957. Centered on composer Franklin Shepard, it opens by showing the end of his relationship with his two best friends, before revealing the key moments that led to the deterioration of those relationships, culminating in the beginning of their supposed lifelong friendship.
Based on the 1934 play of the same name, Sondheim's musical adaptation premiered on Broadway in 1981. It later crossed the Atlantic, opening off-West End in 2000. The production of Merrily We Roll Along you'll see in cinemas originated from the show's belated West End debut in 2013. Directed by Maria Friedman, it transferred from the Menier Chocolate Factory to the Harold Pinter Theatre, but that wasn't the end of its journey. Nine years later, this revival traveled to the United States, beginning off-Broadway before its acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Broadway run in 2023. That revival was filmed before its closure last year, and is now available for audiences worldwide to enjoy.
I never had the good fortune to see a production of Merrily We Roll Along on stage, but I fell in love with several songs from the show after the sensational Stephen Sondheim tribute, Old Friends, several years ago. Sitting in a cinema, I experienced the show and the story for the first time, finally giving context to the songs I'd been listening to and falling in love with it in a way only musical theatre can achieve.
Merrily We Roll Along is Stephen Sondheim at his finest. Witty and complex lyrics coupled with a melody that will get stuck in your head and never leave, this show perhaps helped define my love for this great and much-missed titan of musical theatre more than any other. It is his unparalleled ability to unravel the very essence of humanity that has given his songs a timeless quality, now even more poignant in the years since his passing. In the context of the show, “Not A Day Goes By” is as moving as it was when performed as a tribute to Sondheim in Old Friends, masterfully showcasing the diverse ways in which his songs can be interpreted and with which we can identify. It is precisely this ability to connect with the audience that sets Sondheim far above his contemporaries. He seemed to possess an understanding of life that few have, making us see things from a different perspective, sometimes with a laugh, sometimes with a tear in our eye. Merrily We Roll Along achieves this throughout the entire production.
Adapting theater to the big screen doesn't always work. Sometimes the sense of intimacy is lost, sometimes there are questionable decisions, the focus is placed on the wrong thing, or the impact, emotion, or something else is undermined by unreliable camerawork. This is not a problem with Merrily We Roll Along. Although the characters are projected onto a large screen to appear larger than life, their humanity is never questioned, in a film that retains the necessary intimacy to create a raw and authentic connection with these characters and the material. Intelligent direction has the cast looking directly into the camera, and therefore, into your soul. I may not have been sitting in the theater where the actors could make eye contact with me, but in a way, I felt like I still was. In essence, this film loses nothing by not being "live" and feels like it can actually add something to the material, accentuating certain elements and delving deeper into the key themes of the story.
The other reason to see Merrily We Roll Along is the dream cast that brings something new to Sondheim's legendary material. The fact that two of the three leads won Tony Awards for their performances speaks volumes about the quality, and even the third lead, who didn't win, feels like he deserved to, although he was at least nominated. Rarely have I seen such consistent and astonishing quality in a cast, either in person or on screen, as in this filmed production of Merrily.
Daniel Radcliffe has made inspired, if somewhat unusual, career choices since leaving the role that shall not be named, making the role that catapulted him to fame a distant memory. As Charley, he happily remains in the background for much of the show, but he's never forgotten, such is the importance of his performance both on stage and on screen. If ever there was an example of Radcliffe's acting talent, it's his exhausting but exhilarating performance of "Franklin Shepard, Inc." As his character grapples with what could be described as a nervous breakdown, Radcliffe delivers a demanding performance that is astonishing to witness. Equally impressive is Lindsay Méndez as Mary, delivering a tragic performance of a character you can't help but empathize with and fall in love with. With moments of comedy and moments of heartbreak, her presence is captivating, lighting up the screen with every appearance.
Katie Rose Clarke is a late but welcome addition as Beth Spencer, bringing an extra element to the production and giving the feeling that she was a crucial part from the beginning of the film, which makes her absence noticeable upon rewatching. Krystal Joy Brown has a truly transformative experience as Gussie Carnegie, with each appearance markedly different from the last... and the next. Demonstrating her wide range as a performer, she is incredible to watch each time. Similarly, Reg Rogers delights with his radical character transformation as Joe Josephson, where both his character and Gussie's demonstrate how a life can change over the course of twenty years, for better or for worse.
However, the undisputed star of Merrily We Roll Along is Jonathan Groff in his leading role as Franklin Shepard. Throughout his career, Groff has proven himself to be an exceptional actor, but this is his finest moment. His ability to show drastic changes in his character over 20 years, subtly each time with the story in reverse, is what can only be described as a masterful performance, to use an overused phrase.
Watching Shepard's descent through the lens of growth (due to the reverse nature of the story) presents a great challenge for Groff as an actor, but one he relishes, delivering one of the most sensational and memorable performances I have ever seen in a musical or on stage. Shepard is the center of this story, and Groff embraces that magnitude without faltering. It is a phenomenal performance and the greatest aspect of an otherwise flawless film.
I always say that theater, at its best, should make you feel, and this should also apply to film. Leaving this screening, I was overwhelmed with emotions; my mind was racing, going over aspects of my own life and the film I had just seen. There is a real power in this that should never be underestimated. Merrily We Roll Along is the perfect example of musical theater at its finest and how to effortlessly translate it to the big screen.
A beautiful addition to Sondheim's enduring legacy, even more poignant after his passing, every element of this production is impeccable and should be studied for years to come as the perfect example of how to achieve something so flawless. Whether you've already seen a production of Merrily We Roll Along or are completely unfamiliar with the story, I encourage everyone to see it while it's still playing.
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