Lili - Warner Archive Collection

Absolutely charming. In a nutshell, that's Lili...both the film and the character. As embodied by the luminous Leslie Caron, Lili exudes sincerity, naïveté, vulnerability, joy, wonder, yearning, and heartbreak. It's a multi-faceted portrayal that justly earned the fledgling 22-year-old star a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Though another fledgling, luminous star - Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday - would win the award, Lili cemented Caron's reputation and nabbed six Oscar nods of its own, including one for its director, the vastly underrated Charles Walters, who brings warmth and whimsy to this simple, endearing tale.

Based on a story by Paul Gallico (who wrote both the tender Judy Garland-Robert Walker romance The Clock and the novel that inspired the granddaddy of '70s disaster flicks, The Poseidon Adventure), Lili chronicles the coming of age of a 16-year-old, orphaned French girl who finds shelter and comfort with a small-time carnival troupe. Bedazzled by the dashing magician Marcus the Magnificent (Jean-Pierre Aumont), the starry-eyed Lili wears her lovelorn heart on her sleeve, but the wolfish Marc, whose roving eye prompts his sexy assistant and girlfriend Rosalie (Zsa Zsa Gabor) to keep him on a short leash, regards her as a foolish child.

Lili's fascination with Marc rankles Paul (Mel Ferrer), the resident puppeteer, whose sullen demeanor (a byproduct of a war wound that ended his promising career as a dancer) masks a sensitive soul that can only express itself through the inanimate vessels he and his partner Jacquot (Kurt Kasznar) manipulate with their hands and voices. Lili is intimidated and a bit frightened by Paul, but she's drawn to his puppets, who possess varied personalities and - unbeknownst to her - express the emotions Paul suppresses in the outside world. Lili's innocent conversations with the puppets, who are her only true friends, reveal her vulnerabilities and fuel Paul's secret and burgeoning feelings for her. They also become the basis for a popular act that salves some of his wounds, but as Lili struggles to separate fantasy from reality and grows into womanhood, Paul learns he can't control her as easily as his puppets.

Following her beguiling film debut opposite Gene Kelly in the Oscar-winning An American in Paris two years earlier, MGM struggled to find Caron a suitable vehicle that would showcase her unique talents and personality. After two moderately successful films and one bomb, the studio cast her in Lili, which fits her like Cinderella's glass slipper. Her sincerity and magnetism rival that of Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, and at times, Lili exudes a palpable Ozzy vibe as the titular character searches for a home, pines for a family, and is aided in her quests by figures of fancy. Lili can't eclipse Oz, but it comes close with its winsome presentation, relatable, timeless themes, and focus on a young girl's hopes and dreams. Credit the Oscar-nominated screenplay by Helen Deutsch, whose varied credits include National Velvet, I'll Cry Tomorrow, and Valley of the Dolls, with striking the perfect balance between fantasy and reality and fleshing out the cast of colorful characters that includes the puppets.

Lili is classified as a musical, but aside from two dream ballets impeccably danced by Caron, there's really only one song, the lilting, eminently hummable "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo," which Caron sweetly performs with one of the puppets. (You may remember seeing a clip of that number in That's Entertainment, Part 2.) Caron always carries herself like a ballet dancer, and her grace lends Lili a lyricism during its dramatic scenes that compensates for the film's dearth of tunes.

Caron carries the movie, but the trio of men who support her all file solid portrayals. Ferrer has the toughest task as the largely morose Paul, who spends much of the movie either brooding about Lili or being mean to her, and he rises to the challenge, using his expressive eyes to engender sympathy for Paul and allow us to see his softer side. Aumont plays the carefree lothario with ease, and the always wonderful Kasznar injects plenty of French flair into his thankless sidekick part. Of course, no discussion of Lili would be complete without at least a cursory acknowledgment of Gabor, whose inimitable brand of exotic allure provides a striking contrast to Caron's girlish innocence. Before she became the Paris Hilton of her era, Gabor was a competent actress and plays her spitfire part here with aplomb.

Lili is a trifle, but it's a sweet, tender trifle that appeals to every age. I remember seeing it as a teen decades ago and I enjoyed it just as much now as I did then. You can't say that about a lot of movies, but you can say it about Lili. It's not only timeless; it's ageless.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Lili arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new master struck from a 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives yields an often dazzling 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that faithfully honors Robert H. Plank's Oscar-nominated cinematography and brings Lili's buoyant carnival atmosphere to brilliant life. Excellent clarity and contrast allow the fine details of the Oscar-nominated production design to shine, while inky blacks and crisp whites catch the eye, but it's the lush Technicolor hues that steal the show. An orange dress, pink carnation, multi-colored balloons, scarves, and umbrellas, an acrobat's yellow bodysuit complemented by a bright red tightrope, and Zsa Zsa Gabor's striking red-sequined gown...these are only a few of the stunning flashes of rich color that continually dot the screen. Purples, lavenders, and pale shades of blue and green are equally impressive and flesh tones remain natural and consistent throughout. Sharp close-ups enhance Caron's sincerity and Ferrer's anguish and not a single nick, scratch, or bit of dirt sully the pristine source.

A touch of softness here and there and slight bit of fading in isolated shots keep this transfer from earning a perfect score, but shouldn't deter anyone from picking up this disc. I don't own the 2012 DVD, but from what I could glean from other reviews of that release, this presentation is a monumental step up and well worth an upgrade. Lili fans and MGM musicals aficionados will be thrilled.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track supplies clear, well-modulated sound. Lili won an Oscar for Bronislau Kaper's music score and a wide dynamic scale embraces all of its lilting highs and lows, producing a lively soundscape that brims with fidelity and tonal depth. Sonic accents like rattling dishes, a facial slap, and slamming doors are distinct and all the dialogue is easy to comprehend. No distortion is present and no age-related hiss, pops, or crackle intrude. 

In addition to porting over the trailer from the 2012 DVD, Warner Archive offers up a trio of classic cartoons.

• Vintage Cartoons: The Impossible Possum, Pecos Pet, Puppy Tale (HD, 20 minutes) - One Barney Bear cartoon and two animated shorts starring Tom and Jerry supply some madcap fun. All three cartoons have been beautifully restored and look spectacular in HD.
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3 minutes) - The film's original preview completes the supplemental package.

Lili may be 77 years old, but it remains one of the finest family films of all time. A charming story, Leslie Caron's luminous performance, and the understated direction of Charles Walters combine to create a magical movie experience, made all the nicer by Warner Archive's top-notch Blu-ray presentation. A glorious transfer struck from a new 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives and excellent audio make Lili more irresistible than ever. Highly Recommended.