Carousel is a musical that was originally written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The story is based on the play Liliom, written by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár. The movie adaptation was released in 1956 and starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones in the leading roles.
The plot of the movie revolves around Billy Bigelow, a carousel barker who falls in love with Julie Jordan, a factory worker. Despite their differences in social status, the two of them get married, but struggle to make ends meet due to Billy's job being unstable. Despite their love, Billy becomes increasingly frustrated with his life and starts to become abusive towards Julie.
One day, Billy dies during a robbery attempt. He is initially refused entry into heaven because of the way he treated Julie during their marriage. However, he is given a chance to redeem himself by returning to Earth for one day to help his daughter Louise, who he never met during his lifetime.
While on Earth, Billy tries to make amends with Julie and Louise, but his efforts are met with resistance. Eventually, Billy realizes that the only way to help his daughter is by sacrificing himself. He allows himself to be hit by a falling star and dies, ensuring that Louise will receive the money she needs to attend college.
Carousel is often considered one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's greatest musicals, and is known for its classic songs like "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "If I Loved You". The movie adaptation was met with critical acclaim upon its release, and continues to be beloved by audiences today.