Carousel (1956)

A rugged carnival barker (Gordon MacRae) marries an innocent young girl (Shirley Jones) but their marriage is an unhappy one as he refuses to take a job and he abuses her physically. They are living off her cousin (Claramae Turner) when he finds out his wife is pregnant and he joins his sleazy pal (Cameron Mitchell) in a plan to rob the owner (John Dehner) of a factory. Based on the Broadway musical (itself based on the play LILIOM by Ferenc Molnar) and directed by Henry King (THE GUNFIGHTER). I've never warmed to the uncomfortable central story of a young wife accepting her husband's physical brutality and even romanticizing it. Even if he didn't brutalize her, he's a no good bum yet she stands by him like a good little wife! On the plus side is the gorgeous musical score by Rodgers and Hammerstein with gems like If I Loved You, June Is Bustin' Out All Over and the Carousel Waltz. The choreography is by Agnes DeMille and Rod Alexander. With Barbara Ruick, Robert Rounseville, Gene Lockhart, Audrey Christie, Jacques D'Amboise and Susan Luckey.