MAX LIEBMAN PRESENTS: THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER (TV)
Summary
One in this irregularly scheduled series of musical comedies and revues. This episode presents a televised version of the operetta “The Chocolate Soldier.” In 1883 in an unspecified mid-European country, a troop of soldiers led by Major Alexius returns from maneuvers (“We Are Marching Through the Night”), much to the excitement of the local women. Alexius’s fiancée Nadina, daughter of the local mayor, is particularly happy at his return. Her father tells her that he may become governor of the province soon if he can impress General Masakroff, the highest-ranked officer in the country’s military, who is arriving soon as a house guest while he gives Alexius a decoration. Nadina is overjoyed at this development and at Alexius’s probable promotion and her marriage to him (“My Hero”). Her soliloquy is interrupted when gunshots break out and an unknown soldier climbs up her balcony and enters her room, threatening to shoot her if she makes any noise. However, his threatening veneer soon dissolves and he tries to act casual with her while still holding her at gunpoint. Exhausted, he lays himself out on her bed and Nadina tries to shoot him with his own gun, but he reveals it is not loaded. He reveals that he is a Swiss mercenary soldier named Lieutenant Bumerli who works in the commissary department but was caught in a battle and ran for his life. She again tells him to leave, and suddenly he asks her for chocolate, which he says he always carries with him instead of bullets. Nadina tries to use more gentle persuasion (“Sympathy”), although Bumerli keeps trying to endear himself to her. Bumerli hides when Nadina’s father arrives with Alexius. They are searching for Bumerli, whom they believe to be an enemy spy, and hope to track him down and kill him before General Masakroff arrives. Nadina tries to distract Alexius long enough for Bumerli to escape. She sends him away for the moment and Bumerli emerges, criticizing Nadina’s choice to marry Alexius. A squad of soldiers enters the room and Nadina hides Bumerli again, leading him to the wine cellar. While down there he claims that he was present at a recent battle Alexius won, and that his heroism was the result of his horse accidentally running off with him. Alexius and the soldiers enter the cellar to search it, and Bumerli and Nadina hide (“Seek the Spy”). Nadina helps Bumerli escape the cellar and covers for him when Alexius finds her. Nadina’s father throws a party in honor of Alexius and General Masakroff, and he constantly frets and worries about Masakroff’s impending arrival. Nadina has a moment to herself for contemplation (“Tiralala”) and wonders if she actually loves Bumerli and not Alexius. Alexius fetches her and they join the party, where he discusses the medal he is to win for his heroism (“Alexius the Hero”), and he boasts of his own merits. Bumerli arrives posing as General Masakroff arrives and is greeted with great pomp and circumstance. This proves to be remarkably awkward for Nadina. Bumerli awards Alexius with a small decoration that he likely fabricated on his own, leaving Alexius upset, and he tells Nadina’s father that Alexius is to be demoted to a junior lieutenant, supposedly due to budget concerns. Nadina intervenes and waltzes with Bumerli, who says that he loves her and wants to stop her from marrying Alexius (“A Quiet Voice”). He asks her to run away with him before the real General Masakroff arrives, but she rejects him. She mocks him for his apparent lack of bravery (“Chocolate Soldier”). Nadina’s father arrives and sends her to dance with Alexius while he tries to curry the “general’s” favor in his bid for governorship. Alexius complains to Nadina about his lackluster decoration and is surprised when she doesn’t share his disappointment with it, and he is shocked when it seems she no longer has the affection for him that she once did (“Never Was There Such a Lover”). Alexius confronts the “general” and requests a promotion, but Bumerli seems to casually dismiss this request. The real General Masakroff arrives and has Bumerli arrested for impersonating him. Bumerli is put on trial and Nadina writes him a letter (“The Letter Song”) making fun of him and cutting off their relationship, although she admits that his antics were amusing to her. General Masakroff begins the trial and notes that if Bumerli is found guilty of spying he will be executed. Alexius believes that Bumerli was involved in a complicated plot to kidnap General Masakroff. Alexius realizes that Bumerli is the man that he and his soldiers were searching for earlier and ask him for the name of his accomplice. Nadina, unwilling to allow Bumerli to die on her account, reveals that she concealed him from Alexius. Bumerli is surprised, believing that Nadina no longer cared about him, although she says she does (“Forgive”) and that she loves him after all (“My Hero [reprise]”). Alexius and General Masakroff exonerate Nadina, believing that she was acting under threat of violence. Bumerli is found guilty on all charges, but before he can be sentenced enemy soldiers surround the town, forcing all present to act. The opposing army wins, but both sides use the opportunity to make a peace agreement (“Thank the Lord the War is Over”) and Bumerli is congratulated by the opposing general for inadvertently leading to General Masakroff’s capture and the end of the war and decorated for his actions, promoted to the rank of major. Bumerli and Nadina express their love for each other as the story ends. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: June 4, 1955 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:29:32
- COLOR/B&W: B&W Copy of Color Telecast
- CATALOG ID: B:53549
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1954-1956
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – Oldsmobile automobiles
- TV – Promos – “Martin & Lewis Comedy Hour”
CREDITS
- Max Liebman … Producer, Director
- Bill Hobin … Associate Producer, Director
- William Friedberg … Adapted by
- Neil Simon … Adapted by
- Will Glickman … Adapted by
- Oscar Straus … Music by
- Clay Warwick … Music by
- Mel Pahl … Music by
- Rudolf Bernauer … Lyrics
- Leopold Jacobson … Lyrics
- Stanislaus Stange … Lyrics
- Carolyn Leigh … Lyrics
- Charles Sanford … Conductor
- Rod Alexander … Choreographer
- Bambi Linn … Dancer
- Rod Alexander … Dancer
- Rise Stevens … Cast, Nadina
- Eddie Albert … Cast, Lieutenant Bumerli
- Akim Tamiroff … Cast, Mayor Ludek
- Earl Wrightson … Cast, Alexius
- Joan Chambers … Cast, Masha
- George Ebeling … Cast, General Masakroff
- Will Scholz … Cast, General Kirovitch
- Clyde Sechler … Cast, Lieutenant Kasimir
- Ray Drakeley … Cast, First Officer
- Craig Timberlake … Cast, Second Officer
- Swen Swenson … Cast, Lieutenant in Ballet