I read the Novella that the movie is based and was quite shocked how disturbing it was believe me the movie is very innocent to the book.
shareYes, I have read Love Of Seven Dolls a few times it is one of my favourite books.
The only Abnormality is the incapacity to love
Yes it's incredibly dark and it's not surprising that they cut and santised a lot of it in the 1950s including the fact that the main character isn't given a name in the book she's addressed to by her nickname. Also her relationship between her and Peyrot is disturbing he verbally abuses, rapes? the book isn't really clear she's not protesting the first night he comes to her she thinks when she sees him that he's in love with her but it's that weird blur between consent and force. Like so much of the book nothing is really clear there are these really weird dark areas.
But Peyrot is definately more intriguing as a character in the book there are more puppets than the ones the movie show including the old women and the toymaker but they all encompass so many different aspects of his personality that it's almost hard to believe it's the same person controlling them. Also the book asks a lot it asks us to believe that this man who has been cruel, vicious, violent and done everything in his power to break Mouche's spirit is also the man who loves her more than anything especially in today's world that would raise a lot of red flags but the power really comes from the way it's written. The puppets aren't just puppets they are part of his soul and when they perform it's not just an extension of Peyrot's feelings for Lili/Mouche they control Peyrot as much if not more than he controls them the puppets even interact with the other travelling folk when the act is over.
I think both the book and movie are very different, almost two separate pieces of work because the aims are different. Love of Seven Dolls is about two broken people who have experienced the worst of life and have been pushed to breaking point, and finding release and love with each other. Lili is about a naaive girl who through her relationship with the puppets and subsequently the pupeteer matures and grows into an aware, confident woman.
beauty freedom love truth
I just watched the movie and I find your description of the original story very interesting. I can see why MGM changed it. A movie with puppets in 1953 had to be whimsical, not dark and disturbing. They wanted something light, airy, fanciful, with Technicolor sets and costumes. The original story would have difficulty being made even today, when abusive relationships, even fictional ones, invite all sorts of boycotts and social media backlash. Too bad no one picked it up in the 1960s, especially in Europe, where they might have been able to do the story justice.
Thank you.