The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957)

Directed by Bretaigne Windust and first broadcast on NBC on November 26, 1957, The Pied Piper of Hamelin is a made-for-television musical fantasy film based on Robert Browning’s 1842 poem. Produced by Hal Stanley, with music adapted from Edvard Grieg and lyrics by Hal Stanley and Irving Taylor, the film stars Van Johnson, Claude Rains, Lori Nelson, and Jim Backus. It was notable for being one of the earliest American television films shot on motion picture film rather than performed live.

Plot Summary

In the medieval town of Hamelin, civic pride and greed collide when the townspeople—led by the pompous Mayor (Claude Rains)—refuse to pay a mysterious piper (Van Johnson) who rids the town of a devastating rat infestation. The Piper retaliates by luring away the town’s children, leaving behind a moral reckoning. The story is told in rhymed dialogue, much of it lifted directly from Browning’s original poem.

Cast

• Van Johnson as Truson / The Pied Piper
• Claude Rains as Mayor of Hamelin
• Lori Nelson as Mara
• Jim Backus as King’s Emissary
• Kay Starr as John’s Mother
• Supporting roles include Stanley Adams, Alan Aaronson, and Tex Brodus

Production Notes

• The film was shot in Technicolor and runs approximately 87 minutes
• Nearly all dialogue is spoken in rhyme, a stylistic choice that sets it apart from other adaptations
• Music is drawn from Grieg’s classical compositions, reworked with original lyrics to fit the narrative
• Claude Rains, in his only singing and dancing role, adds theatrical gravitas to the production
• The film was later released theatrically and on home video under various titles, including The Magic of the Pied Piper