Carola

Beautiful translation of Jean Renoir's script is hampered a bit by its stage confines and acting levels, but manages to be exciting nonetheless because of its situations. Leslie Caron manages to overcome the need to be heard in the back of the theater in the title role, but the other actors fail to overcome the limitations.

This is the story of a Parisian acting troupe during World War II that has to accommodate itself to the occupying force. As the story progresses, it is slowly revealed that the troupe's star (Leslie Caron) once had a love affair with the German officer who is expected to drop by (Mel Ferrar). I still remember as poignant the moment when the troupe's manager (Anthony Zerbe), who is also the star's lover, asks Caron to play along with Ferrar (whom Zerbe assumes is just another fan) for the sake of the theater--then realizes with quiet alarm that she has had a past relationship with Ferrar and is still in love with him. Zerbe's subtle reaction to this realization gets across that he always knew this day was coming--when his good fortune of being the lover of this beautiful, desirable woman would fizzle away--but that he's aghast to find that the day is today and that the other man is a Nazi officer. Zerbe is a standout in this TV play. I'd love to see it again.