Merrily We Roll Along Blu-ray Review
“Merrily We Roll Along” is a winner.
Based on George Furth and Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 Broadway musical, 2023’s “Merrily We Roll Along” is a Broadway revival. The musical was pro-shot and directed by Maria Friedman in 2024 at the Hudson Theatre in NYC and was released in theaters back in 2025. For those that may not be familiar with this musical, the story is told in reverse order from 1976 to 1957 with scenes in 9 total time periods in that span. The story revolves around the friendship between composer turned film producer Franklin, his friend Mary (an author/drama critic who is secretly in love with Franklin), and Charley (Franklin’s friend and colleague who is a playwright/lyricist). When we first meet them in 1976 their friendship is in shambles as Franklin gets too successful and loses everything and everyone around him. As the story goes back in time, we see why the cracks formed in their friendships as these young dreamers made mistakes which forever altered their lives ala Franklin having affairs, Charley mocking Franklin on TV, Mary becoming an alcoholic, etc. These 3 aren’t the only primary characters though as Gussie (an actress that develops a bond with Franklin), Beth (an actress who becomes Franklin’s wife), and Joe (a producer who is married to Gussie) also play a key role in the lives of these characters.
While we wait for Richard Linklater’s 20 years in the making film adaptation sometime in 2040, this newly released Broadway recording will be more than tide fans over. The 1981 original Broadway show which featured music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim may not have worked at the time of its release, but this new revival (which makes a few slight changes) works wonders. It’s a deep, emotional, and ultimately tragic story about love, friendship, art, careers, and dreams. It encapsulates life’s joys and disappointments all while showing how the passage of time can change us for better or for worse. The reverse chronology could have easily been a cheap gimmick, but it’s used to great effect here. You know where the characters end up initially, but as the show progresses, you see how they ended up that way. Of course, you also have compelling songs that drive the narrative like the title track and “Old Friends.”
I’ve seen a fair amount of Broadway recordings over the years, but this might just be the best one yet. Between Maria Friedman’s top notch direction to the intimate staging, this is the next best thing to seeing the show live.
Cast wise, it’s a true all-star affair here. Jonathan Groff (who is becoming quite the Broadway staple these days) crushes it as Franklin. Seeing how he performs the character from present to past was really moving. The biggest surprise here is Daniel Radcliffe (who does sport an American accident). Not only can he actually sing, but he gives a very dedicated performance. The sequence in which he speaks his mind on TV is arguably the highlight of the entire show. Lindsay Mendez shines as Mary although it feels like we should have gotten a little bit more from her character. Krystal Joy Brown gives a very big performance as Gussie, Katie Rose Clarke is divine as Beth and Reg Rogers brings more depth to Joe than is on the paper.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.78:1 1080p. How does it look? Viewers can expect a pristine hi-def copy of this Broadway recording.
Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? As dynamic as you hope. The songs really come to life here.
The lone extra is a theatrical trailer.
No comments yet.
Share This Blog
Robert Ham
dmanderson
Andrea
nicklyons1
DVD Corner 
Leave a comment