“Merrily We Roll Along” chronicles the successes and strifes of three ambitious artists and once-inseparable friends — a story spanning 25 years that Stephen Sondheim and George Furth famously tell in reverse. The Tony Award-winning revival was initially developed at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory in 2012 before eventually moving to Broadway in 2023, the latter of which recouped its $12 million capitalization, was extended twice and played to 100% capacity for every week of its run.
The filmed version of the Tony Award-winning revival begins and ends with close-up shots of Franklin Shepard, the trio’s composer-turned-producer played by Jonathan Groff. In both instances, he stands downstage at the Hudson Theatre for just a minute or so. Each time, the camera lingers on Groff’s eyes, as if peering into Frank’s innermost self, yet the resulting frames couldn’t be more dissimilar.
“This whole play is a memory piece that takes place in a second, as he suddenly looks back on his life and recognizes himself to be part of the story,” said Maria Friedman, Tony-nominated director of the 2023 production and the film. Therefore, the movie opens with “absolute desperation, as he sees his impact on other people for the first time and wonders whether he can forgive himself” and ends with “the hope and belief that all things are possible, as long as you don’t give up your essence, stay mindful on the journey and be kind to people.”
These moments aren’t necessarily part of the stage revival, but they’re crucial to the film, which Sony Pictures Classics is releasing in cinemas on Dec. 5.
