Gilbert "Gilly" Carey is a major character who appears in the 1963 Disney live-action film Summer Magic.
Background[]
Gilbert is the teenage son of Margaret Carey living with his sister Nancy and his younger brother Peter. During his life, he adapted in moving from Boston to Beulah with the rest of his family, due to financial problems causing negative effects to his mother's life. When he moved to Beulah, he is also shown to be capable of volunteering with Digby Popham in helping fix a flat tire on his truck in case Lallie Joy is not available. Additionally, he occasionally drives the Popham Mercantile truck, often taking over Digby's position on certain situations while driving across the town of Beulah.
Role in the film[]
Gilly is first seen playing on his piano, asking his sister Nancy about the reason why his mother had to sell the house. He then complains of how he would be a composer with only a guitar if his piano was sold. As he finds his favorite salmon model, he hands the fish to his little brother Peter. Later, Gilly and his little brother became aware of the haulers selling the piano at the Carey family house and as Gilly tells them to be careful with the piano, Nancy allows them to sell the piano instead. However, Gilly's little brother Peter alerts him and Nancy that he found another piano inside the house, which is a player piano that plays by itself and it is revealed that the piano that Gilly plays was swapped for this piano. Later, Gilly shows his little brother of how the piano works. As the piano plays by itself, Gilly sings along with the lyrics of the musical number "Flitterin", just as the Careys and the maids sing along to the lyrics.
Just as Gilly's mother arrives and plans for a move from Boston to Beulah, Gilly later sings the musical number "Beautiful Beulah" and after the song, the Careys all leave for Beulah in Maine. As the Careys arrive at Beulah, Gilly feels happy that the piano is still here, as it was safely moved from Boston to Beulah. Later that night during the musical number "Summer Magic", Gilly plays his guitar while his mother sings to his children. The next day, Gilly takes over Digby's position as driver on the Popham's Mercantile truck, but accidentally crashes into several pails near the post office, just as he claims to Digby that it was his fault in causing this accident. Later, Digby hands Gilly a pair of goggles just as he becomes grateful for the goggles he gave him. Later when Margaret was informed about Julia, who is part of the Carey family, needs a home, she tasks Gilly and Nancy to have good behavior when Julia arrives. However, Gilly and his sister began to complain about Julia being part of their family.
Later, Gilly plays on the piano as he sings about Julia during the musical number "Pink of Perfection", with Nancy singing her parts about how she describes Julia. The next day, Gilly and Nancy encounter Julia who arrived at Beulah where they take her to the Carey family house, as they adapt their lives with Julia living within the house. During a picnic, Nancy approaches Gilly preparing a cake who tells him that Julia is in her room, only for her to approach Charles Bryant. He then serves Charles a glass of lemonade and two scoops of ice cream and later sits next to Nancy during the musical number "On the Front Porch" while enjoying a quiet evening.
Later when Halloween approaches, Gilly approaches Digby of whom he will bring for the Halloween party, which he replies to him that he will bring Opal, recapping that he knew about her since first grade and thought she was clumsy, much to Gilly's shock. Digby also shares his story that when he was walking across the streets of Beulah, the people around him were rushing by him and that he could never talk to one of them, reminding of ants. Gilly then replies to him in hoping that he would get his job back in driving the truck, only for Digby to deny, explaining that he got a good offer to work at a sawmill, just before Gilly tells him to get the decorations ready for Halloween. He also shares a saying to Gilly of what his father said to him, which the latter replies to Digby that he might want to get his job back in riding the truck. However, Gilly realizes that Digby should be getting the decorations ready for the Halloween party, just as Digby shares his story of what his father said to him, which reminds Gilly that he would have been a great poet.
During Halloween, Gilly approaches his mother where it is revealed that Lallie Joy will be his partner, making her Gilly's crush. He later attends a ceremony organized by Nancy's mother about the unveiling of the portrait of Mr. Hamilton's mother in honor of her, impressing everyone in the crowd. At the end of the film when Nancy dances with Mr. Hamilton, Gilly continues the celebration with everyone inside the barn.
Trivia[]
- Eddie Hodges, who played Gilly in the film, would later star as Livingston Biddle in the 1967 musical film The Happiest Millionaire, a few years after Summer Magic was released. Coincidentally, both Summer Magic and The Happiest Millionaire feature songs written by the Sherman Brothers.
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