The singing, rhyming citizens of Hamelin hope to win a competition with rival towns for royal recognition. To this end, the mayor outlaws play (which is a bit hard on the children) and refuses to help a rival town when it's flooded. But rats (seen only as shadows), fleeing the flood, invade Hamelin in droves; a magical piper, whose music only children (and rats) can hear, strikes a bargain...which, once the rats are gone, the Mayor and council renege on, to their subsequent regret.
Genres:
Van Johnson as Pied Piper / Truson
Claude Rains as Mayor of Hamelin
Lori Nelson as Mara
Jim Backus as King's Emissary
Kay Starr as John's Mother
Joseph Sargent as
Doodles Weaver as First Counselor (uncredited)
Stanley Adams as Second Counselor (uncredited)
Oliver Blake as Leading Citizen (uncredited)
Rene Kroper as Paul (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien as Townsman (uncredited)
Carl Benton Reid as Mayor of Hamelout (uncredited)
Amzie Strickland as Leading Townswoman (uncredited)
Judith Woodbury as Townswoman (uncredited)
Cyril Delevanti as
James Gonzalez as Citizen
Jess Kirkpatrick as
Made by edimario