The Chocolate Soldier

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Trivia & History

George Bernard Shaw, author of the source play, only gave permission to the adapt it on three conditions: none of his dialogue nor character names were used, the show was advertised as a parody, and he would receive no monetary compensation.

The plot and central message of the play remained untouched.

Shaw, however, was outraged over the way his play was treated and voiced his opinion loudly calling it "a putrid opera bouffe in the worst taste of 1860". He forbade and other musical adaptations of his plays as long as he was alive.

MGM wanted to make a film version of The Chocolate Soldier in 1940 but Shaw refused to allow it. Therefore, they bought the rights to Oscar Straus's music and used the plot from Ferenc Molnár's play TestÅ?r. The film came out in 1940, retaining the title but with no other relation to the stage show. Therefore it is not included in this site.

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