Summary In the summer around Budapest, many young working girls like Julie and Marie frequently go out to the amusement park to flirt with Liliom, the handsome baker at the window Muskat's carousel.  One evening, Julie is scolded by Ms. Muskat for spending too much time with Liliom in the merry-go-round.  Liliom stands up for her and consequently loses his job.  They linger in the park to talk, when two policemen come by to warn Julie that Liliom has a reputation for cheating girls out of their money.  She in turn, defends Liliom by insisting she has nothing to fear and wants to stay out with him.  The fragrance of white acacia flowers hint of their blossoming love.

After their marriage, Liliom and Julie are so poor they have to live with Aunt Hollunder and her daughter who run a photography studio.  Frustrated at being unable to hold another job, Liliom loses his temper and beats Julie.  He is just about to accept Ms. Muskat's offer to come back to the carousel when Julie tells him she is going to have a baby.  At the news, Liliom agrees to commit a robbery with the gypsy Ficsur, a common thief and prostitute.

Meanwhile, Marie and her new husband Wolf Beifield come to visit Julie and have their wedding picture taken.  That evening Liliom steals a knife from Aunt Hollunder's kitchen and goes off with Ficsur to rob old Mr. Linzman, the cashier at the factory, on his usual walk to the bank with the factory payroll.  They attempt to steal the money when Linzman crosses the railroad tracks, but unexpectedly, the cashier draws a gun and stops them.  Ficsur escapes before the police arrive, but Liliom is trapped and stabs himself with the knife rather than go to prison.

After his death, everyone advises Julie that she is better off now and urge her to marry the   carpenter, a respectable man.  Julie seems to agree with them, but after all of them have gone, she finally speaks of her love for another chance to show his love for Julie by returning to do a good deed.  Thus, two angels appear to take Liliom to the heavenly Magistrate for a trial and Verdict.

The Magistrate rules that after sixteen years, Liliom will return to see Julie again and his teenage daughter, Louise, but they will not recognize him.  Liliom visits them while they are having a picnic and is touched by Louise's loveliness.  He tries to give her the star he brought with him from heaven, but Louise and Julie are frightened of his persistence and order him to leave.  Angrily, Liliom strikes Louise on the hand.  In this instant, Julie is reminded of Liliom and suspects that the stranger may actually be Liliom coming back to earth.  Liliom goes away, and Julie and Louise talk about the meaning of love.