One of my favorite characters in musical history, Harold Hill is both phenomenal as a period piece character and also a perfect example of the charming rogue. The development of Hill is endearing and the charisma of Robert Preston in the role was able to turn an inherently awful character into an strangely unlikely hero. Hill straddles a line of condescension and earnestness in every lie he weaves, and the result is just fantastic. It's clear that, if you were ever going to be bamboozled by someone, Hill is the one who will make you feel the best while it happens. And that's a bizarre contradiction of terms, yet it still somehow works throughout The Music Man.
I agree! And the way he uses singing to distract people from finding out his dark past is so great and meta. ---
Fuhlt nicht durch dich Sarastro Todesschmerzen, So bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr-- eeeeeeeeeeeeeeehr.