Irma La Douce (1963)
Irma La Douce (1963)
DVD9 | VIDEO_TS | PAL | 16:9 | 720x576 | 8000 kbps | 7.4Gb
Audio: #1 English AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #2 German AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #3 French AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #4 Italian AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #5 Spanish AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps
Subtitles: French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
02:17:00 | USA | Comedy, Romance
DVD9 | VIDEO_TS | PAL | 16:9 | 720x576 | 8000 kbps | 7.4Gb
Audio: #1 English AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #2 German AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #3 French AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #4 Italian AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps, #5 Spanish AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps
Subtitles: French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
02:17:00 | USA | Comedy, Romance
Comedy about a Parisian policeman who becomes the lover (and unwilling pimp) of a carefree street-walker. After falling in love with her, the officer conspires to limit her occupation by taking on an alter-ego, "Lord X", to serve as her sole client. Adapted from a successful musical.
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Lou Jacobi, Bruce Yarnell, Herschel Bernardi, Hope Holiday, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney, Paul Dubov, Howard McNear, Cliff Osmond, Diki Lerner, Herb Jones, Ruth Earl, Jane Earl, Tura Satana, Lou Krugman, James Brown, Bill Bixby, John Alvin, Susan Woods, Harriette Young, Sheryl Deauville, Billy Beck, Jack Sahakian, Edgar Barrier, James Caan, Don Diamond, Paul Frees, Joe Gray
Irma La Douce (1963)
Irma La Douce (1963)
Irma la Douce is a gem, one of Billy Wilders best films. Banned from TV for many years by network censors, it began as a Broadway play and ran from Sep 29, 1960 to Dec 31, 1961 playing at both the Plymouth Theatre and the Alvin Theatre in New York.
It quickly won the attention of Hollywood and in 1963 debuted as a film starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. It is a love story, the story of a policeman turned reformer who falls madly in love with a beautiful young prostitute. "Irma La Douce" is not only French; it is intensely Parisian French.
Set in an area tourists seek, but so seldom find, its musical idiom, its moral atmosphere, its plot and its argot are part of Paris not even all Parisians know; a part of Paris where the underworld is known as the "milieu." A tart is a "poule," a pimp is a "mec" and money is "grisbi." Mix in the belief in the underlying goodness of a person with the enchanting music and backdrop of Paris and you will find yourself pulling for Nester (Lemmon) in his quest to win Irma's hand.
Marilyn Monroe was originally scheduled to play Irma but died before shooting began. As a credit to Wilder's casting, Shirley MacLaine's performance earned her an Oscar nomination for best actress.
The film's cinematography received its own Oscar nomination and the music took Hollywood by storm. It's stunning Parisian melody, written by Marguerite Monnot and arranged for film by Andre Previn, won the Oscar for best music and remains one of the finest musical scores ever.
And within the cheerful comedy of the plot, the story's philosopher shines bright as the mentor for Lester who struggles to overcome the struggle of daily life. Being none other than the bar tender and owner of the Chez Moustache, the bar and stage center for much of the film, Moustache lends his shoulder to Lester and instructs him in the realities of life: life accepts no conscientious objector and must be approached as if it were a war where only the strong survive. In other words, face the world as it is, not as you were told it was.
If you find yourself critical of the film, remember that this is late 50's, early 60's America. It came out during the cold war, in a period where TV was still in its 'Andy of Mayberry' days. Movies were heavily censored and even the media was under intense scrutiny for what topics matters it discussed. Irma La Douce was buried from play and only lately rediscovered by VHS & DVD fans.
Transport yourself back to the "Milieu" and enjoy, you may just learn something about life!
Irma La Douce (1963)
Irma La Douce (1963)
