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Irma La Douce
MGM // Unrated // September 18, 2001
List Price: $19.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
THE STRAIGHT DOPE:
As Ice Cube almost once said: "Billy Wilder saw the likes of the Goodyear blimp, and it read 'Jack Lemmon's a pimp.'" Well, maybe that didn't really happen, but in Irma La Douche Wilder did cast Lemmon in one of the most unlikely roles of his career: an unwitting playah. The 1963 film stars Lemmon as Nestor who, in the course of his first day as a beat cop in Paris' seedy red light district manages to arrest a block full of prostitutes, enrage the police chief (one girl's customer, as luck would have it) and get fired. Luckily for him he met the feisty Irma (Shirley MacLaine) before hauling her off to jail. Upon his release, with no place to go, Nestor ends up living with Irma in a weird, kept man sort of capacity. The jealousy he feels over Irma's profession, however, is too much and he comes up with a plan: To pose as a rich aristocrat who wants to hire Irma as his exclusive concubine, therefore keeping Irma out of the biz. Wilder's touch for physical and verbal comedy help this film out tremendously. The material is silly beyond belief (and also extremely dated in a way; No film would ever make a joke out of a pimp beating up a prostitute today) and many of the characters are broad enough for vaudeville. In fact, the film is based on a musical, but the songs have been removed. The atmosphere of a musical remains, however, making the film seem incomplete. Still, Wilder's pacing and images (the wide-screen frames are stuffed with complex compositions and staging) outclass the material. Likewise, the always great Lemmon and the young MacLaine create uniquely strange characters, even though they make suspicious Parisians. At almost 2 1/2 hours the film runs a bit long and the story can't sustain the full running time. Still, Lemmon, MacLaine, and Wilder (in their first collaboration since 1960's superior The Apartment) make the production worth watching. VIDEO:
The anamorphic widescreen video looks quite good. The images are busy and colorful, but the transfer stays sharp and focused. AUDIO:
The 2.0 mono audio is strong and clear. Andre Previn's score, while repetitive, is fun and bouncy. The soundtrack is also available in French and Spanish with Spanish and French subtitles. EXTRAS:
Only the trailer, which is mostly animated. In fact, the animation is great. FINAL THOUGHTS:
While falling short of a classic, Irma La Douche contains several classic elements: Fine performances by two of film's best stars, and sharp direction from a master. These assets are enough to turn middling material into a fun flick. E-mail Gil at [email protected]
As Ice Cube almost once said: "Billy Wilder saw the likes of the Goodyear blimp, and it read 'Jack Lemmon's a pimp.'" Well, maybe that didn't really happen, but in Irma La Douche Wilder did cast Lemmon in one of the most unlikely roles of his career: an unwitting playah. The 1963 film stars Lemmon as Nestor who, in the course of his first day as a beat cop in Paris' seedy red light district manages to arrest a block full of prostitutes, enrage the police chief (one girl's customer, as luck would have it) and get fired. Luckily for him he met the feisty Irma (Shirley MacLaine) before hauling her off to jail. Upon his release, with no place to go, Nestor ends up living with Irma in a weird, kept man sort of capacity. The jealousy he feels over Irma's profession, however, is too much and he comes up with a plan: To pose as a rich aristocrat who wants to hire Irma as his exclusive concubine, therefore keeping Irma out of the biz. Wilder's touch for physical and verbal comedy help this film out tremendously. The material is silly beyond belief (and also extremely dated in a way; No film would ever make a joke out of a pimp beating up a prostitute today) and many of the characters are broad enough for vaudeville. In fact, the film is based on a musical, but the songs have been removed. The atmosphere of a musical remains, however, making the film seem incomplete. Still, Wilder's pacing and images (the wide-screen frames are stuffed with complex compositions and staging) outclass the material. Likewise, the always great Lemmon and the young MacLaine create uniquely strange characters, even though they make suspicious Parisians. At almost 2 1/2 hours the film runs a bit long and the story can't sustain the full running time. Still, Lemmon, MacLaine, and Wilder (in their first collaboration since 1960's superior The Apartment) make the production worth watching. VIDEO:
The anamorphic widescreen video looks quite good. The images are busy and colorful, but the transfer stays sharp and focused. AUDIO:
The 2.0 mono audio is strong and clear. Andre Previn's score, while repetitive, is fun and bouncy. The soundtrack is also available in French and Spanish with Spanish and French subtitles. EXTRAS:
Only the trailer, which is mostly animated. In fact, the animation is great. FINAL THOUGHTS:
While falling short of a classic, Irma La Douche contains several classic elements: Fine performances by two of film's best stars, and sharp direction from a master. These assets are enough to turn middling material into a fun flick. E-mail Gil at [email protected]
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