Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Herbert Fields (play) and
Buddy G. DeSylva (play) ...

Release Date:

13 August 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

The musical extravaganza that tops great Ziegfeld glory!

Plot:

Hat check man Louis Blore is in love with nightclub star May Daly. May, however, is love with a poor dancer...

Plot Keywords:

Technicolor | Slapstick | France | Millionaire | Dance

Cast

Red Skelton	...	Louis Blore / King Louis XV
Lucille Ball	...	May Daly / Madame Du Barry
Gene Kelly	...	Alec Howe / Black Arrow
Virginia O'Brien	...	Ginny
Rags Ragland	...	Charlie / Dauphin (as 'Rags' Ragland)
Zero Mostel	...	Rami - the Swami / Taliostra
Donald Meek	...	Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Willie / Duc de Rigor
George Givot	...	Cheezy / Count de Roquefort
Louise Beavers	...	Niagara
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra	...	Themselves
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tommy Dorsey	...	Himself - Leader of Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

Also Known As:

Gentleman's Choice (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (PCA #9019) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Near the end of the movie when Red Skelton, as Louis, has an arrow stuck in his rear-end, as he pleads for it to be removed he cracks: "Hurry up, this thing is starting to pick up several radio stations already". Coincidentally, three decades later his co-star Lucille Ball went public claiming she could hear radio programs directly in her head when driving near radio transmission towers. She explained that the metal fillings in her teeth detected strong radio signals making them audible to her.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the scene in Madame Du Barry's boudoir when King Louis XV is chasing Du Barry around the dressing table, a man sitting in a chair can be seen reflected in the mirror.

Quotes:

Black Arrow: Du Barry! That jay! That jezebel! That spoiler of kings!
Madame Du Barry: Isn't he wonderful?
Black Arrow: Does she love the king? No! She loves rubies! So your children go hungry! She loves silks! So your wives go naked!
Madame Du Barry: [dreamily] Look at his eyes.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

Soundtrack:

We'll Get It

a platform for novelty acts

this movie, i won't call it a "film," was basically about nothing and functioned mostly for the popular acts of the time. yeah the war was on full swing (pun intended), and this movie gave the troops and our audiences a treat.

but let's have something with a bit more substance.

loved seeing a young Buddy Rich on the drums. the music was good throughout.

but one cameo after another gets old fast.

i didn't even recognize Zero Mostel! so if you're one from the "greatest generation," as they say, you'll definitely enjoy this...

movie.