Irma la Douce (1963)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Alexandre Breffort (play)
Billy Wilder (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 June 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

A story of passion, bloodshed, desire and death... everything, in fact, that makes life worth living

Plot:

In Paris, an ex-cop falls in love with a prostitute, and tries to get her out of that life by paying for all of her time. Not so easy...

Plot Keywords:

Pimp | Police | Love | Police Officer | Prostitute

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Nestor Patou / Lord X
Shirley MacLaine	...	Irma La Douce
Lou Jacobi	...	Moustache
Bruce Yarnell	...	Hippolyte
Herschel Bernardi	...	Insp. Lefevre
Hope Holiday	...	Lolita
Joan Shawlee	...	Amazon Annie
Grace Lee Whitney	...	Kiki the Cossack
Paul Dubov	...	Andre
Howard McNear	...	Concierge
Cliff Osmond	...	Police sergeant
Diki Lerner	...	Jojo
Herb Jones	...	Casablanca Charlie
Ruth Earl	...	One of the Zebra Twins
Jane Earl	...	One of the Zebra Twins
Tura Satana	...	Suzette Wong
Lou Krugman	...	Customer #1
James Brown	...	Customer from Texas
Bill Bixby	...	Tattooed sailor
John Alvin	...	Customer #2
Susan Woods	...	Poule with balcony
Harriette Young	...	Mimi the MauMau
Sheryl Deauville	...	Carmen
Billy Beck	...	Officer Dupont
Jack Sahakian	...	Jack
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edgar Barrier	...	Gen. Lafayette (uncredited)
James Caan	...	Soldier with radio (uncredited)
Don Diamond	...	Man with Samples (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Trailer Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Bar Gangster (uncredited)
Louis Jourdan	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Moustache	...	(uncredited)
Doye O'Dell	...	Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Joe Palma	...	Prison guard (uncredited)
Richard Peel	...	Englishman (uncredited)

Directed by
Billy Wilder

Writing credits
Alexandre Breffort		(play)
Billy Wilder		(writer) and
I.A.L. Diamond		(writer)

Produced by
Edward L. Alperson	....	producer
I.A.L. Diamond	....	associate producer
Doane Harrison	....	associate producer
Billy Wilder	....	producer
Alexandre Trauner	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
André Previn		(as Andre Previn)

Cinematography by
Joseph LaShelle		(as Joseph La Shelle)

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Alexandre Trauner		(as Alexander Trauner)

Set Decoration by
Maurice Barnathan
Edward G. Boyle

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist
George Masters	....	hair stylist
Alice Monte	....	hair stylist
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist
Frank Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Allen K. Wood	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal W. Polaire	....	assistant director (as Hal Polaire)
Christian Ferry	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Frank Agnone	....	property master
Arden Cripe	....	property master
Harold Michelson	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	sound effects editor
Robert Martin	....	sound

Special Effects by
Milt Rice	....	special effects (as Milton Rice)

Camera and Electrical Department
Léo L. Fuchs	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Spicer	....	best boy (uncredited)
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Bob Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene Caine	....	wardrobe
Wesley Jeffries	....	wardrobe (as Wes Jefferies)

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
David Heneker	....	lyrics
Julian More	....	lyrics
Monty Norman	....	lyrics
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Marshall J. Wolins	....	script supervisor (as Marshall Wolins)
Christian Ferry	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Laure Lourie	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The
• Phalanx Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1973) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print Technicolor)

Other Companies

• Stalmaster-Lister Co.  casting

Runtime:

147 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #20447) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:18A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

Throughout the film there are two small cars that go back and forth and are indeed the only two cars that appear in the film - one of the cars is a '53 Renault, the other seems to be a Peuguot.

Quotes:

Moustache: But that's another story...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Portrait d'un homme 'à 60% parfait': Billy Wilder (1980)

Soundtrack:

Selections from 'Irma La Douce'

Delightful Fairytale

In Paris, after six months working with children, the decorated rookie policeman Nestor Patou (Jack Lemmon) is assigned to work in the red light district on the Casanova Street, a place crowded of streetwalkers, pimps and corrupt police officers. The honest Nestor, who is naive and strictly by the book, notes the movement of couples in the Casanova Hotel and befriends the prostitute Irma La Douce (Shirley MacLaine) believing that she is a lady. When he discovers that she is also a streetwalker, he calls the central station for a raid in the hotel. However, among the arrested costumers is the corrupt Chief of Police Lefevre (Herschel Bernardi) that has a scheme with the pimps union. Nestor is fired with a dirty record and has difficulties to find a new job; he goes to the bistro of the versatile and experienced Moustache (Lou Jacobi) to drink, and he starts a conversation with Irma La Douce. However, her bully pimp Hippolyte (Bruce Yarnell) fights against Nestor, but he beats him up. Irma brings Nestor home and he becomes Irma's pimp. However he falls in love for her and he is jealous when she meets a client. He decides to create the wealthy British Lord X to be the only regular client of Irma. But things go wrong when Nestor is jealous of Lord X and decides to end his character.

"Irma la Douce" is a delightful fairytale of the fantastic Billy Wilder, certainly one of the five top-directors of Hollywood ever. Based on a play, this delicious romantic comedy has witty and cynical screenplay and dialogs, supported by the chemistry of the charming and gorgeous Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon, who had worked together three years ago in the masterpiece "The Apartment". Lou Jacobi plays a skilled man in hilarious situations. The lines of Jack Lemmon playing a British lord are very funny. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Irma la Douce"