Theatrical release poster
Directed by Billy Wilder
Produced by Billy Wilder
I. A. L. Diamond
Edward L. Alperson
Doane Harrison
Alexandre Trauner
Written by Billy Wilder
I. A. L. Diamond
Alexandre Breffort (play)
Narrated by Louis Jourdan
Starring Jack Lemmon
Shirley MacLaine
Music by André Previn
Cinematography Joseph LaShelle
Editing by Daniel Mandell
Studio The Mirisch Corporation
Distributed by United Artists
Release date(s) June 5, 1963 (1963-06-05)
Running time 147 minutes
Language English
Irma la Douce is a 1963 comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, directed by Billy Wilder
Plot
The film version of Irma la Douce (which means "Irma the Sweet") tells the story of Nestor Patou (Jack Lemmon), an honest policeman who finds a street full of prostitutes in Paris and reports them. The police inspector has been aware of those prostitutes but let them off by accepting bribes, so he fires Nestor who is conveniently framed for bribery. Kicked off the force, Nestor finds himself drawn to the very neighborhood of Paris that ended his career with the Paris police - returning to Chez Moustache, a popular hangout for prostitutes and their pimps. Down on his luck, Nestor becomes close friends with Irma La Douce (Shirley MacLaine), a popular prostitute. He also reluctantly accepts as a confidant, the proprietor of Chez Moustache, a man known only as "Moustache". (In a running joke, Moustache (Lou Jacobi), a seemingly ordinary barkeep, suggests a storied prior life - claiming to have been, among other things, an attorney and a doctor, ending with the repeated line "but that's another story".) After Irma dumps her pimp boyfriend, Nestor moves in with her, and he soon finds himself as Irma's new pimp.
Jealous of the thought of Irma with other men, Nestor comes up with a plan to stop Irma's prostitution. But he soon finds out that it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Nestor invents an alter-ego he calls "Lord X", a British peer who becomes Irma's single client. Nestor's plans to keep Irma off the streets soon backfire and she becomes suspicious, since Nestor must work long and hard to earn the cash "Lord X" pays Irma. When Irma decides to leave Paris with the fictitious Lord X, Nestor decides to end the charade. Unaware that he's being tailed by Irma's former pimp, Nestor finds a secluded stretch along the river Seine and tosses his disguise into it. The pimp, missing Nestor change into his clothes, but also seeing Lord X's clothes floating in the water, concludes that Nestor murdered him. Arrested by the police, Nestor is advised by Moustache against revealing that Lord X was a fabrication. "The jails are full with innocent people because they told the truth" the barkeep claims. Following Moustache's advice, Nestor admits killing Lord X, but only because of his love for Irma.
Hauled off to jail, but with Irma in love with him, Nestor is sentenced to 15 years, hard labor. Learning that Irma is very pregnant, and with Moustache's help, Nestor escapes from prison and returns to Irma. Nestor narrowly avoids being recaptured when the police search for him in Irma's apartment - donning his old uniform, Nestor simply blends in with the other policemen. With the help of Irma's ex-pimp, Nestor arranges for the police to search for him along the Seine from which, dressed as Lord X, he emerges. Knowing he can't be rearrested for a murder that Police now know didn't occur, Nestor rushes to Church where he plans to marry Irma. They barely make it through the ceremony before Irma delivers their baby. While Nestor and everyone else is occupied with Irma, Moustache notices one of the guests sitting alone in the front row. Rising from his seat and walking past Moustache, the guest is none other than Lord X! A clearly baffled Moustache looks at Lord X, and then at the audience. "But that's another story", he says.
Synopsis
Though the film is not a musical, it won André Previn an Academy Award for Best Score—Adaptation or Treatment. There is also a scene in the film, in which Shirley MacLaine exclaims "Dis-donc!" whilst dancing on a table, which appears to be a deliberate tribute to the musical from which the film is derived.
The film was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Shirley MacLaine) and Best Cinematography, Color.
Cast
- Jack Lemmon as Nestor Patou/Lord X
- Shirley MacLaine as Irma la Douce
- Lou Jacobi as Moustache
- Bruce Yarnell as Hippolyte
- Hope Holliday as Lolita
- Grace Lee Whitney as Kiki the Cossack
- Joan Shawlee as Amazon Annie
- Sheryl Deauville as Carmen
- Ruth Earl as one of the Zebra twins
- Jane Earl as one of the Zebra twins
- Harriette Young as Mimi the MauMau
- Herschel Bernardi as Inspector Lefevre
- Cliff Osmond as police sergeant
- Tura Satana as Suzette Wong
Soundtrack
Irma La Douce
Soundtrack by André Previn
Released 13 July, 1998
Label Rykodisc
All compositions by André Previn.
- "Main Title" 2:14
- "Meet Irma" 1:42
- "This Is the Story" 3:16
- "Nestor the Honest Policeman" 1:54
- "Our Language of Love" 2:04
- "Don't Take All Night" 5:43
- "The Market" 6:28
- "Easy Living the Hard Way" 3:16
- "Escape" 2:13
- "Wedding Ring" 1:35
- "The Return of Lord X" 1:24
- "In the Tub with Fieldglasses" 2:27
- "Goodbye Lord X" 3:17
- "I'm Sorry Irma" 1:38
- "Juke Box: Let's Pretend Love" 3:07
- "Juke Box: Look Again" 2:16
- "But That's Another Story" 0:38
Trivia
- Director Billy Wilder originally wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Irma as he was so impressed by her performance in Some Like It Hot - the film that she did with Jack Lemmon in 1959 - but she died before production began.
- During the filming in 1962, Jack Lemmon married his second wife, actress Felicia Farr.
- Shirley MacLaine signed on without having read the script because she believed in Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon, whom she starred with previously in The Apartment.
- Irma la Douce was remade for French television in 1972.
External links
1930s
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1950s
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1980s