Call Me Madam (film)

Call Me Madam

Original film poster
Directed by Walter Lang
Produced by Sol C. Siegel
Screenplay by Arthur Sheekman
Based on Call Me Madam
1950 musical
by Howard Lindsay
Russel Crouse
Starring Ethel Merman
Donald O'Connor
Vera-Ellen
George Sanders
Music by Alfred Newman
Cinematography Leon Shamroy
Edited by Robert L. Simpson
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • April 1953 (1953-04)
Running time
 114 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2.46 million[1]
Box office $2.85 million (US rental)[2]

Call Me Madam is a 1953 American Technicolor musical film directed by Walter Lang, with songs by Irving Berlin, based on the stage musical of the same name.

The film, with a screenplay by Arthur Sheekman, starred Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Vera-Ellen, Billy DeWolfe, George Sanders, and Walter Slezak. The film replaced "Washington Square Dance" with the older "International Rag", and interpolated "What Chance Have I With Love?" from Berlin's Louisiana Purchase (sung and danced by Donald O'Connor). A soundtrack album was released by Decca both as a 10-inch LP and as a set of three 7-inch EPs, and was released on CD in 2004 by Hallmark. The numbers "The Hostess with the Mostest'" and "You're Just in Love" are included on the Rhino Records CD set Irving Berlin in Hollywood. The film was out of circulation for many years but was issued on DVD in 2004.

Merman won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Alfred Newman won the Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, and Irene Sharaff was nominated for her costume design. Lang was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures by the Directors Guild of America and the Grand Prize at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival,[3] and Sheekman's screenplay was nominated Best Written American Musical by the Writers Guild of America.

Plot

A wealthy Washington, D.C., socialite, Sally Adams (Ethel Merman), has political connections and is appointed U.S. ambassador to the tiny country of Lichtenburg, even though nothing in her background qualifies her for the job. A young journalist, Kenneth Gibson (Donald O'Connor), persuades her to let him tag along as her press attache.

In the duchy of Lichtenburg, the arrival of Ambassador Adams does not sit well with some, particularly charge d'affairs Pemberton Maxwell (Billy De Wolfe), who is annoyed by many things, including her insistence on being addressed by him as "Madam." A pressing issue in Lichtenburg is that Princess Maria (Vera-Ellen), niece of Grand Duke Otto (Ludwig Stössel) and Grand Duchess Sophie (Lilia Skala), is about to have an arranged marriage to a neighboring land's Prince Hugo (Helmut Dantine), but lacks a sufficient dowry to make their union a fair bargain for both parties.

Knowing her republic's penchant for foreign aid, Sally is approached by Prime Minister Sebastian (Steven Geray) about asking her friend President Truman for a loan of $100 million, to the consternation of Lichtenburg's foreign minister, General Constantine (George Sanders), who wants his country to be independent and self-reliant. Sally finds herself attracted to Constantine, while after a chance meeting in a hat shop, Kenneth has developed a very impractical romantic interest in Princess Maria, who finds him charming as well.

In time, Sally returns home to Washington, where she belongs. At one of her social events, she is pleased to hear Constantine is among the guests, then disheartened at learning he has brought along a female companion. A happy ending for all ensues, however, when his date turns out to be Maria, who is willing to marry Kenneth and abdicate her royal title. Sally's future with Constantine seems assured, too.

Cast

Production

O'Connor later said the film contained his best dancing.

We did some beautiful numbers. The one with the castle all broken down, and around the water, was beautiful music beautifully choreographed. Working with Vera Ellen was such a joy. And there’s one they cut out [when the movie is shown] on television. It had everything: a very fast two-person number, tap dancing. If you see the picture in its entirety, you’ll see it. That was, for me, my best dancing.[4]

Reception

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Soundtrack

All written by Irving Berlin;

References

  1. ↑ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p248
  2. ↑ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1953', Variety, January 13, 1954
  3. ↑ "Festival de Cannes: Call Me Madam". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved January 17, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Donald O'Connor interview - Mindy Aloff". Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  5. ↑ "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved August 13, 2016.

External links

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