Product Details

• Actors: Barbara Stanwyck, Michael O'Shea, Iris Adrian, Charles Dingle, J. Edward Bromberg
• Format: NTSC
• Studio: UNITED AMERICAN VIDEO
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301395069
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #567,678 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times, June 22, 2004

"The Roan Group, consistently responsible for some of the best-looking DVD editions"

"Barbara Stanwyck at her brassy, Brooklyn-accented best!"

"The Roan Group, consistently responsible for some of the best-looking DVD editions"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Almost Forgotten Gem, January 1, 2004

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lady of Burlesque: The G-String Murders (DVD)

The most surprising thing about LADY OF BURLESQUE was that it got made at all. Burlesque was all but dead by 1942, shut out of most towns and cities by relentless moral crusaders, and Hollywood itself was mired in the infamous "production code," which put a heavy lid on what could and could not be shown on screen. But burlesque had spawned a number of stars who remained favorites with public, and in 1941 the legendary Gypsy Rose Lee penned a book called THE G-STRING MURDERS. It proved extremely popular, and a year later United Artists took a chance on the film project.

True enough, the movie couldn't show the strippers in action or play out the bawdy comic sketches so popular in burlesque, but writer James Gunn turned in a superior script, and director William Wellman and his cast gave the whole thing tremendous dash and style. The result was a movie that captured the seedy, underworld-edged world of burlesque without actually causing censors to yank it from distribution.

In theory, LADY OF BURLESQUE is a murder mystery, but mystery takes a back seat to the brawling backstage antics of crossed love affairs and star rivalry. Barbara Stanwyck endows star stripper "Dixie Daisy" with her own memorable brand of tough class--and although she can only be shown from the waist up when she bumps and grinds, she still manages to tear strips off her musical number "Play It On The G-String." The rest of the cast is equally memorable, many of them burlesque stars in their own right. Pinky Lee (Mandy) is memorably teamed with Marion Martin (Alice Angle) to delightful effect; Iris Adrian (Gee-Gee)is the gum smacking brash blonde to end all gum smacking brash blondes; and such memorable character actors as Michael O'Shea (Biff), Gloria Dickson (Dolly), and J. Edward Bromberg (Foss) round out the cast superbly.

Sad to say, LADY OF BURLESQUE has fallen into public domain, and it has not been well preserved. I have seen several releases of the film, and all of them are plagued with breaks in the film and the soundtrack. This particular DVD release, however, is definitely "as good as it gets;" unlike some other versions, the picture is sharp and clear and the sound is extremely good. LADY OF BURLESQUE may never be regarded as a "great" film, but it is an extremely entertaining one, particularly for those who already know something about the now-lost world of burlesque. As one character says, "Makes me want to leave the wife!" Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IMPORTANT - READ MY REVIEW FIRST !!!, October 9, 2010

By 

Matthew David Sweat (Charleston, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lady of Burlesque: The G-String Murders (DVD)

I am being dead serious here...99.9% of all copies of this film are nothing more than cheap public domain prints. Most are shoddy, fuzzy copies that will only disappoint you. Furthermore, if you are like me, you're not interested in a synopsis of the plot - you want to find the best quality copy out there.

I can do better than that - I have found the STUDIO ORIGINAL !! Just look where it says "product details" and look for "studio". If the "studio" listing is for "Image Entertainment", then you have the original print! All the other copies are fakes...this is what fools everyone. Unfortunately they just take a guess, buy from the wrong studio release(one of those companies that makes cheap bootleg-quality copies), & get ripped off. If you found my review before buying, then you will be spared from all the guesswork! And your copy will look as good as a normal Turner/MGM release (like Casablanca!)

Remember to look where it says "studio: Image Entertainment" - that is the original film. William Wellman made this as an independent release, so you won't see a familiar name like Warner, Fox, Universal, etc(your guarantee you aren't getting a cheap bootleg copy). That is what makes getting a decent copy of this film so hard. But don't worry....Image Entertainment is the partner of none other than the incredible Criterion Collection company, & also produces dvds for NBC/Universal(like "Little House on the Prairie)...I really hope my review will be of help to you!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SHE SINGS! SHE DANCES!, July 28, 2002

By 

MOVIE MAVEN (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lady of Burlesque: The G-String Murders (DVD)

Yes, Barbara Stanwyck sings and dances in her very first scene in the backstage story of burlesque performers involved in murder called LADY OF BURLESQUE. Based on Gypsy Rose Lee's silly, charming novel "The G-String Murders," the movie is a guilty pleasure for me. I have never stopped loving it since the first time I saw it. Stanwyck is, to me, one of the best actors Hollywood has ever produced: top of the line in comedy (see THE LADY EVE) and in serious drama (see DOUBLE INDEMNITY). Watch her tame Gary Cooper in BALL OF FIRE and weep along with her in STELLA DALLAS. William Wellman who also directed superb films such as WINGS, PUBLIC ENEMY AND BEAU GESTE has a fine time with the various backstage types in this grainy black and white tribute to a dead art form.

There has never really been a perfect edition of the movie for public consumption. I've even seen an edition minus any credits whatsoever and usually the editing seems like it was done with a pinking shears. This DVD version is probably the best one can buy right now and there are no special features, unless you consider Stanwyck performing "Take It Off The E String--Play It On The G String" a special feature. It is. She bumps, she grinds and the camera stays chastely above her waist.

There are several musical numbers and a few comic sketches that give us a taste of what burlesque must have been. The supporting cast is terrific. It includes Pinky Lee as a comic, Iris Adrian as a tough but friendly stripper and Michael O'Shea as Stanwyck's love interest. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for show business fans. If you're looking for a good murder mystery, look elsewhere.