Customer Reviews

The Lady Is Willing [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marlene Dietrich stars in this comedy as an actress who rescues/kidnaps a two month old baby and decides to raise him as her son, a move that shocks all who know her. But since she is not financially stable or married, the odds of a successful adoption are against her. But marriage to baby doctor Fred MacMurray would certainly help her cause, and she goes after him. I found it hard to swallow Dietrich as a baby lover in the beginning, but she grew on me as the film progressed, and in the end she gives a believable performance. However, the script needed at least one more re-write and more laughs needed to be added to give the movie more life. It's not one of Dietrich's better known films, and I can understand why.

Marlene Dietrich made several great films in the late 30's & early 40's, but her performance in the 1942 film "THE LADY IS WILLING" is considered one of her greatest performances during that period by most any student of classic film. After receiving less than favorable reviews for her performance in the film that was released just prior to her beginning work on this movie, Dietrich made sure the critics would not have ANYTHING bad to write about when reviewing her acting in this film! By 1942 Dietrich had worked with many of the greatest directors and actors in Hollywood, and her acting skills were at their finest. Dietrich was one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the silver screen and she could steal a sceen from any actor, including such greats as the then young Orson Welles and Gary Cooper, she even overshadowed the lengendary good looks of Cary Grant! I mention this because this film is famous for it's CLOSE UP SHOTS of Dietrich that were necessary throughout most of the second half of the film due to an accident that occurred on the set about half way through shooting. Dietrich was holding her infant co-star during a break in filming when she tripped on a toy that was on the floor, she twisted her body during the fall in order to protect the baby, she landed on the floor with the baby unharmed. Her heroic action resulted in the baby escaping the event unharmed, but Dietrich suffered a broken ancle that required a cast! This is a fine example of how big this actress' heart was and it shines beautifully in this film! The director decided to shoot the remainder of the film using close-up shots of Dietrich so that the cast on her foot and lower leg would not be seen in the movie in order to complete the film without having to wait nearly three months for the cast to come off. The camera man could not have had a more beautiful face to work with and Dietrich is ravishing and flawless in all of her close-ups! Most of the audience that saw the film when it was first released in theatres did not even know that Dietrich had a cast on her foot and lower leg; the film opened with rave reviews! Any mother can relate to this film that is about how a woman can fall in love with a child instantly the first time she holds the precious baby in her arms! The heroine in this film is a famous Broadway star that is unmarried and childless. Any female in the world that views this film can relate to the central theme, the main character, played of course by Dietrich, has reached a point in her life where she is volunerable, when put in a situation where whe finds an abandoned baby, her maternal instincts kick in full force! The basic human need, simply to be needed by another human, is fully realized by the main character when she discovers a baby that needs a mother as badly as she needs a child! From the moment we see Dietrich in her opening sceen with this baby in her arms, the viewer is immediately touched by the tenderness in which Dietrich cradles the infant in her arms, she glows with the beauty of a mother first holding her child. Dietrich campaigns for the rest of the film to protect and keep the baby at any cost! The film shifts effortlessly from light comedy to serious drama, and like many great films it has the audience laughing one moment, crying the next, and then smiling again. Some may think after reading this review that this is a classic WOMENS FILM, not true, this film would touch the heart of any human, be it man or woman! The great beauty of the main character is not the important aspect of the movie as it had been in many of Dietrich's earlier films, her role in this film gave Dietrich the chance to seriously showcase her acting skills. Fred MacMurray landed the part of the leading man/co-star in the film. Many actors were shy about working with Dietrich because of how often her earlier films showcased her beauty and talent and left her male co-star unremembered. Many great actors gave fantastic performances in her earlier films, yet it is Dietrich that the films are remembered for! Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne are the only actors I can think of that made films with Dietrich while she was still young and beautiful where their performances in the films are remembered as well as hers! It is true that Dietrich's beauty lasted far longer than most actress' can hope for, she was still gorgeous in 1951 when she made "NO HIGHWAY IN THE SKY" with Jimmy Stewart, 21 years after her legendary performance in "THE BLUE ANGEL." An actor had to have a huge screen presence in order to work well with Dietrich on screen, otherwise she would simply steal the show! I learned a great deal about acting by studing Dietrich's performance in this film in one of the many film classes I took in college. One of my professors chose Dietrich's performance in this film for the class to study how an actor or actress can successfully modulate between comedy and drama, Barbara Stanwyck was another great actress that was gifted at doing this, it is much harder than it looks and Dietrich pulls is off seamingly effortlessly to an untrained eye. Fred MacMurray was a great actor and should have starred in many more great films during his career than he was offered, no one can forget his performance in what many consider to be one of the greatest Film Noir movies ever produced "DOUBLE INDEMNITY," yet his performance, however good, was once again overshadowed by his leading lady, Dietrich gave a knockout performance in this film the same way Barbara Stanwyck did when she co-starred with MacMurray in "DOUBLE INDEMNITY." This film has the audience being sympathetic with and rooting for the heroine throughout the film; the films ending is predictable, but it does not matter, the viewer wants to cheer BRAVO after viewing the beautiful final sceen! Any collector of classic movies that includes Dietrich's films in their collection will want this film at the center of the Dietrich films included, it is the perfect film to showcase her talent directly in the middle of her career; I can't even imagine a collection of classic films that does not include at least some of Dietrich's films, and this film will be an important component of any serious classic film collection. I'm Joseph Hachey, I'm a student of classic films and acting. Great classic cinema is my lifes passion, and this is one of the great classic films that I have enjoyed viewing many times. I hope that you enjoy this film as much as I do, if you are soon to view this film for the first time, I am jealous because you are in for a wonderful treat!

This was one of the movies where Marlene could show her acting talents. She plays a Broadway actress who comes across an abandoned baby, and decides to keep the baby for herself. Being un-married, she needs to find a man to marry so she can adopt the child. Fred MacMurray plays the doctor who comes to the rescue. This is a pure fun movie to watch. Dietrich, as usual, wears the most outrageously gorgeous outfits, not to mention a few fabulously "screwy" hats, as they are referred to as in the film. While filming the movie, Dietrich had tripped over a toy firetruck while holding the baby. She twisted her body to protect the baby, but in doing so, she seriously sprained her leg in the fall. One of the famous Dietrich legs was in a cast! This caused quite a sensation in the press. The rest of the picture had to be shot with her legs covered. Dietrich was given one song to sing in the movie, "Strange Thing", which was the grand finale in her broadway show (in the movie). This was definately one of her best on-film singing performances, and quite a production, wearing an outfit only Dietrich could get away with. This film is a must for all Dietrich fans!

Three and a half stars for this one.

Back in the day, THE LADY IS WILLING received more pub for Dietrich breaking her ankle as she tripped and awkwardly fell (awkwardly, because she made certain that the baby she was carrying wasn't hurt in the fall). THE LADY IS WILLING, which came out in 1942, isn't really one of Marlene Dietrich's more well-known or lauded films (these would be The Blue Angel, Destry Rides Again, A Foreign Affair [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]). But that doesn't mean you should stay in the dark regarding this picture. THE LADY IS WILLING is a light romantic comedy which flaunts elements of the screwball yet does it in a low key manner. The comedy here isn't exactly big or boisterous, but Marlene's turn as a comedienne will strike your fancy. And, as ever, underappreciated leading man Fred MacMurray pulls his weight.

Marlene Dietrich plays Elizabeth Madden, a flighty, big-hearted Broadway musical star who stumbles upon an abandoned baby and decides to keep it. To make the adoption all legal, she weds pediatrician Corey T. McBaine (MacMurray). McBaine happens to detest children (he's in the child care business strictly for the money), but he agrees to the marriage on the basis that Elizabeth will contribute to McBaine's true passion, which is conducting research on rabbits. Accordingly, she has part of her posh apartment converted into a research lab. So, this union starts out as one of those marriages of convenience. But McBaine isn't really a scientific gigolo and, typically, in cinema such as this, the marriage develops into the real thing. But, naturally, there are obstacles.

Complications surface when a couple shows up with a shifty lawyer, claiming to be the baby's real parents. This is later followed by the appearance of Corey's avaricious ex-wife, who's heard that he had come into some money in the way of a research grant. To top it off, things take a more melodramatic turn late in the game when the infant becomes sickly.

Admittedly, it's a bit weird seeing Dietrich suddenly develop maternal feelings on the silver screen. But, once you get past that, Marlene Dietrich shows once again that she can act. It's always interesting when actors sidestep the pigeon hole. Here, Dietrich strays from her femme fatale leanings to take on the role of the scatter-brained and suddenly mom, Elizabeth. And she pulls off the daffy moments and the dramatic moments with equal ease. Thru it all, of course, Dietrich manages to stay glamorous and devastatingly gorgeous, even when sporting the screwiest hats and the most out there outfits (some of which were tailored to hide her injured, cast-ridden ankle). And Marlene even gets to sing a tune, in that smoky, distinctive voice of hers. But let's not forget Fred MacMurray, whose solid presence and regular guy appeal serve as an effective counterpoint to Dietrich's sexy demeanor and sophisticated flair.

No, this isn't among Dietrich or MacMurray's best films, but it shouldn't be kicked to the curb, either. THE LADY IS WILLING offers up a pleasant, amusing diversion. I don't know if the two leads have paired up again in movies, but they do share a nice chemistry. Apparently, during the filming, Dietrich tried her best to seduce MacMurray, but didn't get any play because dude was truly devoted to his wife. Of course, on the silver screen, MacMurray was stricken senseless by her charms. What is not cool is that THE LADY IS WILLING is still only available in this Region 2 dvd format and in VHS tape (Lady Is Willing). Ah, someday...

THE LADY IS WILLING (directed in 1942 by Mitchell Leisen) is a fine example of the 1940s screwball comedy genre, with a few moments of emotional drama thrown in for good measure. Marlene Dietrich is paired with handsome Fred MacMurray in this energetic, fast-paced comedy gem.

Flamboyant musical theatre star Liza Madden (Marlene Dietrich) stuns her personal assistants and staff members when she returns from a shopping spree with an extra, unexpected piece of merchandise...a nine-month-old baby. Apparently abandoned by it's parents, Liza decides to keep it, despite the fact that unmarried and financially-unstable Liza won't be seen as a fit parent. She decides to enter into a marriage of convenience with paediatrician Dr. Corey McBain (Fred MacMurray). In exchange for helping her keep the baby, she'll help fund his rabbit-breeding experiments. But how long will it be until Liza and Corey really DO find love?

This is an energetic romantic comedy, with Dietrich in a fun-loving performance. Much has already been written about Marlene's accident on-set which resulted in a broken ankle, so I won't repeat the full story here. Dietrich's chemistry with MacMurray is very strong and he provides a much-needed grounding for the more caricatured elements of her role.

The supporting cast includes Pre-Code favourite Arline Judge (in a sadly-underwritten role as MacMurray's meddling first wife), plus Stanley Ridges and Marietta Canty (who'd also appear opposite Dietrich the same year in "The Spoilers"). Aline MacMahon has a great role as Dietrich's personal assistant Buddy--she'd fill a similar role twenty years later in "I Could Go on Singing" with Judy Garland.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

THE LADY IS WILLING (directed in 1942 by Mitchell Leisen) is a fine example of the 1940s screwball comedy genre, with a few moments of emotional drama thrown in for good measure. Marlene Dietrich is paired with handsome Fred MacMurray in this energetic, fast-paced comedy gem.

Flamboyant musical theatre star Liza Madden (Marlene Dietrich) stuns her personal assistants and staff members when she returns from a shopping spree with an extra, unexpected piece of merchandise...a nine-month-old baby. Apparently abandoned by it's parents, Liza decides to keep it, despite the fact that unmarried and financially-unstable Liza won't be seen as a fit parent. She decides to enter into a marriage of convenience with paediatrician Dr. Corey McBain (Fred MacMurray). In exchange for helping her keep the baby, she'll help fund his rabbit-breeding experiments. But how long will it be until Liza and Corey really DO find love?

This is an energetic romantic comedy, with Dietrich in a fun-loving performance. Much has already been written about Marlene's accident on-set which resulted in a broken ankle, so I won't repeat the full story here. Dietrich's chemistry with MacMurray is very strong and he provides a much-needed grounding for the more caricatured elements of her role.

The supporting cast includes Pre-Code favourite Arline Judge (in a sadly-underwritten role as MacMurray's meddling first wife), plus Stanley Ridges and Marietta Canty (who'd also appear opposite Dietrich the same year in "The Spoilers"). Aline MacMahon has a great role as Dietrich's personal assistant Buddy--she'd fill a similar role twenty years later in "I Could Go on Singing" with Judy Garland.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

It's difficult to know, for sure, where this piece of material originated. Was it a play? It has the look and feel of some kind of perhaps Vienesse fluff that might have been revived for the Broadway of the WWII years. Trying to imagine who might have played it on stage -- Elizabeth Bergner? Vera Zorina? is fun. Imagining who might have been cast in the movie role is fun too: Claudette Colbert? Simone Simon? Ilona Massey? Arletty? But, however it came to Dietrich, it came at a time and was set in a locale that suited her in this role. In New York, even today, one can see Stars of Stge and Screen on the street. There were Garbo spotters when she lived there, and Dietrich kept an apartment in town for decades, and when she was in town, she too was to be seen in restaurants and night clubs, shopping, doing all the things professional actresses do.

Here, as an airhead Broadway musical star of European ancestry, she has an opportunity to shed the character of frosty international fashionplate she'd worn for over a decade, and to appear in a role closer to her real nature; that of a warm-blooded, impulsive comedienne with no sense of money management and dependant upon her managers. One day, quite by accident, she finds an abandoned baby at the site of an apartment house fire, and brings him home. She has fallen in love with the child, impulsively. He staff is in despair. Her apartment is beautiful, but small. She has no husband, no prospect of any, and no pediatrician. Enter Fred Macmurray on any of these pretexts, and he -- as would any man not carved of ice -- falls for her. They concoct a marriage of convenience, and she rents the apartment next door to hers in order that they can be joined, and that he can use half of his half, as a research lab. Thousands of rabbits appear. His looks, charm and particular talents are perfect; he makes her appear warmer and not only more desirable, but attainable, as well. They are a handsome couple, play their scenes together very well indeed, with great charm, and are supported by a first-rate supporting cast. The result is a delectable romantic comedy, but with a warm and maternal heart, beating under that stupefyingly rich mink coat. LADY is (or was) perfect for Dietrich, who was notorious then for her love of children and cooking and keeping house. (And of course, men.)

A chick flick? Maybe, but take the movie as the antidote to the ordinary blahs of indifferent, occasionally fast, food, stupid politics, pollution of the air and the culture, and the commonplaces of working-class sex.