Lady L ** (1965, Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, David Niven, Peter Ustinov, Cecil Parker, Claude Dauphin, Philippe Noiret, Michel Piccoli, Marcel Dalio) – Classic Movie Review 9,615

Peter Ustinov’s tour-de-force 1965 comedy film Lady L follows the route of Louise Lendale (Sophia Loren) from poor laundress in a Paris brothel to English lady via a series of espionage-style misadventures.

The 1965 comedy Lady L is an interesting but misguided tour-de-force by Peter Ustinov, who writes, directs and co-stars as a Bavarian prince, Otto. This wacky comedy follows the breakneck route of Louise Lendale / Lady L (star Sophia Loren) from impoverished laundress in a Paris brothel to English lady via a series of espionage-style misadventures.

A glittering cast and lush reconstructions of 1900s London and Paris help to conceal the manifest silliness of the plot, based on a novel by Romain Gary. Aged 80, the elderly Corsican lady Louise narrates her story and recalls the loves of her life to her life-time admirer, the British poet Sir Percy (Cecil Parker).

Loren gives a stylish performance in a movie that is flimsy, but exuberantly performed by a fascinating cast, and occasionally diverting. Only Newman seems uncomfortable, as the anarchist Armand whom Louise (Loren) falls for. David Niven is in his element as Lord Dicky Lendale, a British aristocrat she soon makes the second man in her life and marries, becoming Lady Lendale.

Also in the cast are Claude Dauphin, Philippe Noiret, Michel Piccoli, Marcel Dalio, Jacques Dufilho, Eugene Deckers, Daniel Emilfork, Hella Petri, Jean Wiener, Roger Trapp, Joe Dassin [Joseph Dassin], Jacques Legras, Sacha Pitoëff, Arthur Howard, Dorothy Reynolds, Catherine Allégret and Moustache.

Apparently the ending differs greatly from that of the novel.

The film premiered at the Empire, Leicester Square, London, on 25 November 1965.

MGM spent $2 million on pre-production and then cancelled the film, which was later revived as a European international co-production between France, Italy and the UK. MGM still released it though.

Castle Howard in Yorkshire was used for the shooting of some scenes. Interiors were shot at the Victorine Studios in Nice.

Despite the popularity of the four stars, it took only $2.7 million at the US/ Canada box office.

Romain Gary (21 May 1914 – 2 December 1980) was born Roman Kacew Vilnius, Lithuania (then in the Russian Empire). Lady L (1958) was self-translated and published in French in 1963, so the film counts as a foreign language adaptation.

Gary was married to Jean Seberg from 1962 to 1970. Gary challenged Clint Eastwood to a duel after learning of his affair with Seberg but Eastwood declined.

Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield.

The cast are Sophia Loren as Lady Louise Lendale / Lady L, Paul Newman as Armand Denis, David Niven as Lord Dicky Lendale, Peter Ustinov as Prince Otto of Bavaria, Marcel Dalio as Sapper, Cecil Parker as Sir Percy, Philippe Noiret as Ambroise Gérôme, Jacques Dufilho as Bealu, Eugene Deckers as Koenigstein, Daniel Emilfork as Kobeleff, Hella Petri as Madam, Jean Wiener as Krajewski, Roger Trapp as police inspector Dubaron, Jean Rupert, Joe Dassin as police inspector, Jacques Legras as police inspector, Mario Feliciani as Italian anarchist, Sacha Pitoëff as bomb-throwing revolutionary, Arthur Howard as Butler, Dorothy Reynolds, Jacques Ciron, Hazel Hughes, Michel Piccoli as Lecoeur, Claude Dauphin as Inspector Mercier, Catherine Allégret as Pantoufle, France Arnel as Brunette, Dorothée Blank as Blonde, Jean-Paul Cauvin as The Little Orphan, Lo Ann Chan as Chinese girl, Sylvain Levignac, Laurence Lignières as High society girl, Tanya Lopert as Agneau, Moustache as Delcour, John Wood as photographer, Jenny Orléans as Blonde girl, and Janet Wilson.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9,615

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