Call Me Madam (1953)

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Russel Crouse (musical "Call Me Madam")
Howard Lindsay (musical "Call Me Madam")

Release Date:

April 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Plot:

Washington hostess Sally Adams becomes a Truman-era US ambassador to a European grand duchy. |

Plot Keywords:

Ambassador | Singing | Dancing | Based On Musical | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Ethel Merman	...	Sally Adams
Donald O'Connor	...	Kenneth Gibson
Vera-Ellen	...	Princess Maria
George Sanders	...	General Cosmo Constantine
Billy De Wolfe	...	Pemberton Maxwell
Helmut Dantine	...	Prince Hugo
Walter Slezak	...	August Tantinnin
Steven Geray	...	Prime Minister Sebastian
Ludwig Stössel	...	Grand Duke Otto (as Ludwig Stossel)
Lilia Skala	...	Grand Duchess Sophie
Charles Dingle	...	Sen. Brockway
Emory Parnell	...	Sen. Charlie Gallagher
Percy Helton	...	Sen. Wilkins

Also Known As:

Irving Berlin's Call Me Madam (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #16117) | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Cameo: [Lois Maxwell]One of the singing switchboard-girls.

Quotes:

Congressman: Sally, you wouldn't like me to make a little farewell speech tonight?
Sally Adams: That's right. I wouldn't!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fred Astaire Salutes the Fox Musicals (1974) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It's a Lovely Day Today

O'Connor and Merman Shine

Both Ethel Merman and Donald O'Connor suffered from the same misfortune -- lack of quality movie roles to showcase their extraordinary gifts. In O'Connor's case, it was because from childhood up into his middle twenties he was contracted by Universal Studios which, up 'til that time, produced "B" movies, suitable for coming into an air-cooled movie theater on a hot summer's day, but not much else. He always shone brightly, however, even in those early films, but not 'til Singin' In The Rain -- and Call Me Madam -- did he get the chance to glitter in great "A" material. Ethel Merman, the greatest of the Broadway greats had expansive mannerisms, stereophonic lungs, and irrepressable exhuberance, and was not considered cinema material by the powers that be. See how wrong the powers can be? O'Connor and Merman together in this film make it great -- his dancing, her voice, their personalities blending in just the right way. Great movie with two great leads -- don't miss "Call Me Madam"!