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The Notorious Landlady

  • 1962
  • Passed
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
2.5K
YOUR RATING
The Notorious Landlady (1962)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:41
1 Video
41 Photos
ComedyMystery

An American junior diplomat in London rents a house from, and falls in love with, a woman suspected of murder.An American junior diplomat in London rents a house from, and falls in love with, a woman suspected of murder.An American junior diplomat in London rents a house from, and falls in love with, a woman suspected of murder.

  • Director
    • Richard Quine
  • Writers
    • Larry Gelbart
    • Blake Edwards
    • Margery Sharp
  • Stars
    • Kim Novak
    • Jack Lemmon
    • Fred Astaire
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    2.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Quine
    • Writers
      • Larry Gelbart
      • Blake Edwards
      • Margery Sharp
    • Stars
      • Kim Novak
      • Jack Lemmon
      • Fred Astaire
    • 34User reviews
    • 16Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    The Notorious Landlady
    Trailer 2:41
    Watch The Notorious Landlady

    Photos41

    Jack Lemmon on the set of "Notorious Landlady." 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon, Kim Novak 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon, Dir. Richard Quine and Kim Novak during rehearsal. 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon during rehearsals. 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon, Dir. Richard Quine and Kim Novak during rehearsals. 1962 Columbia
    "Notorius Landlady" Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon waiting for rehearsals to start. 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon and Kim Novak in the dressing room. 1962 Columbia
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon
    "Notorious Landlady," Kim Novak
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon
    "Notorious Landlady" Jack Lemmon

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kim Novak
    Kim Novak
    • Mrs. Carlyle 'Carly' Hardwicke
    Jack Lemmon
    Jack Lemmon
    • William 'Bill' Gridley
    Fred Astaire
    Fred Astaire
    • Franklyn Ambruster
    Lionel Jeffries
    Lionel Jeffries
    • Inspector Oliphant
    Estelle Winwood
    Estelle Winwood
    • Mrs. Dunhill
    Maxwell Reed
    Maxwell Reed
    • Miles Hardwicke
    Philippa Bevans
    • Mrs. Agatha Brown
    Henry Daniell
    Henry Daniell
    • Stranger
    Ronald Long
    Ronald Long
    • Coroner
    Richard Peel
    Richard Peel
    • Police Sgt. Dillings
    Doris Lloyd
    Doris Lloyd
    • Lady Fallott
    Leon Alton
    Leon Alton
    • Courtroom Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Al Bain
    Al Bain
    • Courtroom Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Frank Baker
    Frank Baker
    • Bar Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Brandon Beach
    • Juror
    • (uncredited)
    Marjorie Bennett
    Marjorie Bennett
    • Autograph Seeker
    • (uncredited)
    Barry Bernard
    • Attendant
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Bradley
    • Lamplighter Patron
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Richard Quine
    • Writers
      • Larry Gelbart
      • Blake Edwards
      • Margery Sharp
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jack Lemmon's father appears in the movie in a non-speaking role.
    • Goofs
      When Jake Lemmon's character runs up the stairs to confront Kim Novak's character after the trial (at app. 1 hr. 20 min), he brushes his left hand across the square column on the landing and the obviously wet stain or paint smears.
    • Quotes

      William 'Bill' Gridley: Sir, if I may, I don't think you're taking the proper share of the blame...

      Franklyn Ambruster: Gridley, you will learn that the higher your position, the more mistakes you're allowed. In fact, if you make enough of them, it's considered your style. Now you happen to be in what I would call a one-mistake position, and you've made it.

    • Crazy credits
      Miss Novak's gowns designed by... Herself
    • Connections
      Referenced in I've Got a Secret: Episode dated 9 April 1962 (1962)
    • Soundtracks
      A Foggy Day (in London Town)
      (uncredited)

      Music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin

      instrumental theme of the score

      Jack Lemmon half sings/half intones a line from that song : "And suddenly I saw you there..." and then hums the melody.

    User reviews34

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A Foggy Day In London Town
    Jack Lemmon, rising young man in the United States State Department hasn't a clue when he rents a room from Kim Novak who turns out to be a fellow American in London. He also doesn't know she's The Notorious Landlady whose husband has gone missing and Scotland Yard thinks she did him in.

    Americans in the diplomatic corps are supposed to be scandal free, even more so back in 1962 so poor Lemmon doesn't know what he's walked into. But his supervisor Fred Astaire does and he wants him to leave. But Lionel Jeffries of Scotland Yard thinks he'd make one great unofficial undercover man. So in the spirit of the alliance that defeated Hitler, Astaire agrees.

    Later on after a hilarious barbecue scene nearly burns Novak's place down and gets the State Department unwanted publicity, Astaire wants to transfer Lemmon to Tierra Del Fuego, but Novak actually comes up and charms him into letting him stay. So much so that Astaire now wants to play Sherlock Holmes and solve the case himself or at least be Watson to Lemmon's Holmes.

    Jack and Kim make a lovely couple in danger, 25 years earlier I could have seen Cary Grant and Carole Lombard in their parts. But when you set out to make a stylish comedy, casting Fred Astaire is always a stroke of genius. Director Richard Quine even had the good sense to acquire Astaire's classic, A Foggy Day from the defunct RKO studio where he introduced it in Damsel In Distress to use as background music. It's used to great affect on one of those foggy London nights where both of them are trailing Novak.

    In the last half hour their sleuthing pays off and a rather intricate mystery is solved. Lionel Jeffries makes a dogged and determined Inspector Lestrade like Scotland Yard man, who if truth be told is one of the sleazier members of that organization ever portrayed on screen.

    The joint creative hands who wrote The Notorious Landlady were Blake Edwards and Larry Gelbart. Can't do better than that for style and wit.
    helpful•16
    2
    • bkoganbing
    • Dec 5, 2008

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    FAQ7

    • Is "The Notorious Landlady" based on a book?
    • Why is the landlady notorious? What did she do?
    • What did the note say that Bill found shoved inside the front door?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 13, 1962 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tajanstvena susetka
    • Filming locations
      • Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch - 411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA(street scenes outside apartment)
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,040
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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