Darling Lili (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
Blake Edwards' 1970 musical 'Darling Lili' is an attractive looking WWI romantic spy drama {with songs} that basically spoofs Mata Hari. It sure looks & sounds good. But the script is fairly weak. In WWI London, half-British, half-German Lili Smith (luminous Julie Andrews) lets her German "uncle" - a foreign agent & German military liaison, Colonel Kurt von Ruger (Jeremy Kemp) - talk her into becoming a spy. Yes, you read that correctly.
A dance-hall performer who is wildly popular with the British troops, Lili uses her charms & risque numbers to seal the interest of Allied flying squadron leader, Major William Larrabee (Rock Hudson). Before Lili can pass on essential information, however, she falls madly in love with Larrabee; who then discovers her real identity. Much singing & melodrama {including doubles-crosses, plane raids, dogfights, & love entanglements} ensues.
This costly box office disappointment put a small dent in Blake Edwards/Julie Andrews luster. But even though the film is a bit overproduced, a tad too long, & preposterously plotted ... it is also vibrant, humorous, & romantic. Julie Andrews gives it her all and, here, she gets the opportunity to alter her squeaky clean image by playing the suggestive music hall singer-turned-German spy. I just think that her director husband, Blake Edwards, could've given her a better vehicle to star in. Rock Hudson always makes for a striking romantic figure but, I don't know that the script gave him much to do.
I quite liked Russell Harlan's gauzy, soft lens cinematography. The production designs are lushly beautiful; ditto that the Academy Award-nominated costumes. Also nominated was the original song "Whistling Away the Dark", & Henry Mancini's lovely score. There are lots of traditional songs, as well ("It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary", "Pack Up Your troubles in Your Old Kit Bag & Smile, Smile, Smile", among others). Overall, it's a nice film to watch for many a reason. But the odd blend of slapstick comedy with comic stripteases {in a WWI spy movie, no less}, hokey plot points, & a bloated run time prevents me from loving this.
A dance-hall performer who is wildly popular with the British troops, Lili uses her charms & risque numbers to seal the interest of Allied flying squadron leader, Major William Larrabee (Rock Hudson). Before Lili can pass on essential information, however, she falls madly in love with Larrabee; who then discovers her real identity. Much singing & melodrama {including doubles-crosses, plane raids, dogfights, & love entanglements} ensues.
This costly box office disappointment put a small dent in Blake Edwards/Julie Andrews luster. But even though the film is a bit overproduced, a tad too long, & preposterously plotted ... it is also vibrant, humorous, & romantic. Julie Andrews gives it her all and, here, she gets the opportunity to alter her squeaky clean image by playing the suggestive music hall singer-turned-German spy. I just think that her director husband, Blake Edwards, could've given her a better vehicle to star in. Rock Hudson always makes for a striking romantic figure but, I don't know that the script gave him much to do.
I quite liked Russell Harlan's gauzy, soft lens cinematography. The production designs are lushly beautiful; ditto that the Academy Award-nominated costumes. Also nominated was the original song "Whistling Away the Dark", & Henry Mancini's lovely score. There are lots of traditional songs, as well ("It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary", "Pack Up Your troubles in Your Old Kit Bag & Smile, Smile, Smile", among others). Overall, it's a nice film to watch for many a reason. But the odd blend of slapstick comedy with comic stripteases {in a WWI spy movie, no less}, hokey plot points, & a bloated run time prevents me from loving this.