Lady of Burlesque

Lady of Burlesque
by William A. Wellman

List Price: $7.98
Our Price: $1.65
You Save: $6.33 (79%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.19 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details

DVD details

DVD Reviews of Lady of Burlesque

DVD Review: Stanwyck Bumps, Grinds and Gives a Lot of Attitude
Summary: 3 Stars

Where did they all go? By the 50's, there were still quite a few rough and tumble guys, but sassy, spirited broads were becoming increasingly rare. Oh sure, you had a few gold diggers around trying to marry millionaires, and that sort of thing. But worldly wise gals, of the kind one finds in abundance in this 1943 gem, were giving way to housewives and career gals. The emergence of a solid--if somewhat staid--middle class in post-War America seemed to spell doom for wise-cracking dames with a bit of a history.

So LADY OF BURLESQUE is a peek at another era, both in cinema and society at large. Ironically, one of the movie's themes is actually a previous social and cultural change--the fall of opera houses of the early 20th century and their re-emergence as burlesque theaters. To elaborate much more on the topic risks spoiling the murder mystery that is not quite at the center of the film--the milieu itself is its real subject--but suffice to say that in this kind of investigation, it behooves you to look at suspects who are looking back at the past.

The movie has a lot of spirit, a lively cast--and Barbara Stanwyck singing (OK), dancing (pretty good) and giving lots of attitude (no one better). Other reviewers below have quoted examples of the snappy banter that abounds in this movie. They're right. Long after you've guessed the identity of the murderer, you'll continue to stick around for the witty dialog--and of course those girls, girls, girls.

Description of Lady of Burlesque