Lady of Burlesque (1943) is a glittering behind-the-scenes whodunit in which the star stripper Dixie Daisy has to solve the murders of her fellow burlesque performers before she falls into the murderer’s grasp, all and as she fights off the romantic advances of an obnoxious comic. This is a fun movie with Barbara Stanwyck in the lead role as a Lady of burlesque which has become a free classic movie, a public domain movie with the thrill of a murder mystery and the glamour of Broadway.
Lady of Burlesque (1943)
Lady of Burlesque (1943) is an American mystery-comedy film that was directed by the great William A. Wellman and is based on the bestseller novel by Gypsy Rose Lee The G-String Murders. The film, directed by Hunt Stromberg on behalf of United Artists, features Barbara Stanwyck as a burlesque queen Dixie Daisy who is a tough-talking detective of backstage murders. Filmed in a mere 21days at the Encino ranch of RKO and costumed by Edith Head, it is a composite of sterilized showbiz sensationalism and veritable mystery thrills. The movie has gone public when its copyright was not renewed.
Movie Background
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Director | William A. Wellman |
| Producer | Hunt Stromberg |
| Screenplay | James Gunn |
| Based on | The G-String Murders by Gypsy Rose Lee |
| Studio | Hunt Stromberg Productions / United Artists |
| Release Date | May 1, 1943 (USA) |
| Running Time | 91 minutes |
| Costumes | Edith Head |
| Music | Arthur Lange (Oscar nominated) |
| Budget | Shot in 21 days on RKO sound stages |
| Box Office | $2 million gross, $650,000 profit |
| Status | Public domain (copyright not renewed) |
The film earned Arthur Lange an Academy Award nomination for Best Music Score.
Movie Cast Table
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Barbara Stanwyck | Dixie Daisy |
| Michael O’Shea | Biff Brannigan (comedian) |
| J. Edward Bromberg | S.B. Foss (theater owner) |
| Iris Adrian | Gee Gee Graham |
| Gloria Dickson | Dolly Baxter |
| Marion Martin | Alice Angel |
| Victoria Faust | Princess Nirvena |
| Stephanie Bachelor | Lolita La Verne |
| Pinky Lee | Mandy (comic) |
| Gerald Mohr | Louie Grindero |
| Frank Conroy | Inspector Harrigan |
| Charles Dingle | Stacchi (stagehand) |
Stanwyck leads a colorful ensemble cast featuring real burlesque performers like Pinky Lee.
Full Plot Summary
Lady of Burlesque (1943 film) begins in the Old Opera House in New York, which is a busy burlesque theater where Dixie Daisy has just been presented with the star status. Dixie is a sassy, self-confident girl, popular with the audiences and most of the cast, but not with the jealous prima donna Lolita La Verne, who does not take well to being outdone.
Gee Gee Graham, a wise-cracking blonde showgirl is the best friend of Dixie and offers her comic relief and loyalty. Meanwhile, the Irish comedian Biff Brannigan stalks Dixie and acts as her partner in comedy sketches as he proposes marriage at each turn. Dixie keeps brushing him off.
The atmosphere becomes tensed as the old star of the theater Princess Nirvena, who is the former lover of the boss, unexpectedly comes back to the theater. The Princess gets back to the top billing position by blackmailing both Dixie and Lolita. Competitions among the rivals become intense as the performers vie to get their stage time and applause of the audience.
As the police raid on the theater with the violated laws of the administration of decency, the lights in the backstage turn off. One of them attempts to choke Dixie in the darkness but is prevented when a stagehand passes by. The cast and crew are imprisoned but soon released on bail by theater owner S.B. Foss, who maneuvers to make sure that each of the performers owns a part of the company so that they can be loyal.
Lolita La Verne is soon discovered dead in her dressing-room, with a g-string around her neck. Inspector Harrigan leads the police in investigation and both Dixie and Biff become suspects. Even though it is risky, Dixie does not get intimidated and manages to be sassy and brave during the interrogation.
The performance has to take place and thus, the troupe performs. In one of the comedy sketches, where Dixie and Biff are on the stage, the corpse of Princess Nirvena falls out of a prop–she has also been strangled with a g-string. Panic creates panic in the theater.
Inspector Harrigan suggests closing the establishment due to safety and Dixie uses a passion-filled speech to get the performers on board. She reminds them that they are all co-owners and have a vested interest in the success of the company and they should not allow fear to ruin what they have achieved together. The cast is ready to remain and reveal the murderer.
Dixie sets out on her own research, making comparisons with Gee Gee and Biff. She observes trends and relationships between the victims and knows that the killings are not an issue of jealousy. She sets up a trap with Gee Gee, to trap the killer into exposing him/herself.
Dixie remains alone one night, leaving behind as a bait when everyone has gone. The old stagehand Stacchi comes into the light and admits to the killings. He assaults Dixie, where he attempts to strangle her using another g-string.
In time, Biff and police come in and save her. In an important discovery, Biff tells him that Stacchi is not only the grandfather of Lolita, but has gone mad due to his hatred of burlesque performers who he feels to have corrupted his family. His revenge was through a twisted method against people he considered as the most immoral.
As soon as the murderer is apprehended, and the case is resolved, Dixie and Biff come to face their emotions. Biff makes another proposal and Dixie accepts it with great enthusiasm. The old opera house has been restored and love prevails backstage.
Genre and Key Themes
Lady of Burlesque (1943) is a backstage murder mystery, which has strong comedy and musical value, occurring in the coloured world of burlesque theatre of the 1940s. It strikes a balance between whodunit suspense and romantic comedy and show business.
Key themes include:
- Demonstrate show business strength: Performers do not allow danger to close their theater, and they also reflect the spirit of the show must go on.
- Solidarity in the female community: Women, such as Dixie and Gee Gee, stand by one another regardless of the competition that they experience.
- Working-class empowerment: Foss giving the performers ownership interests transforms employees into agency stakeholders.
- Moral hypocrisy: The righteousness of the person who kills burlesque masks his own insanity and brutality.
- Love in the middle of mess: The relationship between Dixie and Biff is built on crisis that involves screwball comedy and pure love.
These topics turn Lady of Burlesque full movie more than a mystery – it is an ode to theatrical society.
Lady of Burlesque (1943) Full Movie Watch and Download
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Movie Review
Lady of Burlesque (1943) is a charming whodunit, as well as an account of backstage burlesques life, filtered but full of spirit.
- Performance: Barbara Stanwyck is a star as Dixie Daisy, and she imparts her usual tough grace and sass into the role. She constitutes Dixie witty, fragile and domineering simultaneously. Michael O Shea keeps pace with her in the role of the lovable Biff and Iris Adrian almost robs scenes as gum snapping Gee Gee. The group has authentic burlesque performers, such as Pinky Lee, which make it more authentic.
- Direction: William A. Wellman maintains the pacing and the tone light regardless of the murders. He has maneuvered the Production Code limitations, implying burlesque spectacle via camera angles and editing, instead of directly on the screen.
- Story and screenplay: The novel of Gypsy Rose Lee is an excellent writing by James Gunn, as it combines mystery with the backstage chatter. The killings establish a real suspense, but mystery is pushed into the third place, replaced by character interaction and the atmosphere of showbiz. The trap-the-killer climax is satisfactory, despite the fact that the resolution is rather foreseeable.
- Music and production: The Oscar-nominated score by Arthur Lange is very helpful in sustaining the action, and the costumes by Edith Head glamorize the film. A highlight of the movie is a musical number by Stanwyck titled, as noted in the literature, Play It On The G-String, where she was totally devoted to the burlesque-star image.
- Historical value: The film captures a dying entertainment form—burlesque was nearly extinct by 1942—making it a valuable cultural document despite sanitization.
As a free classic movie and public domain movie, Lady of Burlesque 1943 film is widely available, though quality varies dramatically. The recent 4K restoration by Film Masters has given the film its deserved presentation at last.
Movie Tags
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