The Notorious Landlady [Blu-ray]

Director: Richard Quine Richard Quine

Overview

This uneven farce by director Richard Quine has its hilarious and witty moments as American diplomat William Gridley (Jack Lemmon) inadvertently gets caught up in a jewel theft and mayhem. After William lands in London to take up his new position and get settled in his new digs, he becomes involved with his gorgeous landlady Carlye Hardwicke (Kim Novak). Carlye's husband is missing, and she is suspected of doing him in. But then he unexpectedly comes back home where an argument with Carlye over some jewels makes him as dead as everyone had assumed -- with her wielding the murder weapon. Carlye is eventually acquitted thanks to a witness who has designs on the jewels herself -- but the story is far from over. First there is an exciting helicopter ride and a wild chase to decide just who will end up with the loot.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/08/2020
UPC:	0043396572331
Original Release:	1962
Rating:	NR
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[B&W]
Language:	English
Time:	2:03:00
Sales rank:	29,521

Special Features

Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jack Lemmon	Actor
Kim Novak	Actor
Fred Astaire	Actor
Lionel Jeffries	Actor
Estelle Winwood	Mrs. Dunhill
Maxwell Reed	Miles Hardwicke
Philippa Bevans	Mrs. Brown
Henry Daniell	Stranger
Ronald Long	Coroner
Doris Lloyd	Lady Fallott
Richard Peel	Dillings
Florence Wyatt	Ambruster's Secretary
Frederic Worlock	Elderly Colonel
Dick Crockett	Carstairs
Scott Davey	Henry
Jack Livesey	Counsel
Tom Dillon	Coroner's Officer
Benno Schneider	Man
Clive Halliday	Man,Reporter
Anthony Eustrel	Man
Carter DeHaven Sr.	Old Man
David Hughes	Old Man
Nelson Welch	Old Man
Cecil Weston	Woman
Mavis Neal	Woman
Thomas P. Dillon	Coroner's Officer
Cicely Walper	Woman
Queenie Leonard	Woman
Betty Fairfax	Woman in Bathrobe
Clive Morgan	Man in Smoking Jacket
David Hilary Hughes	Actor
Julie Scott	Flousy,Waitress
Eric Micklewood	Man with a Hangover
Mark Burke	Little Girl
Ottola Nesmith	Flower Lady
Milton Parsons	Mysterious Man
Bru Mysak	Ambruster's Driver
Iris Bristol	Girl
Gwendolyn Watts	Wife
James Logan	Bobby
Bryan Herbert	Husband
Michael St. Clair	Fire Chief
Tudor Owen	Farmer
Tom Symonds	Alf
Laurence Conroy	Clerk
Barry Bernard	Attendant
Mary O'Brady	Mrs. Oliphant
Towyna Thomas	Dowager
Harold Innocent	Young Escort
Marjorie Bennett	Autograph Seeker
Alex Finlayson	Reporter
Ogden Dangerfield	Reporter
Joe Palma	Reporter
Jacqueline Squire	Woman Reporter
Brian Gaffikin	TV Reporter
George Pelling	Ticket Agent
John Uhler Lemmon II	Old Man in Wheelchair
Ross Brown	Boy
George Duning	Composer

Technical Credits

Larry Gelbart

Blake Edwards

Richard Quine	Director
Larry Gelbart	Screenwriter
Blake Edwards	Screenwriter
David Koehler	Special Effects
Fred Kohlmar	Producer
Charles J. Rice	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

Even the indomitable comic expertise of Jack Lemmon isn't enough to transform The Notorious Landlady into the laugh-out-loud farce-with-thrills that it is intended to be. Let's state right out that this is in no way the fault of Lemmon. He gives it his very best shot, and that's saying something indeed. He's in there, those eyebrows shooting up and mouth plunging down at the speed of light when something surprises him in an unpleasantly (for him) humorous (for us) way. His twitches, whether controlled or uncontrolled, are still a delight, and there's still no one who can quite match his unique timing. Lemmon's a gem here, but the screenplay treats him like a rhinestone. Yes, there are some funny parts in Larry Gelbart and Blake Edwards' screenplay, but there's also far too much filler; for every gag that lands, there are five or six that never even get off the ground, even with Lemmon flinging them about for all they're worth. Matters are not helped when Lemmon is pushed offscreen for the gorgeous but un-comedic Kim Novak. Novak requires very special handling in order to make comedy work; it simply doesn't come naturally to her. Her handling here, courtesy of director Richard Quine, is far from special. Fred Astaire is fine but wasted; coming off better are Estelle Winwood and Lionel Jeffries.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler