The songs are gone, but the Broadway musical about the life of a French whore in Pigalle retains the colour, the wit, and the exposure of French hypocrisy, and the writing and direction by Billy Wilder add an extra dimension.
Jack Lemmon plays Nestor Patou, a naive Parisian ex-policeman who falls in love with a prostitute called Irma la Douce (Shirley MacLaine) and becomes her pimp.
Patou doesn’t want to share his girlfriend with anybody else so he takes on an alter-ego – Lord X, a British gentleman – to become Irma’s sole client.
A nice Billy Wilder comedy/drama with perfect casting. Shirley MacLaine is a very strong lead and Jack Lemmon (Wilder’s favourite actor) is brilliant as always.
This is the film that Shirley MacLaine says changed her life. I wouldn’t touch that one with a barge pole.
Nestor Patou/Lord X
Jack Lemmon
Irma La Douce
Shirley MacLaine
Moustache
Lou Jacobi
Hippolyte
Bruce Yarnell
Insp. Lefevre
Herschel Bernardi
Lolita
Hope Holiday
Amazon Annie
Joan Shawlee
Kiki the Cossack
Grace Lee Whitney
Casablanca Charlie
Herb Jones
Andre
Paul Dubov
Jojo
Diki Lerner
Zebra Twins
Ruth Earl
Jane Earl
Suzette Wong
Tura Satana
Mimi the MauMau
Harriette Young
Carmen
Sheryl Deauville
Jack
Jack Sahakian
Concierge
Howard McNear
Customer from Texas
James Brown
Tattooed sailor
Bill Bixby
Officer Dupont
Billy Beck
Police sergeant
Cliff Osmond
Director
Billy Wilder
