Plot: What’s it about?
The world of burlesque can be a dangerous place, as a troupe of dancers soon discovers. The girls perform in what used to be an opera house, but has now been remodeled into a burlesque house, of course. Although the place has a lot of talent inside, there can only be one headliner and of course, that means someone has to be second best. In this case, Lolita La Verne (Victoria Faust) has been given the title of second banana, which is not good news, as she has been hoping to move to the top spot for some time now. So who is the main attraction at this house of burlesque? That would be new sensation Dixie Davis (Barbara Stanwyck), who has wowed the crowds and owners, but left her fellow dancers in a state of jealousy. But she is soon bumped from the top of the ladder, when a former dancer (who had an affair with the owner) returns and blackmails her way right into the headline performer slot. Now however, the returning diva and Lolita have been killed with their own G-strings, which leaves Dixie as the prime suspect. But has Dixie really tried to kill her competition, or she being framed for the crimes?
I was a little surprised to see this lesser known flick on the release schedule, but of course, I am very pleased to be able to now own the title. The main draw for most will be the presence of Barbara Stanwyck and she is terrific here, but this is a fun, very good overall motion picture. I don’t know that I’d say this is a good film in the traditional sense, but it more than delivers on an entertainment basis, which is enough to warrant a look. Based on Gypsy Rose Lee’s novel, this film has a great premise and offers a lot of fun, as well as suspense and good musical moments. I don’t think this fits into the typical mystery genre, but it has some suspense and is a mystery at heart, just with some other elements tossed in also. Although this film has some decent names attached, it has never been that well known, which is a real shame. But I hope some new fans will find Lady of Burlesque on this new format, as it certainly deserves to be seen.
The first time I saw this picture, I was unsure of how well Barbara Stanwyck could perform in such an offbeat movie, but I am always pleased with her work, time after time. Of course, Stanwyck was a screen idol in her prime and she more than deserved that status, as she always lit up the screen when she appeared. In Lady of Burlesque, she is within a musical murder mystery with a dose of comedy, but she doesn’t falter much at all, very impressive indeed. I think she seems to be at ease and having a good time, which adds a lot to her performance. If you’re a fan of her work and haven’t seen this film, I highly recommended you pick this disc up. You can also see Stanwyck in such films as The Lady Eve, Double Indemnity, Meet John Doe, Flesh and Fantasy, All I Desire, There’s Always Tomorrow, and Union Pacific. The cast also includes Michael O’Shea (The Big Wheel, The Eve of St. Mark), Iris Adrian (Herbie Goes Bananas, Blue Hawaii), and J. Edward Bromberg (Hurricane Smith, Mr. Moto Takes A Chance).
Video: How does it look?
Lady of Burlesque is presented in a full frame transfer, which preserves the film’s intended aspect ratio. I wasn’t expecting much from this transfer, but I was very pleased and I think fans will be most delighted indeed. The print shows some debris and damage, but not an extreme amount and for a film made in 1943, I’d say this the print is cleaner than most. The contrast is in fine form also, which is crucial, since this is a black & white motion picture. I saw no loss of detail and the black levels seem well balanced, with no serious problems to report. I would like to see some work done with the source materials, but I still think this transfer is good enough to warrant a purchase or rental, if you’re interested.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included mono track is as good as mono can be, which means a pleasant, but limited audio experience. But since this film doesn’t ask for much power most of the time, I don’t think this mono option disappoints, at least not much. The sound effects and dialogue come across well, with minimal harshness to be heard, which is good. I would love to hear the musical moments in richer form, but as far as mono goes, this track is better than most.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
