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Classic romantic comedy from director Billy Wilder starring Marlene Dietrich and John Lund. Captain John Pringle (Lund) is an American army captain who is having an affair with German singer Erika Von Schluetow (Dietrich). When Congresswoman Phoebe Frost (Jean Arthur) is sent to Germany on a fact-finding mission, John decides to clean up his act - or at least make it appear that way. Phoebe eventually falls for John, but Erika has other ideas.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Stunning for the visuals of a bombed-out Berlin and a glamorous Marlene Dietrich, this is one of Billy Wilder's fluffier confections. It's sort of Ninotcha-esque in how Jean Arthur shows up in Berlin, fresh from Iowa, completely uptight and rigid, but has her head turned by John Lund (showing yet again what an amazing actress Miss Arthur was). Wonderful, evocative songs and an interesting story make this a winner. It's a shame that Jean Arthur only made one more film after this.
Particularly effective was a scene in which Marlene is walking with Jean and telling her what things have been like since 1933 and throughout the war - "do you know what it was like to be a woman in this town when the Russians took over?" The aerial views of a post-war Berlin are incredible, and there is a note at the beginning of the film that a large part of it was shot there.
Particularly effective was a scene in which Marlene is walking with Jean and telling her what things have been like since 1933 and throughout the war - "do you know what it was like to be a woman in this town when the Russians took over?" The aerial views of a post-war Berlin are incredible, and there is a note at the beginning of the film that a large part of it was shot there.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By W. Russell
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This Billy Wilder story is gloriously cynical and incidentally a reminder of just how horrific the wartime bombing of the German cities was. The opening scenes of ruined Berlin are appalling. Against the background the occupying forces enjoy themselves with the local women, playing the blackmarket and generally having a good time. Jean Arthur, a brilliant comedienne, sparkles as the straight laced congresswoman there on a fact finding mission whose laces come undone, and Dietrich is even better as an eternal survivor, the mistress of a Nazi leader who is being hunted and who comes out of hiding when the fact she is now the 'friend' of an American officer played by John Lund becomes known. The thriller aspect of the plot is rudimentary, but the film is not really a thriller anyway but a scathing look at what people will do and how they get away with it. Dietrich as a cabaret singer with a wardrobe to die for is extraordinary. But she often was.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The women steal the honours in this film about a soldier John Pringle (John Lund)who has a lover Erika (Marlene Dietrich) in Germany but falls for a Congresswoman Phoebe (Jean Arthur) who is on a 5-day stay in Berlin investigating morale and morals within the US army. Jean Arthur is funny, determined and innocent while Dietrich is sexy, stylish, streetwise and playfully wicked. The story has humour and sadness and it ends well for all parties, but it is the acting of the 2 lead women that makes the film worth seeing.
As usual, Dietrich sings some rubbish songs but it doesn't get in the way of the film and she wears nice sparkly outfits which takes the attention away from the music. My favourite scene is when Dietrich and Arthur are in a club that gets raided and Dietrich points out a few home truths. Jean Arthur makes you feel genuinely sorry for her and it's a good contrast to the humour which has gone beforehand. There is also a story about a jealous Nazi who is coming to dish out some revenge to John but this thread is only picked up in the latter stages of the film. It's quite a long film but it's enjoyable enough to watch again.
As usual, Dietrich sings some rubbish songs but it doesn't get in the way of the film and she wears nice sparkly outfits which takes the attention away from the music. My favourite scene is when Dietrich and Arthur are in a club that gets raided and Dietrich points out a few home truths. Jean Arthur makes you feel genuinely sorry for her and it's a good contrast to the humour which has gone beforehand. There is also a story about a jealous Nazi who is coming to dish out some revenge to John but this thread is only picked up in the latter stages of the film. It's quite a long film but it's enjoyable enough to watch again.
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