The Wedding of Lilli Marlene (1953) User Reviews

Austerity Gamour

[richardchatten · 4/10 · 29 October 2020]

A threadbare sequel to the 1950 'Lili Marlene' in which true love and the heroine's rise to the top naturally don't run smooth or there'd be no film.

Lacking the budget for Technicolor, the lighting by Arthur Grant is more suited to 'Dr Mabuse' than a musical. But Gabrielle Brune is an absolute hoot as the venomous diva. Compensation also comes in the form of Sid James playing a hot-shot impresario and comic cameos from the likes of Irene Handl (attempting a bizarre foreign accent), Wally Patch and Dandy Nichols, and brief sequences involving worldly-looking dancing girls which remain quite racy even seen today.

Another variation of "42nd Street", but where the star wants to go on for the star to be.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 30 April 2022]

Taken out of the chorus when star Gabrielle Brune decides to divorce producer Sydney James and leave the show, sweet Lisa Daniely signs a seven-year contract much against the wishes of her fiance, Hugh McDermott. When Brune decides she wants to return to the show, she agrees to coach danielley but is secretly sabotaging her so she'll get blasted by the clinics on opening night and Brune will "valiantly" step in. A semi-musical with all the songs in production numbers taking place within the show, which seems to be just another musical revue, and another attempt by the movies to try to show what goes on behind the scenes in a theatrical production and not getting it right.

It's dramatic highlight is when Daniely has a bit of a breakdown during the first performance and the show must be changed to accomodate her issues. The comic highlight occurs when Brune gives her opening night critical warnings and theater maid Irene Handle steps in to give the egotistical, self-centered star a piece of her mind. Of course, the famous title song is heard, serenaded by the audience to Daniely on stage. Daniely is sweet but lacking in major charisma, and Brune, while perfect as the catty star, is just another stereotypical stage diva with no heart. Enjoyable but trite, I found the ending unrealistic and a copout.