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75 of 77 found the following review helpful:
 Ethel Merman's only film version of one of her stage hits!Feb 08, 2004
By Mark Andrew Lawrence
"Theatre Reviewer"
After too many years locked away in the vaults, the movie version of CALL ME MADAM is finally getting released on DVD.This is the only time Ethel Merman did a faithful screen re-creation of one of her famous Broadway roles. Sadly she was passed over for the film of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN when the role was assigned to first to Judy Garland, then to Betty Hutton. And her greatest stage role, Madame Rose, went To Rosalind Russell in the movie of GYPSY. In an interview with Miss Merman she explained "the studios, in those days, they wanted picture names..but when they got to CALL ME MADAM I guess they figured they'd take a chance on me." Some chance. MADAM had played 644 performances on Broadway and had been acclaimed a big hit. The story, a lightly satirical look at international politics was inspired by Harry Truman's appointment of Pearl Mesta as Ambassador to Luxembourg. It was rumoured that Pearl got the assignment by being a great party-giver. So, Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse created Mrs. Sally Adams, a wealthy Oklahoma widow who gravitates to Washington and thanks to her parties is appointed ambassador to Lichtenburg. The movie retains much of what worked on stage but embellishes it with some additional funny scenes. Best of all most of the Broadway score is retained: "The Hostess With the Mostes'"; "Can You Use Any Money Today"; "Marrying for Love"; "It's a Lovely Day Today"; "Something to Dance About"; "The Best Thing for You" and the showstopping "You're Just in Love." Added to the movie are two old Berlin standards, "The International Rag" and "What Chance Have I with Love" which becomes a hilarious dance routine for Donald O'Connor. O'Connor also gets to dance to "Something to Dance About" with Vera Ellen. Since the two secondary leads were played by dancers, the movie allows them to develop their romance through dance and its an effective change. It also takes some of the emphasis off Merman. Ethel is still very much the star of the picture. Belting out the songs and delivering the comic zingers with panache. It is still a very theatrical performance....you still have the sense she is playing to the back row of the balcony. But that is was Merman was all about, and that is why the film is an important document. Some of her best lines: Congressman: When will you arrive at your post?
Sally: I'm not sure. Where the heck is Lichtenburg?? Congressman: Sally, you wouldn't like me to make a little farewell speech tonight?
Sally: That's right. I WOULDN'T! Grand Duke: Tell me - How does this reception differ from your famous Washington parties?
Sally: Well WE have good time! And in the best musical comdy tradition, everything works out in time for a happy ending. Now that CALL ME MADAM is finally getting back into circulation we have a happy ending too! (Now..if only Decca would reissue the movie soundtrack album!)
59 of 60 found the following review helpful:
The brassiest and just about the best!Mar 09, 2004
A huge hit on the Broadway stage, "Call Me Madam" was brought to the screen with Ethel Merman allowed to recreate her role of Sally Adams, legendary Washington hostess, named as American Ambassador to a fictional European duchy. The Irving Berlin score is endlessly melodic and listenable and performed with panache by the leads (Vera-Ellen's songs are dubbed by a well-matched voice double), including George Sanders revealing a surprisingly lyrical bass-baritone. Donald O'Connor and Vera-Ellen deliver with some of the best dance duets since Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire's halcyon days at RKO, and both get a chance to shine in solo dance numbers, including a spectacular "Orcarina" production extravaganza with Vera and a fantastically well-rehearsed chorus of colorfully costumed dancers. Twentieth lavished class "A" production values on this delight and Alfred Newman's Oscar for Best Adapted Musical Score was eminently well-deserved. What a pleasure to welcome this back from its long exile in the vaults of favorite movie musical memories!
13 of 13 found the following review helpful:
 Wonderful nostalgia tripAug 12, 2006
By Simone de Beauvoir
"Genevieve"
I originally saw this movie when I was 10 years old and over the years remembered the wonderful dancing and songs. I was disappointed that it never seemed to turn up on TV and was delighted to be able to buy my own copy. When I saw it again recently it was even better than I had remembered it. Donald O'Connor's partnership with Vera-Ellen is enchanting - I've watched their dances over and over. And Ethel Merman lights up the screen every time she is on - her interpretation of the memorable Berlin songs, whether belted out or sweetly romantic - is, I believe, unbeatable. I now want to get all the other Merman movies. And what a shame that George Sanders' deep, rich baritone wasn't more widely heard.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
A Great HitJul 04, 2006
By Howard B. Schaffer
"Retired diplomat"
Call Me Madame is a wonderful spoof on diplomatic practice. I intend to show part of it to my undergrad course in diplomacy at Georgetown University to demonstrate to the students how ambassadors should not conduct themselves.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
SuperbAug 12, 2004
By Kevin Killian
We just finished watching this DVD last night, after holding it back for some months. Glad I waited.
Ethel Merman is filled with joyous energy and vivacity. She isn't overbearing as she was in that later picture she did with Buddy Hackett where all the characters are chasing after money. Probably that picture did more to cement people's minds of one image of Ethel Merman as loud and obnxious. Here she's loud, but only sometimes, she seems like a human being instead of a monster. I love her arm and hand movements when she sings, especially dancing with the two men at the end at her Washington DC party, it's like a penguin dancing.
George Sanders was also very good. Number one, I never heard him act before with that accent (Mitteleuropean Eurotrash) which we heard preserved right into the singing, or whoever dubbed his singing voice for him, though it sounded just like his own voice. Number two, I remember him from REBECCA and ALL ABOUT EVE and dozens of other movies but don't ever remember him playing the leading man or at any rate the "good guy." Here he plays General Cosmo Constantine, charming and erudite and kind of sexy, you can see why Sally Adams falls in love with him as soon as he opens his mouth.
This was Donald O'Connor's followup to the famous SINGING IN THE RAIN and his numbers are better than those in SITR, sorry Donen fans but it's true. The one number that he dances to with Vera-Ellen (their first dance, not that underground one) at the reception for Sally Adams, and they sing "It's a Lovely Day Today," is out of this world. And his drunk scene where he dances on a zillion colored balloons is a masterpiece of masculine power and grace. He's also sexy in this! It's a movie where the director took two unlikely actors (Merman and O'Connor) and kind of sexed them up, it's a miracle.
Finally, there's Vera-Ellen in what I believe was her last role. She is lovely and acts the part beautifully. The people I was watching it had never seen her before and found it hard to believe she wasn't herself from Lichtenberg. She wore a bunch of ugly clothes beautifully, and comported herself like a princess, even when wearing that hat in the department store scene that made her hair fall out the back of it. But too thin, and seeing her so emaciated reminded me of her tragic end and made me feel blue.
Can't get the big number out of my head, "I hear music, and there's no one there," mixed with "You're not sick, you're just in love." When Donald O'Connor and Ethel Merman sing this, I challenge you to remain in your seats, otherwise you can't help dancing along.
One of the best musicals ever--except for the plot which is hard to understand with the loans and who wants what.
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