Adventures From My Netflix Queue:Lady of Burlesque
The movies that I really wanted to see over Memories of Murder starred Barbara Stanwyck. The latest one is Lady of Burlesque.
From the sound of the title it would’ve had to take place when burlesque was big. Early on in the thirties. Yet, as Miss Stanwyck makes her appearance, I expected the pretty, young thing, but it was the mature Miss Stanwyck. I found out that this movie was made in 1943! A few years from Lady Eve and just before Double Indemnity. So this is how some of her non-classic films were like. It’s a B movie! Yet, guess again. It was nominated for an Oscar in the song category “Take it off the E String. Play it on the G-string” which Miss Stanwyck sang. WooHoo!
The plot centers around the backstage shennanigans of a burlesque grind house, and then the ladies get involved in a murder straight out of a Scooby Doo mystery. “I would’ve gotten away with it, except for these meddling ladies of burlesque.” The murder mystery was pretty thin. As was the plot.
The funniest part of watching it was that I was expecting a pre-code movie. Of course, being made in 1943, it adhered to the code of ethics of the day. Just imagine how much “burlesque” they could show. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. For Miss Stanwyck’s song and dance, she did some bumping and grinding. Or at least that was what was hinted at. Cut to the audience. She shakes it, but only in your imagination.
Lady of Burleque isn’t bad, but it’s only for those hardcore Stanwyck fans.
3 of 5 stars.
