That Lady in Ermine - A 1948 Movie Directed by Ernst Lubitsch- Starring Betty Grable, Cesar Romero and Douglas Fairbanks Junior
Run time one hour and twenty nine minutes
Although Lubitsch received sole credit as director, he died after only eight days of filming, and the project was completed by Otto Preminger
This is the fifth movie directed by Ernst Lubitsch upon which I have posted.
Ernst Lubitsch
Born: January 29, 1892, Berlin, Germany
Died: November 30, 1947, Los Angeles, California, United States
The film is set in 1861 in the Principality of Bergamo, a fictional country in southeastern Europe. Countess Angelina (Grable) is about to be married to Baron Mario (Romero), when Hungarian hussars led by Colonel Teglash (Fairbanks, Jr.) invade the castle. Mario flees, leaving Angelina to fend for herself.
One of Angelina's ancestors, Francesca (also Grable), was forced to deal with a similar situation many years earlier. Her portrait hangs in the castle, and by night, Francesca leaves the confines of the portrait to help Angelina grapple with her growing feelings for the colonel.
The film's dual role for Betty Grable, as both Angelina and Francesca, was a challenge for the actress, but she was able to pull it off with great success.
The film's musical numbers are some of the best of Lubitsch's career, and they help to move the story along and add to the film's overall charm.
The film's setting in a fictional country in southeastern Europe gives it a sense of escapism and allows the filmmakers to create a world that is both familiar and exotic.
The court settings are well done, the men are gorgeous and Betty is always a cinematic delight.
This film, as are numerous others starring Betty Grable as well as works directed by Ernst Lubitsch are on YouTube
Mel Ulm
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