Lady L
| Lady L | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster by Robert McGinnis | |
| Directed by | Peter Ustinov |
| Screenplay by | Peter Ustinov |
| Based on | Lady L by Romain Gary |
| Produced by | Carlo Ponti |
| Starring | Sophia Loren Paul Newman David Niven |
| Cinematography | Henri Alekan |
| Edited by | Roger Dwyre |
| Music by | Jean Françaix |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 117 minutes |
| Countries | France Italy United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2.7 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1] |
Lady L is a 1965 comedy film based on the novel by Romain Gary and directed by Peter Ustinov. Starring Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, David Niven and Cecil Parker,[2] the film focuses on an elderly Corsican lady as she recalls the loves of her life, including an anarchist and a Parisian aristocrat.
The film had its World Premiere at the Empire, Leicester Square in the West End of London on 25 November 1965.[3]
Plot
As she approaches her 80th birthday, the sophisticated and still attractive Lady Lendale recounts to her biographer, Sir Percy, the story of her life.
Fleeing her humble origins in Corsica, she traveled to Paris, where she found work in a brothel. There she falls in love with a thief and anarchist, Armand, and becomes pregnant by him. But before he can use a bomb to assassinate a Bavarian prince, she meets Lord Lendale, who is so enchanted by the young woman that he offers to overlook Armand's activities if she will agree to marry him.
Lady L becomes a woman of means, moving in high society, and together she and Lord Lendale raise a large family. In the end, however, she reveals their secret: that she has continued to be the lover of Armand, who has fathered all their children while posing as the family's chauffeur.
Cast
- Sophia Loren as Lady Louise Lendale / Lady L
- Paul Newman as Armand Denis
- David Niven as Dicky, Lord Lendale
- Marcel Dalio as Sapper
- Cecil Parker as Sir Percy
- Philippe Noiret as Ambroise Gérôme
- Jacques Dufilho Dufilho as Bealu
- Eugene Deckers as Koenigstein
- Daniel Emilfork as Kobeleff
- Hella Petri as Madam
- Jean Wiener as Krajewski
- Roger Trapp as police inspectorDubaron
- Jean Rupert
- Joe Dassin as a police inspector
- Jacques Legras as a police inspector
- Mario Feliciani as Italian anarchist
- Sacha Pitoëff as Bomb-throwing revolutionary
- Arthur Howard as Butler
- Dorothy Reynolds
- Jacques Ciron
- Hazel Hughes
- Michel Piccolii as Lecoeur
- Claude Dauphin as Inspector Mercier
- Catherine Allégret as Pantoufle
- France Arnel as Brunette
- Dorothée Blank as Blonde girl
- Jean-Paul Cauvin as The Little Orphan
- Lo Ann Chan as the Chinese girl
- Sylvain Levignac
- Laurence Lignières as High society girl
- Tanya Lopert as Agneau
- Moustache as Delcour
- John Wood (uncredited) as the Photographer
- Jenny Orléans as Blonde girl
- Peter Ustinov as Prince Otto of Bavaria
- Janet Wilson as an extra
Production
The film was a co-production between France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Castle Howard in Yorkshire was used for the shooting of some scenes.
References
- ^ "Big Rental Pictures of 1966", Variety, 4 January 1967 p 8
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059377/
- ^ The Times 25/11/65, page 2
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