That Lady in Ermine (1948)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

best movie i've ever seen.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

While the credits say that this is an Ernst Lubitsch film, he actually died during the making of this film. Otto Preminger completed the film and I don't know whether he's to blame, Lubitsch is or both of them. Regardless, it's a very poor film...and the film that Betty Grable hated the most. It also is a movie that lost a ton of money at the box office....and after seeing the picture, I can understand why. The story is just a muddled mess.The story is set in the mid-19th century and a Contessa Angelina (Grable) just married handsome Count Mario (Cesar Romero). However, the Hungarians invade her Italian state and Mario is forced to flee. The leader of the Hungarians is the Colonel (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) and he's instantly smitten with her. Oddly, while the Contessa cannot reciprocate, a painting of a distant relative who JUST HAPPENS TO LOOK EXACTLY LIKE HER (a stupid cliché, I know) falls for him and comes out of the painting to pitch woo to the Colonel. There's more to this goofy film than this...but isn't that dopey enough to let you know why this movie is a mess?!Although the film looks great with its lovely color and sets, the story often is very dopey and makes no sense. It all just seems like a silly excuse to sing and dance. And, the overall film is a tad embarrassing at times...so I can understand Grable's feelings about this one!

This movie is a fun low-pressure comedy. It uses dry wit... people who can't process that type of humor might not enjoy the movie as much. The costumes are lavish, the colors are vivid, and Betty Grable looks hot as always.To see an interesting breech of continuity, watch Betty Grable's high-heels change into completely different shoes midway through her dance (roughly 1:01 into the movie). It was likely intended to protect her from injury during the acrobatic moves, but it is surprising that so little effort went into matching the alternate shoes with the originals.

The final film for Ernst Lubitsch, completed by Otto Preminger after Lubitsch's untimely death during production, is a juggling act of sophistication and silliness, romance and music, fantasy and costume dramatics. In a 19th century castle in Southeastern Europe, a Countess falls for her sworn enemy, the leader of the Hungarian revolt; she's aided by her ancestor, whose painted image magically comes to life. Betty Grable, in a long blonde wig adorned with flowers, has never been more beautiful, and her songs are very pleasant. Unfortunately, this script (by Samson Raphaelson, taken from an operetta by Rudolf Schanzer and E. Welisch) is awash with different ideas that fail to mesh--or entertain. The results are good-looking, but unabsorbing. *1/2 from ****

Watching That Lady In Ermine I was wondering what Betty Grable was doing in a project that seemed to be aimed for Marlene Dietrich to do. Someone over at 20th Century Fox may have decided one sex symbol is as good as another. Darryl F. Zanuck should have known better.Betty plays a 19th century Italian countess whose domain has been invaded by a troop of Hungarian Hussars captained by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Her ghostly ancestor whose portrait hangs in the palace hall along with the rest of her distinguished family tree, sees no small resemblance in Doug now and another invader some 300 years earlier whom she dealt with when armies failed.Besides that the current Betty has just been married to Cesar Romero and the invasion has come at a most inopportune moment, before things have been consummated. That's going to give anyone a bad attitude, I guarantee.Fresh, wholesome all American Betty is NOT the actress to do seductive and mysterious. Marlene Dietrich might have put this over, but with Betty it falls flatter than yesterday's presidential candidate. She and Fairbanks have no chemistry at all, though Doug is as charming as ever and someone I can watch in anything.Frederick Hollander and Leo Robin wrote the score for this film and This Is The Moment got an Oscar nomination for Best Song. That Lady In Ermine's one chance for Oscar glory fell to Buttons And Bows.Ernest Lubitsch died midway during the film and Otto Preminger finished That Lady In Ermine. I can't believe Lubitsch had Grable in mind for the lead here. Neither will you if you see That Lady In Ermine.