weezeralfalfa The plot of this superior comedic musical romance is basically similar to that in "Royal Wedding", starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell. A male and female pair of American entertainers(with other official roles in the present case)come to Europe to interact with royalty and other upper class persons, and each establishes a romance with one of such. The three main musical stars: Ethel Merman, Vera -Ellen, and Don O'Connor, all deserved much more and better film documentation of their exceptional talents during their careers. Here is a unique opportunity to see all of them shine, separately and together.Ethel is perfectly cast as the brassy expert Washington party hostess, turned ambassador. Vera-Ellen is also perfectly cast as the beautiful, but somewhat icy, cloistered princess, looking for an opportunity to shed this lifestyle and pursue her singing/dancing talents. This role rather closely mimics her role as a beautiful but repressed lost soul saviour, who falls for the suave rich playboy Fred Astaire, in "The Belle of New York".Ethel was often denied the film version of Broadway hits she starred in as a singer, comedian and actress, because she was considered not beautiful enough, or because too many in the film audience considered her singing voice too harsh and loud, or her personality too brassy, as she often acted as if she were still on a stage without a microphone.Vera-Ellen's exceptional dancing talent was recognized, but her singing was usually dubbed, and she was often considered too introverted to come across as an all around entertainer.In this film, her scenes nearly all exclude Ethel, thus she has ample opportunity to carry her own scenes, mostly with O'Connor's help.O'Connor's exceptional vaudevillian combination of talents, honed since early childhood, was too often shadowed in film assignments by Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, or others, or wasted in inferior roles at Universal. I think of him as a younger version of rubbery comedic dancer Ray Bolger(Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz"). In this film, he escapes the dominance of Kelly in their superhit "Singing in the Rain". He gets to shine in his comical novelty dance, following singing the somber "What Chance Have I With Love? He also sings a Berlin standard with Ethel, and has several romantic song or dance numbers with Vera-Ellen, who made a perfect dance partner. In addition to brassy solos of "The Hostess with the Mostess","The International Rag" and "Can You Use any Money Today?" and a show-stopping duet with O'Connors, Ethel sings several romantic duets with George Sanders.The fanciful story is based on an actual Truman appointment of a Washington socialite as ambassador to the tiny country of Luxemburg. In the film, the country is changed to the ultratiny alpine country of Liechtenstein, renamed Lichtenburg, presumably because it is more scenic and remote and has more colorful traditional dance costumes, esploited in the charming musical number "Ocarina", featuring Vera-Ellen and a dance chorus.Seems Lichtenburg had a problem of needing a huge dowry for their Princess Maria(Vera-Ellen), to marry Prince Hugo of a neighboring country, and they are hoping to obtain a loan from the US Marshall Plan. As instructed, Ethel refuses a loan requested by several short overeager ministers, but offers a huge loan to tall suave reserved foreign minister Cosmo Constantine(George Sanders), who immediately mermerizes her. But Cosmo knows that the princess does not love the prince, thus he refuses to OK the loan. He himself refused a political arranged marriage and sings the song "Marrying for Love" to Ethel, whom he is warming up to. Meanwhile, the cloistered princess Maria, with the forbidden desire of a singing/dancing career, develops a romance with Ethel's press attache(O'Connor), who happens to have similar talents. In the happy ending, although Ethel is recalled to Washington for encouraging the O'Connor:Vera-Ellen romance, Cosmo conveniently is appointed ambassador to the US, after defeating the loan offer in his very brief role as prime minister.Princess Maria accompanies Cosmo on the ship over, having decided to renounce her claim to the throne in favor of a marriage with O'Connor's character and perhaps a show business career.Billy De Wolfe has the thankless, if prominent, role of the arrogant embassy chief of protocol in Lichtenburg, who thinks Ethel should be just a figurehead, with himself wielding actual embassy power. The title of the film comes from Ethel's imperative that he address her as Madam, as part of her counterattack. I wonder if the fact that Billy has more than a passing physical resemblance to Thomas Dewey was purely coincidental, with Truman periodically on the phone with Ethel?... Several of the leading actors in the Lichtenburg government were native to that region. This includes Walter Slezak, who makes a play for Ethel, but is quickly rejected.

tavm After so many years of reading about this Irving Berlin musical, I finally watched Call Me Madam twice. The first time was just the movie, the second time was with great commentary by Miles Kreuger who usually stays silent for the great songs that come in play. Anyway, seeing Ethel Merman recreate her Broadway role is such a treat since it very rarely happened to her when she did movies. And the people she was paired with for this version-George Sanders as her leading man and Donald O'Connor as her assistant-are perfect with her especially the latter when they sing the counterpoint-duet, "You're Just in Love". Also great is Vera-Ellen whenever she and O'Connor dance up a storm. In fact, when I read they almost reteamed in White Christmas and Donald couldn't do it because of illness, I felt a little sad even though Danny Kaye wasn't a bad replacement in that one. Of those leads, only Vera-Ellen's singing voice is dubbed by one Carol Richards who I previously knew sang with Bing Crosby on "Silver Bells" and now, due to Kreuger, know dubbed Cyd Charisse in many of her M-G-M musicals. Despite that, it wasn't too noticeably different from her actual voice so it was all right and a good compliment to the others especially Sanders who warbles here for the only time on film. Oh, and there are quite a few good comedy set pieces like when Ms. Merman goes to meet the king and queen of the country she's visiting. Okay, while Call Me Madam isn't a perfect movie, it's a highly enjoyable one and kudos to director Walter Lang for putting this all together. So yes, that's a recommendation. P.S. In acknowledging people native to my birthtown of Chicago, Ill., I was pleasantly surprised to find out Mr. O'Connor was from there.

Maddyclassicfilms This is one of the best musicals and is a sweet little love story focusing on two couples of different ages.The wealthy American society hostess Sally Adams(Ethel Merman)is appointed American Ambassador to the royal country of Lichtenburg.She goes there with her young aide Kenneth Gibson(Donald O'Connor)who falls in love with the young and beautiful Princess Maria(Vera Ellen)who is a national treasure and delights the people with her dancing skills at the annual festivals.While their little romance blooms(against protocol)Sally falls in love with the charming and kind General Cosmo Constantine(George Sanders).Cosmo is a gentleman of the old school and sweeps Sally off her feet with manners,charm and sincerity.Featuring some toe tapping songs and Vera Ellen proving once again that she's one of the best dancers of all time(check her out in White Christmas as well).I was also pleasantly surprised to see that George can sing he had a gorgeous voice and it serves him well when he's singing I for one could listen all day to him.Although it doesn't have loads of character development(there never really is in a lot of musicals)this is a must see which will entertain you and and is one to watch on a rainy day or if you need cheering up.

edwagreen Ethel Merman certainly proved her comedic gifts in this 1953 gem of a musical.Loosely based on Pearl Mesta, "Call Me Madam" deals with a female ambassador to an imaginary kingdom.Merman pulls out all the stops in blasting away such nostalgic music. She certainly was the hostess with the most.What makes the film so good is that she is ably supported by a great cast including Donald O'Connor, who played her bad boy son in "There's No Business Like Show Business." In this film he portrays a reporter who finds romance while assigned to her. He is with the wonderful, charming Vera-Ellen.George Sanders, with a thick European accent, shines here as a count. He gets away from the usual cads that he played in films.Billy de Woolf is his usual irritating but wonderful self here.