IRMA LA DOUCE **

When "Irma La Douce" first came out it was critically mauled and it hasn't fared much better since, (it's generally regarded as Wilder's worst film though that's a distinction I've reserved for his version of "The Front Page"), and while I agree it's no masterpiece it's much better than its critical reputation might suggest. It's funny in a very naive kind of way and it's a lot less cynical than we might expect from Wilder; you may even say it has an innocent charm. It's based on a play by Alexandre Breffort that in turn became a Broadway musical. Wilder's version leaves out the songs though Andre Previn's score keeps the themes.

Irma is a Parisian prostitute and Lemmon is the policeman who, after losing his job (for being too honest) becomes her pimp. They are played, excellently, by Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon, less frenetic here than usual, and there's a lovely supporting performance from Lou Jacobi as the owner of a local bar. Unfortunately it's a very artificial looking movie which takes away from the overall effect and the plot, (Lemmon gets jealous of Irma's success in her profession and disguises himself as a rich English lord so he can be her only 'suitor'), isn't up to much, ('reality' isn't the film's strongest point), but it's a hard movie to dislike. It's unlikely it will ever make anyone's list of ten best Wilder movies but maybe it is time it was reassessed.