DARLING LILI (DVD) (WS ENHANCE 16X9/DOL DIG(ENG 5.1 SUR/ENG 2.0 SUR) DVD

Darling Lili
Julie Andrews made a bid to change her squeaky clean image with this elaborately mounted World War I musical. Lili Smith (Andrews) is a popular British music hall singer who is regarded as a femme fatale and has been known to throw a bit of striptease into her act. However, Lili has a secret: she's actually a German spy, and the uncle she dotes upon is really Von Ruger (Jeremy Kemp), a fellow espionage agent and her contact for the Huns. In hopes of gaining valuable information, Lili begins using her feminine wiles on Maj. William Larrabee (Rock Hudson), a top American pilot. However, Lili soon discovers that she's falling in love with Larrabee and can't find the courage to betray him; Larrabee discovers Lili's secret, but he refuses to turn her in. Darling Lili was a notorious box-office disappointment, grossing a mere $5 million on a budget that rose to $25 million due to a variety of production mishaps. Director Blake Edwards (Andrews' husband) was stung by the poor reception, and he later trimmed the 136-minute film to 114 minutes, downplaying its comic elements in favor of a more serious tone. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Julie Andrews as Lili Smith Rock Hudson as Maj. William Larrabee Jeremy Kemp as Von Ruger Lance Percival as Lt. Carstairs, TC Mike Witney as Youngblood Carson Jacques Marin as Duvalle Andre Maranne as Lt. Liggett Gloria Paul as Crepe Suzette Bernard Kay as Bedford Doreen Keogh as Emma Carl Duering as Gen. Kessler Vernon Dobtcheff as Kraus Ingo Mogendorf as Baron von Richthofen, the Red Baron

Crew Hermes Pan - Choreography Jack Bear - Costume Designer Donald Brooks - Costume Designer Mickey McCardle - First Assistant Director Blake Edwards - Director Peter Zinner - Editor Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score) Johnny Mercer - Composer (Music Score) Allan Snyder - Makeup Willard Buell - Makeup Lynn Reynolds - Makeup Fernando Carrere - Production Designer Anthony Squire - Cinematographer Russell Harlan - Cinematographer Guy Tabary - Cinematographer Ken Wales - Producer Blake Edwards - Producer Owen Crump - Producer Reg Allen - Set Designer Jack Stephens - Set Designer VanDer Veer Photo Effects - Special Effects Rex Wimpy - Special Effects Bob Peterson - Special Effects Linwood G. Dunn - Special Effects William Peter Blatty - Screenwriter Blake Edwards - Screenwriter Irene Caine - Costumes Supervisor

Darling Lili
Judging from the initial reception afforded Darling Lili, one would have thought Blake Edwards and Julie Andrews had committed a horrible crime by foisting this movie upon the public. Time has helped to correct that judgment, and Lili can now be seen for what it really is: an unfocused and overproduced film with enough assets to make it an entertaining way to spend an evening. Edwards's screenplay is the chief villain; it is a mish-mash of genres -- comedy, drama, spoof, musical, spy film, adventure, epic -- that tries so hard to be faithful to each genre that it never develops a consistency or personality. The changes in tone are frustrating and damage the film, but not fatally, and the film does raise some moral issues which it handles surprisingly well. More importantly, the film showcases Julie Andrews's many talents, allowing her to play a more complicated character than in many of her previous roles while still giving her the chance to let loose with a song in the manner that is uniquely hers. Her performance of "Whistling in the Dark" is especially memorable. There's little chemistry between Andrews and Rock Hudson (whose performance is only adequate), but there's good support from Jeremy Kemp. Edwards's camerawork is exciting (especially in the aerial sequences), and the costumes are period perfect. Lili has been shown in several different forms, each of a different length; the "director's cut" version is the most consistent, stylistically. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
 

Donald Brooks: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Costume Design (nominated) Henry Mancini: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Song Score (nominated) Henry Mancini: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Song (nominated) Henry Mancini: Golden Globe, Best Original Song (winner) Jack Bear: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Costume Design (nominated) Johnny Mercer: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Song Score (nominated) Johnny Mercer: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Song (nominated) Johnny Mercer: Golden Globe, Best Original Song (winner) Julie Andrews: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or C (nominated)

Golden Globe, Best Picture - Musical or Comedy (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS2.0: Dolby Digital w/ 4 channels of sound from a 2-channel stereo mix. Additional Features: cc 19 additional scenes Theatrical trailer Widescreen version enhanced for 16:9 tvs Dolby Digital - English 5.1 Surround - English 2.0 Surround English Subtitles MPAA Rating: G DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 107 min   DVD Chapters: Disc #1 -- Darling Lili 1. Overture [5:02] 2. Sing the Shadows Away [1:09] 3. Keep Your Eyes Open [1:35] 4. Project Sparrow [5:46] 5. No Man's Land [:28] 6. Purely Inspirational [2:29] 7. How Do You Do? [:33] 8. Watch, Listen, Report [:35] 9. Operation Crepe Suzette [:42] 10. Suspicions [:31] 11. Get Out of My Shower [14:53] 12. Behind Enemy Lines [4:30] 13. Good-Will Ambassador [3:00] 14. Believe It or Not [:48] 15. Military Arrest [1:26] 16. Eliminate Her [:18] 17. If He Really Loves You [2:01] 18. Notorious Spy Sings [1:08] 19. Exit Music [6:35]