Call Me Madam
Call Me Madam
#0Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 9:57pm
Watched it last Sunday night with AndyHardy.
It's good.
I think CMM and "There's No Business Like Show Business" are the only two Ethel Merman films I've seen.
Any other important EM films?
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
Updated On: 4/15/05 at 09:57 PM
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#1re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:00pm
The Merm was never a BIG HIT in films, Glebb.
Did a few musicals in the 30s--then some comedies in the 60s--(IT'S A MAD MAD MAD WORLD, etc.)
Hollywood thought her personality was too "big" and "explosive" for the large screen.
***draggs Glebb into the corner and whisphers*** 'its call me MADAM', Glebb.
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
#2re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:01pm
Thanks ME. I think I'll fix that.
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
GovernorSlaton
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/14/04
#4re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:04pmYou can have mine.....
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#5re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:09pm
Blame it on Gov:
"Can You Use Any Money Today?":
Money, money, money, money, money, money
Can you use any money today?
Money, money, money, money, money, money
Nice new bills that we're giving away
There are photographs on ev'ry one
Lincoln, Grant and Washington
Or you might like the ones with Henry Clay
Can you use any money today?
Two million, four million, six million, ten
Take what you want, when it's gone you can come back again
Bills that haven't been printed yet
You can have them by the sack
Coins that haven't been minted yet
That you never have to give back
Money, money, money, money, money, money
Uncle Sam puts it right on the line
And if we ever run out of checks for him to sign
You can have mine
All of mine
You can have mine
Money, money, money, money, money, money
Can you use any dollars today?
Money, money, money, money, money, money
We've so much that it gets in our way
In our Treas'ry there's a mighty sum
Millions we've subtracted from
The envelopes that hold our take home pay
Can you use any money today?
Home in the states underground there's a cave full of gold
Back up a truck and we'll fill it with all it can hold
Take ten million and please don't fuss
If you find it can't be spent
You can lend it right back to us
And we'll pay you seven percent
Money, money, money, money, money, money
Uncle Sam puts it right on the line
And if that feller with whiskers ever should decline
You can have mine
All of mine
You can have mine!
Music and Lyrics: Irving Berlin
Copyright © ASCAP. All rights reserved.
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
#7re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:18pm
Cool!
I enjoyed Vera Ellen as Princess Maria but oh my gosh was she skinny.
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#8re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:19pm
...Listen to the Ocarinas play...
The Encores! production used REAL Ocarinas in the Orchestra Pit for that number...
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
PJ
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#9re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:20pmI bought this DVD when it was first released a while back. I still haven't watched it.
#10re: Call Me Madame
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:22pm
You must watch it.
Ethel defines zest.
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#11re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:22pm
Merm's character--Mrs. Sally Adams--was based on a REAL life Washington Hostess--Perle Mesta--who Truman appointed Ambassador to Luxembourg.
In the stage production, a Truman impersonator (I believe his name was Irving J. Puncus) came out during the final curtain calls and took a bow with Merman.
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
#12re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:23pmI loved the Forbidden Broadway parody of SUNSET BLVD., where Ethel teaches Alan Campbell to sing without a body mic. It was called "You Just Can't Sing".
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#13re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:26pmmissed that one, effie...
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#14re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:30pmI always thought this musical was about a bordello...
#15re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:32pm
You don't need ampliphyin'
You'll be loud as a lion
Be like me---use your diaphragm
Take that thing off your forehead
It looks like a nuke warhead
And you sound sheepish as a lamb
If today I got hired
I would sweat when I'm wired
Causing some electronic zing
Pull that mic out of your ass
And admit you just can't sing!
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#16re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 10:32pm
Oh, Marquise... tut tut.
Mind. Gutter. Disassociate, please! 
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
kjklo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/03
#17re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/15/05 at 11:47pmIf you love Ethel, be sure and catch "We're Not Dressing" with Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, and Burns & Allen. Very funny. Ethel sings "It's Just an Old Spanish Custom." 1934, lots of fun, and available on video. Pre-code (just barely).
#18re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/16/05 at 12:32am
There's also a 1936 film version of Anything Goes with Ethel and Bing Crosby, missing much of the score and featuring a version of the plot. But Ethel sings the title song and "I Get a Kick" and Bing and Ethel have fun with "You're the Top." Ethel's finale is a bizarre racist concotion called the "Shanghai-De-Ho," with everyone in Chinese makeup.
The movie was re-released for no good reason as "Tops Is the Limit" when Paramount released a stupid version in 1956 with Bing and Mitzi Gaynor.
She did two movies with Eddie Cantor, which have some good songs in them but lots of now-unwatchable Eddie Cantor "comedy." (My grandmother adored him.)
But one movie that stands up very well is Alexander's Ragtime Band, with Tyrone Power and Alice Faye and Don Ameche. Ethel has some great numbers and Alice Faye is pretty good too.
#19re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/16/05 at 3:19am
The movie was unavailable for so many years that its release on DVD was most welcome. The screenplay actually imroves on the narrative (and drops a minor and needless subplot about Ken getting involved in buildinga hydro-electric plant n Lichtenburg!)
Even more fun, in a gauch way, is THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS: Ethel has her hands full on that one. Her eldest son (played by Johnny Ray) announces he's gay; the younger son (Donald O'Connor) drinks too much and ends up dating Marilyn Monroe. When he goes off on a bender, Ethel has to replace him (in male drag!) for a production number with her daughter (Mitzi Gaynor. What a strange movie!
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
wildcat
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/04
#20re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/16/05 at 4:05amI can't remember the exact wording, but the Broadway programme carried a disclaimer. "Neither the character of Mrs. Sally Adams nor Miss Ethel Merman resemble anyone living or dead."
Mary_Ethel
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#21re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/16/05 at 4:07amIt also states: "This show is laid in two mythical countries. One is called Lichtenburg--the other, the United States of America."
"I say YOU'RE the CUTEST one. No, I say YOU'RE the CUTEST One. And we go on like that from dawn to three."
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#22re: Call Me Madam
Posted: 4/16/05 at 6:37am
CMM was the subject of a thread on the Main Board nearly a year ago when the DVD was released.
CALL ME MADAM Thread, May 2004
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