Who Was That Lady?

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Who Was That Lady?

Original film poster
Directed by George Sidney
Produced by Norman Krasna
Written by Norman Krasna
Starring Tony Curtis
Dean Martin
Janet Leigh
Music by André Previn
Cinematography Harry Stradling
Editing by Viola Lawrence
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) April 15, 1960
Running time 115 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Who Was That Lady? is a 1960 comedy film made by Ansark-Sidney and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by George Sidney and produced by Norman Krasna who also wrote the screenplay, based on his successful Broadway play Who Was That Lady I Saw You With? The music score was by André Previn and the cinematography by Harry Stradling. The costume design was by Jean Louis. The title song was written by Sammy Cahn.

The film stars Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Janet Leigh with James Whitmore, John McIntire, Barbara Nichols, Larry Keating, Larry Storch, Simon Oakland, Joi Lansing. Jack Benny appears as himself.

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[edit] Background and notes

Norman Krasna's play, Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?, opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on March 3, 1958 in a production directed by Alex Segal and designed by Rouben Ter-Arutunian. It ran for 208 performances.

The production company, Ansark-Sidney, combines the names of producer Krasna (spelt backwards) and director Sidney.

The film was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, for Best Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy (Dean Martin).

[edit] Plot summary

David Wilson is a university professor who is kissing one of his students when his wife Ann walks in on them. She demands a divorce. David turns to his old friend, television writer Michael Haney, who cooks up a cover story. They convince Ann that David is working undercover for the FBI, and that the kiss was part of a sting. The gullible Ann believes the story. Later, when she sees David and Michael in a restaurant with two women, she suspects that the women are spies, and passes David his empty gun.

This touches off a disturbance that is filmed by TV news crews. Some real Russian spies think that David is an FBI agent, and the spies grab the Wilsons and Haney, take them to a secret chamber beneath the Empire State Building, and give them truth serum. From there, the film continues to twist and turn in wildly wacky ways.

[edit] Main cast

Actor Role
Tony Curtis David Wilson
Dean Martin Michael Haney
Janet Leigh Ann Wilson
James Whitmore Harry Powell
John McIntire Bob Doyle
Barbara Nichols Gloria Coogle
Larry Keating Parker
Larry Storch Orenov
Simon Oakland Belka
Joi Lansing Florence Coogle

[edit] External links

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