Call Me Madam - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of Call Me Madam or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to Call Me Madam

[ronnie]

Instead of loaning out Ethel Merman to RCA Victor for the original-cast album of "Call Me Madam" (Dinah Shore replaced her), Decca made their own album with Merman, Dick Haymes and Eileen Wilson. On it, Merman sings the song "Washington Square Dance," which is heard in the movie only as background music in the opening party scene in Washington, D.C.

[frances]

The year after this movie was released, Ethel Merman and Donald O'Connor again appeared together, this time playing a mother and son, in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), also directed by Walter Lang and featuring a musical score by Irving Berlin.

[leo]

Watching this film 2019, its surprisingly modern self referential meta with the blatant in-joke product placement of the "additional" Irving Berlin material, in an un-related musical by Irving Berlin. The plot featuring politics and diplomatic relations has also aged surprisingly well.

[sandra]

Although Lichtenburg is a fictional country, the character of Sally Adams is based on the real-life Perle Mesta, a Washington, D.C. social hostess who in 1949 was named Ambassador to Luxembourg by President Harry S. Truman. The program of the Broadway show included the disclaimer: "Neither the character of Mrs. Sally Adams nor Miss Ethel Merman resemble any person living or dead."

[duane]

Its curious that, based upon the version shown on BBC 2 in 2019, the film was seemingly shot in the 12:9 "Academy" ratio, even though the gigantic incredibly detailed and colourful sumptious sets and costumes in each scene would clearly have been perfect for shooting in the famous widescreen format Cinemascope ratio.

[willard]

Lois Maxwell: One of the singing switchboard-girls. She is best known as Miss Moneypenny in many of the James Bond films..

[gabriel]

Ethel Merman recreated the role that she had originated in the Broadway production which opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 12, 1950 and ran for 644 performances through May 3, 1952.

[chad]

A running gag in the movie has Sally Adams taking calls from President Harry Truman, and receiving bad news about his daughter Margaret's singing career. ("Even in Denver? Well, the opera critics don't know everything. She made money, didn't she?") During her father's administration, Margaret Truman went on tour as an opera singer. Her performances always attracted large crowds, but opera critics often panned her singing. After one particularly harsh review, Harry Truman sent a personal letter to the critic: "Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!"

[edgar]

In the scene towards the end. When the three telephonists salute the one on the right gives a British Army one, palm vertical facing out. She is played by Lois Maxwell of Miss Moneypenny fame.

[harry]

While Donald O'Connor was hesitant to select a favorite film, he was quick to single out his favorite performance: "Call Me Madam (1953) - my favorite number is in there with Vera-Ellen. It's the number I do out in the garden with her to "It's a Lovely Day Today". It's a beautiful lyrical number. I think she was the best dancer outside of Peggy Ryan I ever danced with".