marcslope Famous big-flop from the Bluhdorn era at Paramount, and it shares some aspects with that other big Paramount flop of the era, "Paint Your Wagon." Both are essentially square musicals that try to be hip. This one tries by messing with Julie Andrews' image: She's a World War 1 spy for the Germans, and she's looser than the Maria von Trapp standard she set: When Rock Hudson, as the flyer who's romancing her, suggests she might be a virgin, she slaps him. Blake Edwards, about to marry her, must have loved the thought of giving the world a new Julie Andrews, but he made some serious mistakes. I find her chemistry with Hudson, counter to some other commenters, just fine. But making her a Mata Hari-type spy leaves us unsure of whom to root for. There's never any mention of how many Allied plots she reported to the Germans, how many Allied deaths she might have caused. And to maintain a persuasive cover, she's always entertaining the Allied troops. But the character is not a heroine, and the ending--she devotes herself to entertaining and raising money for the Allies--is impossible. We wouldn't just forgive Mata Hari, we'd put her before a firing squad. Edwards lengthens the movie with some exciting aerial sequences, a pair of sub-Clousseau French detectives, and much footage of Rock and Julie kissing. It's shot beautifully, and some nice songs are scattered about, including "Whistling in the Dark," a typically lovely minor-key Mancini melody set to an uncharacteristically pointless Mercer lyric. It keeps the eye and ear occupied, but never engages the heart.

bkoganbing Recognized with three Oscar nominations Darling Lili was a big flop at the time and helped seal the fate of big budget musicals and Julie Andrews's career in them. They were getting just too expensive to make with all the talent that used to be under contract to a studio now charging full market value for services. Whatever else Darling Lili is it's a full market value musical film.Set in the era of World War I, Darling Lili's best asset is its music. Two of the three nominations were in the music field for best overall score and to Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for the song Whistling In The Dark. That one is an incredibly beautiful number that Julie Andrews sings perfectly. The original songs are integrated so well into the film that they fit perfectly in the era. More traditional World War I era songs are also used, no doubt all in the public domain by 1970.Would that the score was attached to a better story. Wholesome Julie Andrews is a popular entertainer of the era, singing for the troops on the western front. She also doubles as a German spy. Her assignment which she accepts with gusto is to get involved with American air ace Rock Hudson and learn some military secrets. I think you can guess the rest.Darling Lili lurches back and forth from cloak and dagger espionage to slapstick comedy in the extreme and it's an uncomfortable ride in the process. One of the characters is Lance Percival playing a drunken pilot in the Royal Flying Corps. I mean really, this guy should never have been in the RFC, the comedy which is good is severely out of place.Film buffs will recognize some similarity to The Firefly and the British classic Dark Journey so if you know those films you know how this one ends. Fans of Rock Hudson and of Julie Andrews will like this and her singing is divine. The rest of Darling Lili is on a lesser plain.

nelliebell-1 The story line to this offering suggests that World War 1 was the time(1914-1918) and place(European Continent)that the film,"Darling Lili" is set.There is no actual relationship to the World at War and the Motion Picture "Darling Lili" is for arguments sake merely the backdrop.This offer is perhaps a bit racy and if there is a fault it is allowing for such contrivances to be taken if you will seriously.Lili Schmidt or Lili Smith played by Julie Andrews portrays a popular entertainer who unbeknown to any is in fact a German Spy.It is made more undaunted the task, is that this masquerade is being performed in front of packed houses of both English and French citizens.A darkened theater opens with a spot light on Lili Smith as a Henry Mancini song,"Whistling away in the Dark" is performed.Its performance is approved off in rousing fashion with an enthusiastic applause.Lili Smith is on stage of course when a German dirigible is sited and it is suggestive of the outbreak of hostilities. Sirens Go off and people start to race for the exits in something of a near panic.In order to maintain some semblance of normalcy, Lili Smith while on stage engages the Orchestra with some well established favorites.There is a German U-Boat-U-29 that surfaces and establishes a formidable presencewhen a German Espionage Agent disembarks the Sub.Played by Jeremy Kemp in one Col.Kurt Von Ruger.Ms.Lili arrives home only to be welcomed byCol.Von Ruger.This virtual nest of vipers seems to suggest a hub of secret information which there is transmitting equipment on site.It is here that we learn that the face of the war is changing and indeed the war is moving to the air.Air planes are having an affect with The Red Baron and his infamous Tri-Winged being part of the conversation.This is in fact a planning by German Espionage Agents to infiltrate and usurp vital information as to the plans of the Allied Air Strategies.There is one,a Major Larrabe played by Rock Hudson whose Eagle Squadron have achieved some degree of success and whose brain she is out to pick.It is planned and indeed there is an attempt to meet Major Larrabe at his "informal headquarters",the café Cancan, when Lt.George Youngblood Carson almost steals the show when he introduces himself at the café CanCan.There is a lovely and enjoyable time on the screen in this particular action as a kiss is just a kiss but oh! what a kiss.Though almost put off when not present Major Larrabe irregardless arrives at Lili Smiths residence with an entire company of violin players,chefs and asks Ms.lili to a picnic at three in the morning.The two from that point on are very much involved with each other with a falling out being worth the price of admission.This price of admission is the cost to watch the entire film because there is nothing salacious as to these scenes however what is suggested is that the two are falling in Love.Apparently Lili Smith has gotten to involved, emotions get the better of her.The problem is not the fits of jealousy but that perhaps at first unwittingly Major Larrabe does not know what he is up against.His exploits in the field if you will however un-nerving this may of in fact been they are common conversation.There is one such admission by her Uncle, Von Ruger stating that the information is better than he hoped as a German Agent and as well there is the ever so encroachment of Lili Smith going into one room and talking on the telephone with Von Ruger while in the adjacent room she is kissing Major Larrabe.The concept of a divided loyalty is hard to ignore though that is what is accomplished.There is though another cause as to these fits of jealousy and in fact it is thought to be another women.Operation Crepe Suzette is thought at least initially to be a top secret military operation when in fact Crepe Suzette played by Gloria Paul is a Dance Hall Entertainer.Gloria Paul as Crepe Suzette does a very seductive strip tease number whereby Lili Smith,who is in the audience fumes and then she,Lili Smith that is, adopts the strip tease for her own show. A very sentimental song is sung by Lili Smith at a Hospital with many wounded and all are in wheelchairs on a lawn.The song, "The Girl in No Mans Land" is in fact about "the distance between the two sides(British-French on one side)(German) trenches along the Western Front."This is where the Chlorine and Mustard Gas attacks occurred,it was as well where much of the war was fought,in the trenches.The land in between and not protected by a trench was called No Mans Land.It is somewhat hard to tell what gets her goat more is it that the information she is divulging to her uncle or if in fact there is anything to this relationship. Nearing the end while on a train attempting to escape to Switzerland,both Her Uncle and Lili Smith are being held at gun point by a German Agent.The Train has been targeted by the German Air Force and is indeed attacked.The German Agent was killed by the strafing with a subsequent attack beaten off by the arrival of Eagle Squadron.In one of the many heroic gesture's Major Larrabe throws his flying helmet and scarf to the ground as Lili Smith runs across an open field to pick it up.The final scene is demanding as now the headlines read "Infamous Spy to Perform"This most certainly is a stretch as even here her uncle is in the audience singing while all the while peace has been declared.It is to me a rather difficult task to ask such things but to ask such things this picture does.Whatever there is here it certainly was not there then and indeed this is merely a sort as such however entertaining it ultimately proves itself to be.

laurenat-1 I am an avid Julie Andrews fan and I just watched this for the first time on DVD -- the Director's Cut version. I was very surprised that it was rated G. How did they get bedroom scenes, a seduction story line, two strip tease acts, and war/shooting/blood into a G rating? Weird. I would rate it PG-13.Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was a beautiful showcase of Andrew's voice and talent. The acting was great. The storyline was a little weak, leaving gaps that could have been filled with some good dialogue. There were too many "no talking, just walking" scenes for me... I would have liked to see the the relationship between Julie and Rock blossom, so that the intense love would be more believable.