Sophia Loren Archives - Lady L (1965)

FOREIGN TITLES & RELEASE DATES

UK - November 26, 1965 - Lady L - 124'
USA (New York City, Loew's State & Beekman Theater) - May 18, 1966 - Lady L - 117'
France (Paris) -

December 22, 1965 - Lady L
Italy - December 17, 1965 - Lady L - 132'

West Germany -

December 17, 1965 - Lady L
Spain (Madrid, Cines Callao and Richmond) -

May 23, 1966 - Lady L - 124' (attendance: 1,783,612)


British poster	British poster	German poster	Spanish poster

PLOT

At 80 years of age, the duchess of Lendale tells a friend the story of her tumultuous romantic life: from her days as a laundress in love with, and loved by, a skillful thief forever hunted by the police, who ends up joining a band of political terrorists, to those as the wife of a very wealthy duke who se cures the thief’s escape and whom she marries out of gratitude. The thiet, pardoned many years later, comes back to her and becomes the father (though secretly) of her eight children. The duke of Lendale resigns himself to the situation, considering the children of his wife and her lover as his own legitimate offspring. (Enrico Lancia)
Story: from the novel of the same name by Romain Gary.

FILMING LOCATIONS

Castle Howard, York (England)
Boulogne-Billancourt Studios, Paris and Studios de la Victorine, Nice (France)
Montreux, Gruyères (Switzerland)

December 1964 through March 1965
Shooting of location scenes at Montreux Palace in Switzerland with birthday party for Paul Newman on January 26. Shooting moves to Studios de la Victorine in February.

MAIN CAST

Sophia Loren (Lady Louise Lendale)
Paul Newman (Armand Denis)
David Niven (Lord Lendale)
Philippe Noiret (minister Gérome)
Michel Piccoli (Le Coeur)
Peter Ustinov (Prince Otto of Baviera)

CREDITS

Screenplay:
Peter Ustinov
Photography:
Henri Alekan (Eastmancolor, Panavision)
Costume design:
Marcel Escoffier, Jacqueline Guyot
Sophia's Makeup Artists:
Giuseppe Annunziata, Bill Tuttles
Still photographers:
Roger Corbeau, Larry Ellis,
Production:
Carlo Ponti for Concordia (Paris)
Champion (Rome)

NOTES

The film was originally intended as a comedy vehicle for Tony Curtis, Gina Lollobrigida,
and Ralph Richardson with George Cukor as its director.

Sophia's voice is dubbed by Rita Savagnone (Italian), María Luisa Solá (Spanish),
Marion Degler (German).

Sophia is invited for dinner by Charles Chaplin at his house in Vevey, Switzerland
during the shooting of the movie.

The movie was originally intended for Gina Lollobrigida who started working on the project in early 1961. For three weeks, location scenes are shot at the Castle Howard in England.

QUOTES AND REVIEWS

"The star of the film is, of course, Sophia Loren, who plays the young Louise and Louise at 80 - Lady L. Miss Loren is of course an institution, and deservedly so. She is not only extraordinary to look at, she transmits a vitality that is are rare - even, or especially, among the statuesquely beautiful - as it is authentic."
Eliot Fremont-Smith, New York Times, 19 may 1966

"Sophia is lovely as the settings, Niven is as good as ever, and Lady L is a delightful and funny comedy."
Dennis Powers, Oakland Tribune, 22 jun 1966

"The title role belongs to Sophia Loren whose ability at this sort of comedy has been proven many times over. It's about the same sort of thing she did in "Marriage-Italian Style," "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" and "Boccaccio '70." However, the added attraction is watching
her play an 80-year-old woman. Miss Loren is still striking and some of her work in this segment is effective."
Joan E. Vadeboncoeur, Syracuse Herald Journal, 14 jul 1966

"Miss Loren demonstates her chameleon facility for playing deftly any cinematic style"
Rory Guy, Cinema

"Sophia Loren makes the best of a difficult role..."
Daivd Wilson, Sight and Sound