Who Was That Lady? (1960)
Opened at the Criterion Theater on Broadway and 45th Street on April 15, 1960
In 2019 I self-published the first of three issues of zines called I Love New York, a catalog of romantic films set in New York City from 1960-2009. I am now working to turn this list of over 500 films into a book about a genre, a city, and the films that span these crucial years of filmmaking at large. Follow along for an in-depth look at some of these films, starting here with 1960’s Who Was That Lady? This would have been the first romantic comedy filmed in New York City to be released in 1960.
Who Was That Lady?
Director: George Sidney; Producer/Writer/Written for the stage by: Norman Krasna; Cinematographer: Harry Stradling; Editor: Viola Lawrence; Music: André Previn; Costume Design: Jean Louis
Cast: Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, Janet Leigh
Released by: Columbia Pictures in association with Ansark-George Sidney Productions at Criterion in Manhattan on April 15, 1960.
Runtime: 115 minutes. This film has been approved.
Columbia has a rollicking, rib-cracking comedy hit in this yarn about what happens when a chemistry professor’s wife catches him kissing a pretty student and how his best friend gets him out of that mess and into another by convincing the wife that hubbie is actually an FBI undercover man who kissed the girl strickly in line of duty. Merrily performed by Tony Curtis, Dean Martin and Janet Leigh and zestfully staged by George Sidney, this Norman Krasna production shapes up as one of the new season’s smash hits.
-Who Was That Lady? Review. Film Bulletin. January 18, 1960
A young chemistry teach at Columbia (the University) impulsively kisses a student. His wife catches him and packs for Reno. Egged on by a droll television writer—an old girl-cashing buddy from his Army days—he managers to convince the little woman it was all in the line of F.B.I duty.
-Who Was That Lady? Review. New York Times. April 16, 1960.
★★★1/2 Typical ‘60s sex farce with Curtis and Martin posing as secret agents to allay suspicions of Leigh, Curtis’ perpetually jealous spouse. Glib, slick, and a little distasteful, but generally funny. From Norman Krasna’s play.
-Who Was That Lady? Entry. Blockbuster Entertainment. Guide to Movies and Videos 1998.
Norman Krasna’s play ‘Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?’ opened on March 3, 1958 at the Martin Beck theater (45th Street, West of 8th Avenue). The New York Times theater critic Brooks Atkinson opened his review of the play with the line “Not for the first time, the actors are more entertaining than the script.” The play ran for 6 months, without touring before it closed on August 30, 1958. Controversy surrounded the production shortly after it closed as a writer named Valentine Davies filed a lawsuit against Krasna for allegedly incorporating elements of one of his scripts into ‘Was Was That Lady…’
Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis were married at the time of filming, only to divorce a few years later in 1962. This was their fourth scene appearance together (Sweet Smell of Success in 1957 and The Perfect Furlough and The Vikings in 1958). Leigh’s career-defining performance in Psycho hit theaters a few months after Who Was That Lady? premiered, winning her a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination for the role. Curtis starred in another New York City romance, The Rat Race, released on June 23, 1960. Dean Martin was also in another New York City romance the same year with Bells Are Ringing and was in his peak Rat Pack era, starring in Ocean’s Eleven in 1960 as well.
Presumably, interiors for the film were shot in-studio, but exterior, lobby, and rooftop locations at the Empire State Building were used during filming.
The film version of the poorly reviewed play didn’t fair well with film critics either. The opening line of the film’s 1960 New York Times review reads, “Like to see a breezy freewheeling little romantic farce take a nosedive after about half an hour? Then try Columbia’s “Who Was That Lady?” with Tony Curtis, Dean Martin and Janet Leigh…” Film Bulletin Magazine, the UK film monthly that later merged with Sight & Sound, gave it a more glowing review and a rating it a “Business Rating” of $(−Tops,$- Good, $$- Average, $- Poor). The review’s byline reads, “Highly amusing comedy about zany mix-up. It’s all handled with taste as well as zest. Curtis, Martin, Leigh head topflight cast.” According to a later issue of the magazine, the leads of the film went on a “door-to-door tour” to promote the film.
The very mystery in the title of “Who Was That Lady?” has led to some extremely eyecatching on-the-street stunts in numerous cities. Fetching female models in frilly black [mas…] and, in some cases, brief attire, are drawing [t…] male double-takes and stares. Star Tony Curtis, a favorite among the distaff fans, pitched […] with a one-day tour of San Francisco to [h…] promote the picture. In addition to making rounds of press, audio and TV appearences, [he] knocked on the doors of residents in typical political candidate fashion, to ask people to […] “Who Was That Lady?”
-Columbia Takes To Road To Hit Public. Film Bulletin. April 25, 1960
The film opened at the Criterion theater on Boadway and 45th Street in Manhattan on April 15, 1960, and screened alongside the Oscar-nominated French short film, The Golden Fish, which is available to watch on YouTube.
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Despite the bad reviews, the film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy, and Dean Martin was nominated for Best Actor - Comedy or Musical. Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis both took 4th place for Top Female and Male Comedy Performance at the Laurel Awards, presented by the magazine Motion Picture Exhibitor.
At the moment, this film is difficult to find online. There are a plethora of DVD copies floating around the internet, but currently, this film is not available on any streaming platform.
More romance to come…
xx Paris