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      The Notorious Landlady

      Released Jul 26, 1962 2h 3m Mystery & Thriller Comedy List
      Reviews 53% 250+ Ratings Audience Score When her husband disappears, Carly Hardwicke (Kim Novak) finds it impossible to rent a room in her London apartment, since everyone assumes she's a murderer. Recently arrived American diplomat William Gridley (Jack Lemmon), however, has no idea about her reputation. Sparks fly between the pair, and Gridley rents the room. When his boss, Franklyn Ambruster (Fred Astaire), learns what Gridley has blundered into, he reproves him until he meets the lovely Carly. The two men try to clear her name. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Jack B It's more interesting for just observing Kim Novak's lack of acting talent. If she wasn't nominated for a Razzie, she should have been! She also suffers due to very poor makeup. This is why leading ladies learned to insist on certain artists who would always make them look their best. Jack Lemon has plenty of talent, of course, but this role is only notable for his use of every thing a Lemon imitator might use in his act. The movie is not a waste of your time, but it's also not the best use of it either. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/26/23 Full Review Steve D Some decent laughs but it should have been better. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/20/23 Full Review Steve M Quite modern in it's script. There's misdirection, rom com, wild chase scene, all the elements of a movie made recently. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/18/23 Full Review Audience Member What a pedigree this movie has: It's written by Blake Edwards (the director of Operation Petticoat, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Days of Wine and Roses, the Pink Panther movies, 10, Victor/Victoria, Micki & Maude, Blind Date) and Larry Gelbart (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Tootsie and the creator of the M*A*S*H* TV show), and was directed by Richard Quine, who also made Bell, Book and Candle; How to Murder Your Wife). Hwo about this cast? Jack Lemmon as diplomat Bill Gridley, Fred Astaire* as his boss Franklyn Ambruster and an effervescent Kim Novak as Carly Hardwicke, the titular landlady, a woman who all of her neighbors believe killed her last husband, Miles. Sure, there was no body, but there's plenty of evidence. You can excuse Bill, who falls for Carly immediately, because Novak is just so charming in this movie. Everyone man that meets her falls under her spell. Yet is she a killer? That's why Scotland Yard wants Bill to spy on Carly, but there's no way he can stay objective. How weird is it that every time Lemmon and Novak teamed up on screen — Phffft! and Bell, Book and Candle**would be two other examples — she played a landlady? And keep your eyes open, TV fans, as this was shot on the so-called Columbia Ranch, the same location as the fountain from the beginning of the show Friends. *As a former performer in movie musicals, Quine has some smart direction here, as every time Astaire appears, he walks to the camera, much as if he's getting the opportunity to dance. While he was retired from dancing movies, he still does his own stunts in the scene where his character follows Novak through the bad side of town. **There are a ton of references to this movie throughout The Notorious Landlady. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Diverting who -dun-it comedy. Kim Novak is miscast Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/04/21 Full Review ashley h The Notorious Landlady is a decent film. It is about American junior diplomat in London rents a house from a woman suspected of murder. Kim Novak and Jack Lemmon good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Richard Quine did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of humor and mystery. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      The Notorious Landlady

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      Critics Reviews

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      David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a decent-enough premise thats employed to mostly underwhelming and uninvolving effect... Rated: 2/4 Mar 8, 2022 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Poor Fred Astaire comes off the worst of all -- he's stuck as a fawning American embassy chief. Rated: C- Apr 18, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis When her husband disappears, Carly Hardwicke (Kim Novak) finds it impossible to rent a room in her London apartment, since everyone assumes she's a murderer. Recently arrived American diplomat William Gridley (Jack Lemmon), however, has no idea about her reputation. Sparks fly between the pair, and Gridley rents the room. When his boss, Franklyn Ambruster (Fred Astaire), learns what Gridley has blundered into, he reproves him until he meets the lovely Carly. The two men try to clear her name.
      Director
      Richard Quine
      Screenwriter
      Blake Edwards, Larry Gelbart, Margery Sharp
      Distributor
      Columbia Pictures
      Production Co
      Columbia Pictures Corporation
      Genre
      Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Jul 26, 1962, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Oct 27, 2016
      Runtime
      2h 3m
      Aspect Ratio
      35mm