Lady of Burlesque

Play trailer

Lady of Burlesque

Released May 1, 1943

1h 31m

Mystery & Thriller

Romance

Music

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Burlesque dancer Dixie Daisy is the prime suspect when rival dancers are found strangled with their own stage costumes. Aided by infatuated stand-up comic Biff Brannigan, Dixie must find the killer before she becomes his next victim.

Variety

Gallant trouping by Barbara Stanwyck, colorful background provided by Stromberg, and speedy direction by William Wellman, carry picture through for good entertainment for general audiences.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Thomas M. Pryor

New York Times

Nothing more than a mystery melodrama with a backstage setting. Not a good mystery exercise either.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 8, 2006

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Although a stream of hard-boiled wisecracks keeps things amusing, the plot gets tied up in the usual dreary whodunit business of providing motives for all and sundry.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

[The film] has a touch of novelty and sex thanks to Gypsy Rose Lee’s story and Stanwyck’s evident comfort in the milieu. Lady of Burlesque may not break any molds but operates inside them with a blithe energy.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 31, 2025

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

"[Director William] Wellman struggles against the censors and mostly wins, creating a genuinely tawdry world of showbiz sleaziness and dropping saucy suggestions throughout the backstage drama.

Aug 19, 2023

Full Review

Jason Shawhan

Nashville Scene

It's got singing and dancing and murder and drama (and way too casual an attitude about partner violence toward women), and Stanwyck is always iconic (in Edith Head outfits).

Sep 10, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

harwee h

Passsable entertaining mystery film, with the significant portion of the film spent on stage performances which are pretty tame even for 1940s burlesque. Barbara Stanwyck is the attraction of course, she's always fun to watch.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/28/23

Full Review

Steve D

All it really has is Stanwyck and that is enough.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the most delightful movies ever made, a tour de force for Stanwyck, slinking around the stage like a retired Ziegfeld Girl from Brooklyn to the manner born, and for her utterly charming co-star "comic", Michael O'Shea. Probably the best thing Micky ever did on film deploying his considerable abilities.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

If you're studying the film career of Barbara Stanwyck don't overlook this William Wellman directed comedy, murder-mustery. Stanwyck was coming off The Lady Eve, Meet John Doe and Ball of Fire and choose this silly script because the grindhouse setting was dear to her heart given that's how she got her start in showbiz. If you can't stomach the whole film, but are a Stanwyck fan, at least watch her singing and dance routine near the top of the film. She's not good at the singing or dancing, but has that "it" factor that makes the scene a pleasure. Also note how director Wellman was forced to film her from the waist up during the number's bump and grind points.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Frances H

Stanwyck struts her stuff in this rather tame muder mystery in a burlesque house. The tame part is that the costumes by Edith Head, while gorgeous, are nothing you wouldn't see in any movie made in the 30s and there is definitely no stripping.Even so, Ball of fire is a better movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/03/20

Full Review

ashley h

Lady of Burlesque is an okay film. It is about the murder of a burlesque dancer and the other performers trying to find her killer. Barbara Stanwyck and Michael O'Shea gave decent performances. The screenplay is a little in places. William A. Wellman did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the humor and mystery.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

William A. Wellman

Director

Barbara Stanwyck

Deborah Hoople

Michael O'Shea

Biff Brannigan

J. Edward Bromberg

S.B. Foss

Iris Adrian

Gee Gee Graham

Marion Martin

Alice Angel

To Catch a Thief

93%

84%

To Catch a Thief

Watchlist

Ball of Fire

100%

89%

Ball of Fire

Watchlist

The Ghost Breakers

88%

77%

The Ghost Breakers

Watchlist

Lady on a Train

71%

69%

Lady on a Train

Watchlist

The Lady Eve

99%

87%

The Lady Eve

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Burlesque dancer Dixie Daisy is the prime suspect when rival dancers are found strangled with their own stage costumes. Aided by infatuated stand-up comic Biff Brannigan, Dixie must find the killer before she becomes his next victim.

Director: William A. Wellman
Producer: Hunt Stromberg
Screenwriter: James Gunn
Production Co: Hunt Stromberg Productions
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Romance, Music, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 1943, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 11, 2016
Runtime: 1h 31m

Most Popular at Home Now