Overview
A naive officer's love life takes a wild turn in the vibrant streets of Paris.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- exuberant
- classic movie night
- date night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon's scintillating comic performances while finding the farce overlong and less original than Wilder's best work.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nester becomes Irma's new pimp and invents an elaborate solution to his jealousy.
Much of the action remains concentrated on the stylized, studio-built Rue Casanova set.
Irma's profession, Nester's role as her pimp, and his desire for exclusive love drive the central conflict.
The by-the-book officer begins with a police raid and is forced into the red-light district's corrupt social economy.
Films like Irma la Douce, and why
Some Like It Hot
shared screwball romantic comedy, mismatched lovers, and sexually frank farce
The Apartment
shared Billy Wilder authorship, comic complications, and Jack Lemmon's anxious physical comedy
Can-Can
shared Parisian romance, theatrical stylization, and breezy adult comedy
Pretty Woman
shared prostitution-centered romantic farce and unconventional couple dynamics
Movie Details
- Director
- Billy Wilder
- Release Date
- 1963-01-30
- Runtime
- 147 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (494)
Cast
- Shirley MacLaine
- Jack Lemmon
- Lou Jacobi
- Bruce Yarnell
- Herschel Bernardi
- Hope Holiday
- Joan Shawlee
- Grace Lee Whitney
- Paul Dubov
- Howard McNear
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Irma la Douce about?
- A rigid Paris policeman becomes the unlikely pimp of the woman he loves, escalating jealousy into an exuberant romantic farce.
- What is Irma la Douce like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Irma la Douce as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Irma la Douce violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Irma la Douce as mild.
- What did critics think of Irma la Douce?
- Critics broadly praised Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon's scintillating comic performances while finding the farce overlong and less original than Wilder's best work.
- Which films are like Irma la Douce?
- Films with a similar feel include Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Can-Can, and Pretty Woman.
- How long is Irma la Douce?
- Irma la Douce runs 147 minutes.
- Where can I watch Irma la Douce?
- In United States, Irma la Douce streams on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
