Darling Lili
| Darling Lili | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Blake Edwards |
| Produced by | Blake Edwards |
| Written by |
William Peter Blatty Blake Edwards |
| Starring |
Julie Andrews Rock Hudson Gloria Paul |
| Music by |
Henry Mancini Johnny Mercer (lyrics) |
| Cinematography | Russell Harlan |
| Edited by | Peter Zinner |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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136 minutes 107 min (director's cut) 190 min (original roadshow release) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $25,000,000 USD |
| Box office | $3,250,000 (US/ Canada rentals) |
Darling Lili is a 1970 American musical film written by William Peter Blatty and Blake Edwards, who also directed. It starred Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson, and Jeremy Kemp. It was the last full musical to have song lyrics written by Johnny Mercer.
Set during World War I, the film centers on Lili Smith (Julie Andrews), a popular British music hall performer who is regarded as a femme fatale. She is actually a German spy, and the uncle she dotes upon is really Colonel Kurt Von Ruger (Jeremy Kemp), a fellow spy and her contact with the German military.
In hopes of gaining valuable information, Lili begins using her feminine wiles on Major William Larrabee (Rock Hudson), a top American pilot. However, Lili soon falls in love with Larrabee and cannot find the courage to betray him. When Larrabee discovers Lili's secret, he refuses to turn her in.
In 1967 Blake Edwards signed a four-picture deal with Paramount. The films he would make were Waterhole#3, Gunn, Mr Lucky and Darling Lili. Julie Andrews signed to play the lead in Darling Lili. Production was to start late 1967. Executive producer Owen Krump began shooting second unit in 1967.
Blake Edwards suffered continual interference from Paramount Pictures executives while making Darling Lili, and it was eventually edited by the studio largely without his input. The director later satirized the problems he faced in the film S.O.B. (1981), which was distributed by Paramount theatrically.
Edwards later claimed Darling Lili was budgeted at $11.5 million but ended up costing $16 million. He said half the cost was due to second unit filming in Ireland and he had pleaded with Paramount not to shoot in Europe due to the weather, but they insisted.
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