Irma la Douce : The Title

The Title

Does anyone think this film would be more popular if it had a better title. After seeing it on the TV Guide for a couple of years I just ignored it. I didnt research it or anything.

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Re: The Title

How is it a nonsense title? Quite a few movies have been named after the lead character(s).
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Truman
Hellboy
Chaplin
Elizabeth
Shakespeare in Love

etc etc.

Re: The Title

I couldn't agree more. The title alone always made me skip over this movie. Then finally I looked into what it was actually about and picked it up from the library. Cute movie.



"It's nothing personal.It's just business"

Re: The Title

I think people are turned off because they think that it is a french film. i think that is nonsense but there you go.

"Many girls want to be carnal with me because I'm such a premium dancer!"

Re: The Title

Shallow people who obviously judge a book by its cover don't deserve better.

What did you make of "Jaws"? Did you think it was a movie about a dentist?

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Exactly. A good way to keep the morons out of the theatre. Call it natural selection, if you want. smile.gif


I never make mistakes. Once I thought I did, but I was wrong. biggrin.gif

Re: The Title

Those who dont care for French movies are branded ignorant. That's rich - and one of the major reasons Americans find the French (and like minded wannabes) repugnant, arrogant, and puerile.

Natural selection is what you've escaped by making uncalled-for and highly insulting remarks hidden behind the anonymity of your keyboard.

Rest assured comments like yours in most movie theaters will result in you being smacked into submission in short order.

Re: The Title

I agree the title is a bit of stumbling block, but once you see the film it fits. I suspect there was confusion in video stores with the spelling of Irma and whether you file it under her first or last name. And is her last name la Douce or simply Douce?

Re: The Title

As Jacobi explains in an early scene, she's called by others 'sweet' - "Irma the Sweet" ('la douce')

Re: The Title

Yes, that's right. How sweet it is!

Re: The Title

I'm not sure if it differs in France, but here in Quebec, La Douce can mean "The Easy" as well.

After seeing the film, Irma the easy works too I think :)

Re: The Title

Actually, "The Easy" may be more appropriate than "The Sweet"!

Re: The Title

Well I'm French and "La Douce" means "The Sweet" and nothing else.

Re: The Title

First, "douce" does not mean "easy" in Qubec. Gentle and kind, maybe, not "easy".

Second, in French "sweet" also means "sucr". And "douce" also means "soft" ex. La Peau Douce.

So your statement is very wrong.

Re: The Title

I would say that in qubec it could mean "The Gentle" too, you know because she's gentle with her costumer

"Tout ce qui monte redescend"

Re: The Title

Well, shoot. I've always been convinced that Wilder was going for the vulgar pun here. It might mean "sweet" in French, but its sounds similar to a female cleansing function in English. In fact, back in the day, people used to pronounce the film title in that way.

Just my opinion I could be wrong.

Love Wilder! Love this film!

Tom B., Ohio, USA

Re: The Title

Why on earth would people pronounce "s" as "sh" ?

And, yes, you are wrong. There is absolutely no link whatsoever between the words "douce and "douche".

On a side note, "douce" as multiple meanings depending on the context: soft, sweet, gentle.

Re: The Title


I have to admit that I didn't pay much attention to the film when seeing it several times in my local movie store. Never realised it had Shirley MacLaine in until I happened to come across it on here. If I'd known that before, I would have a rented it.

ROCK STARS HAVE KIDNAPPED MY SON

Re: The Title

I think by now though, people know enough about the film that the title isn't going to keep them away from it.

Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies

Re: The Title

Title doesn't do anything for the movie that's for sure. Watched it only cause I saw Lemmon and mcClane in it. Sorry for the spelling. But then Wilder'ssome like it hot has a title that doesn't help either.but then it did have MM in it.

Re: The Title

5th highest grossing movie of 1963 (in front as such classics as The Birds, Dr. No, and The Great Escape, to name a few).

So it did not suffer too much from its title. Title that I love granted I speak French.
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