Du Barry Was a Lady

Du Barry Was a Lady is a 1943 musical comedy film based on the hit 1939 Broadway musical of the same name. The movie stars Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Gene Kelly in lead roles with other notable performances by Zero Mostel, Donald Meek, and Virginia O'Brien.

The movie is set in the late 18th century in New Orleans, where Sammy (Red Skelton) works as a washroom attendant at the nightclub owned by his best friend, Louie (Gene Kelly). Sammy is secretly in love with Louie's girlfriend, the glamorous singer May Daly (Lucille Ball), but is too shy to confess his love to her.

Sammy is a big fan of history and often imagines himself as various historical figures. One night, he dreams that he is King Louis XV's mistress Madame Du Barry, and that Louie is the King himself. In his dream, Sammy becomes fabulously wealthy and powerful and is courted by all the most eligible bachelors in France.

The next day, Sammy learns that May is leaving Louie to marry a wealthy man, Reginald Gardiner. Desperate to win May's love, Sammy starts gambling in hopes of winning enough money to marry her himself. However, he ends up losing all his savings and owes money to a loan shark.

In another dream sequence, Sammy again becomes Madame Du Barry, but this time she is plotting to overthrow the King. Sammy also imagines that May is in love with him, but in his dream, he chooses to remain loyal to Louie.

Meanwhile, May discovers Sammy's gambling debts and decides to help him by posing as Madame Du Barry and seducing the loan shark into forgiving Sammy's debt. The plan works, but the loan shark gets suspicious and follows them to a party where they are celebrating. Chaos ensues, but Sammy ultimately wins May's love, and the loan shark is arrested.

The movie features several musical numbers, including "Do I Love You?," "Friendship," and "Well, Did You Evah!," which was later popularized by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby in the film High Society.

Du Barry Was a Lady was notable for featuring the talents of three of Hollywood's biggest stars at the time: Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, and Gene Kelly. The film was also a showcase for the Technicolor process, which resulted in vivid, eye-catching visuals.

While the movie received mixed reviews upon its release, it remains a cult classic among fans of classic Hollywood musicals. The energetic performances by Skelton, Ball, and Kelly, along with catchy songs and colorful visuals, make it a fun and entertaining film.