Miss Marie Lloyd

Funny the remark another commenter made about "Miss Marie Lloyd" seeming like it was made in the 1960s. I saw the film knowing nothing of Marie's life. I am an American resident in the UK for 15 years. I love Hollywood musicals, especially those made about performers and songwriters of previous generations. "Miss Marie Lloyd" reminded me of the biographies made during the 1940s and 1950s of stars of yesteryear, showing the heartbreak behind the closed dressing room doors. I thought the device of the showman linking episodes of Marie's life was very well done, and the showman's tribute to Marie at the end moved me a great deal. The showman's being played by a black actor brought Bert Williams to my mind. I knew some of the songs thanks to Hollywood: "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" (featured in "The Magnificent Ambersons" and "Berlington Bertie" (from "Star" with Julie Andrews) and of course "My Old Man said Follow the Van" which is so much part of British culture it's still parodied by radio commercials. The voice synching wasn't very good, but Jessie Wallace shone. She brought Marie to life, and the film lovingly tipped its hat to her spirit and her times. What a pity that there aren't more films about performers who were not famous in America- I would love to see more about legends who personified their era and their countries.