# What's your opinion on "Darling Lili", an old American movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [December 12, 2022, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403 "2022-12-12T17:37:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/121 "2022-12-12T21:16:26Z")
It’s a real university, run by the State of Florida. But I didn’t learn French, Latin, or Greek in my youth. I did learn basic algebra and geometry during secondary (high school) education but we do not read the original publications. Instead we use textbooks written by companies like Scholastic or McGraw. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/122 "2022-12-12T21:16:36Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > I cannot imagine secondary education without Anne Korvin-Krukovskaya-Jacquelard, or even Sofia Vasilievna Kovalevskaya. But if you didn’t study the works of Nicolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky then your education was worthless, for he is the mathematician that all others quote. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/123 "2022-12-12T21:17:46Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > But if you didn’t study the works of Nicolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky then your education was worthless, Nil, even! ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/124 "2022-12-12T21:17:51Z")
I’m very abashed with this viewpoint, for every normal Russian student at the meanest university heard something about Casablanca, or even Philadelphia story, to say nothing of English learner, who are certain to have been numberless. ---
**Author:** ![Roman67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roman67/32/12809_2.png) [@Roman67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roman67)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/125 "2022-12-12T21:18:21Z")
Quite agree. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/126 "2022-12-12T21:20:16Z")
Heard about him? We have _songs_ about him! [Tom Lehrer - Lobachevsky (with lyrics) '1953 - Bing video](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=nikolai+ivanovich+lobachevsky+song&view=detail&mid=FFA86D5EBAAFA4815B73FFA86D5EBAAFA4815B73&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dnikolai%2bivanovich%2blobachevsky%2bsong%26cvid%3da67ee26b4a1f42cb8c5f9110d8263ea1%26aqs%3dedge.2.69i57j0l3.2310j0j1%26pglt%3d299%26FORM%3dANNTA1%26PC%3dNMTS) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/127 "2022-12-12T21:38:10Z")
_Darling Lili_ is not Julie Andrews’ best, nor is it Blake Edwards’ best, but I enjoyed it. I don’t know which version I watched. It’s an entertaining soap opera. As for comparing Russian TV with US TV, I can only say that the Soviet version of _The Hobbit_ is worse than the Rankin/Bass version of _The Hobbit_. It’s roughly comparable to a Sid & Marty Kroftt show. Better music, worse special effects. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/128 "2022-12-12T22:13:23Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > I’m very abashed with this viewpoint, for every normal Russian student at the meanest university heard something about Casablanca, or even Philadelphia story, to say nothing of English learner, who are certain to have been numberless. Well, of course. U.S. cinema is widely known to be the best, most intelligent, and most artistic in the world. It only makes sense that Russian students would need to consume American media if they want to be exposed to quality. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/129 "2022-12-12T22:28:07Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m pretty sure nothing was shown, but it probably was a movie that should have got a PG rating. The scene is on YouTube which speaks for how risque it was. She’s pretty much in a yellow corset number about as scandalous as a one piece swimsuit, then takes it off at the very end but covers herself with her wide-brim hat (she still has shorts on). Agreed it was probably a bit much for a G but hardly titillating by modern standards. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/130 "2022-12-12T22:33:26Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > How did you manage to read Pisarev, Sofia Kovalevskaya, Chernyshevsky, German Lopatin, and Pomyalovsky in your schooldays, in your boyhood? Who, who, who, who, and _who_? ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/131 "2022-12-12T22:47:49Z")
I’ve seen the first half hour of _Darling Lili_, but gave up: too bored and too confused. Julie Andrews as a German spy? Really? (spoilering in case anyone wants to watch and maybe enjoy the reveal scene) Or maybe like me you’ll say “WTF!? We’re supposed to believe this??” Supposedly she’s parodying her “good girl” image, but as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t work. Here’s an IMDB review: “Darling Lili lurches back and forth from cloak and dagger espionage to slapstick comedy in the extreme and it’s an uncomfortable ride in the process.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/132 "2022-12-12T22:51:20Z")
“Darling Lili” is probably the only Blake Edwards movie Russian State TV could get the rights to. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/133 "2022-12-12T23:17:01Z")
> [@Roman67](#): > > I’m very abashed with this viewpoint, for every normal Russian student at the meanest university heard something about Casablanca, or even Philadelphia story, to say nothing of English learner, who are certain to have been numberless. I _think_ I know what “abashed” means, but I’m not confident that your use of it is consistent with how I would tend to understand it (after all, you _do_ use the word “gnoseological” in post 107). Do you mean the you have been compelled by the discussion to reevaluate some of your previous beliefs about your interlocutors, and you’re now embarrassed about having looked uninformed? Also, I wouldn’t characterize a film made in 1970 as “old.” Anything after the Hays Code ended is kinda iffy. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/134 "2022-12-12T23:31:13Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > My granddad had an old saying that I think very much applies to the topic of movies: “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” I took an upper division American Folklore class with an emphasis on foodways. We had to read a monograph called _One man’s meat is another man’s person._ Guess the subject. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/135 "2022-12-12T23:34:12Z")
I disagree. From personal experience, I can tell you Finnish, Czech, and Polish are much more difficult than Russian. Don’t get me started on Hungarian and Estonian! To speak an Amerindian language like Navajo, you pretty much have to be born into the culture. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/136 "2022-12-12T23:36:28Z")
Still, it seems wrong to describe Russian as “the easiest language in Europe”. Though, obviously, which is easiest would depend on where you’re starting from. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/137 "2022-12-12T23:38:36Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m explaining the US-centric point of view. Russian culture has almost no impact on the US. I mean, most educated Americans are familiar, to one degree or another, with people like Chekhov, Dostoyevsky, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Eisenstein and a handful of others. I mean, they were geniuses - hands down. But beyond that, Russian culture barely registers on Americans’ radar. Not only don’t they think that it in any way shape or form rivals their own culture, its considered much less relevant to them than other cultures from around the world, like the British or the Japanese. I have to say, I’ve always been fascinated by the utter impenetrability of many Russians’ delusions of grandeur. It’s perfectly fine to be proud of your own culture; but to believe that your own culture is so _self-evidently_ superior, and that anyone who disagrees with you is either lying or stupid… well, that’s just fucking hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/138 "2022-12-12T23:39:16Z")
Hungarian, Finnish, and Estonian are all in the same category, but listed as especially hard for that category. Czech and Polish are in the same category, and around the same difficulty. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/139 "2022-12-12T23:39:20Z")
Tetris. We know Tetris. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403/140 "2022-12-12T23:40:12Z")
Which is clearly Russia’s greatest contribution to the world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-opinion-on-darling-lili-an-old-american-movie/976403.md?page=8)