Call it a nudie act, call it a “ballet pantomime” (as this film does in its opening titles), call it a demonstration of how to take a bubble bath and dance at the same time. You could also call it six quick minutes of pure 1950s kitsch. This is the film version of a stage act performed by Lili St. Cyr, one of the striptease queens of the old Hollywood Sunset Strip. She undresses, then bathes in a tub that looks like a chariot from ancient Rome, then gets out and slips into a fine evening gown. No sound except for a bawdy jazz score. “The End”.
I’m sure this was a big turn-on for the starched collars in 1952. Today, it’s just silly. And charming. Through clever use of a transparent robe and a bathtub with clear windows on the sides, you feel like you see more skin than is actually onscreen. Meanwhile, Ms. St. Cyr gives it her all for the camera, even while carefully concealing her most sensitive parts. She’s a professional who knows how to sparkle in any situation even before a film crew on a sparse Hollywood soundstage.
The producer is Dan Sonney, one of the founding fathers of the grindhouse. He was a gutter-level mogul who rented offices and soundstages to small time producers and bought west coast distribution rights for many sleazy classics, including Blood Feast about ten years later.
As for Lili St. Cyr, she’s managed to live on through being referenced in the song “Rose Tint My World” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s about losing your inhibitions and embracing your inner freak. “Don’t dream it, be it” goes the most memorable part. Along the way, the character Janet sings the line “God bless Lili St. Cyr”. God bless her, indeed.